Climate change dramatically increases extinction risks

A new study published in Science has synthesised the results of 485 studies from around the world looking at the risk of species becoming extinct under future climate scenarios.

It found that extinctions will accelerate rapidly if global temperatures exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Under the highest-emission scenario, approximately one-third of species globally are at risk of extinction.

Australia, New Zealand and South America were identified as the regions that face the greatest threats. Amphibians and species from mountain, island, and freshwater ecosystems are also at higher risk.

Biodiversity Council Lead Councillor Professor Brendan Wintle from the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute at The University of Melbourne said that the study shows that climate change will play an increasingly important role as a driver of extinction and must be minimised to save species.

“Australia and New Zealand are highlighted as hotspots of extinction risk in a changing climate because the opportunity for species to move is limited. A big contributor to that problem is past and current habitat destruction.

“Due to habitat destruction, many species occur in small fragments of habitat and simply now have nowhere to go.

“Even if we can limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees, to cope with climate changes and avoid extinctions in Australia, threatened species need remaining habitat protected, habitat restoration and urgent recovery actions.

“This work reminds us of how critical and urgent it is to get effective environmental protection laws and an independent environmental protection authority in place to protect the dwindling habitats of Australia’s amazing, unique and increasingly imperilled biodiversity.

“And for the species that are already on the brink, we need to increase ten-fold our pitifully small species recovery budgets. We need federal government spending on on-ground conservation actions lifted to 1% of the budget now“.

Biodiversity Council Lead Councillor Associate Professor Nicki Mitchell from The University of Western Australia, an expert on amphibians, said that climate change is already impacting Australian frog species.

“Climate change contributed to recent extinctions of four frog species in Australia by making amphibian diseases, such as chytridiomycosis, more virulent.

“This new study is showing that climate change will directly drive future amphibian extinctions by making their habitat unsuitable.

“Australia has 18 species of frogs in the Critically Endangered category, and many of these species are terrestrial breeders that need damp soil to incubate their eggs and tadpoles.

“As the climate changes, the patches of suitable moist habitat for these species are diminishing, and we are seeing more years where breeding is failing.

“We know of actions that can be taken to assist Australian frog species to adapt to climate change, and while some are being trialled, it is not safe to assume that we have plenty of time up our sleeves to respond to this threat. Frog species can vanish very rapidly.”

According to Biodiversity Council Director James Trezise, this study highlights just how interconnected the climate crisis and biodiversity crisis are.

“Australia's incredible wildlife and ecosystems face a layer-cake of threats, from invasive species, habitat destruction, and, increasingly, climate damage.

“This study shows why it's so important to protect critical habitats and develop plans to help species adapt to the impacts of climate change. It also underscores why we need to rapidly decarbonise our economy.

“We should be aspiring to leave this country to our kids and grandkids in a better state than we inherited it. That means taking real and meaningful action to safeguard our vanishing wildlife.”