Refining Climate Change Conservation Strategies

Written by Amelia Carlson

A recent study completed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed current climate change related conservation efforts may not be focused on the species most at risk of extinction. The study, largest of its kind to date, uses an innovative technique to examine 16 857 species of birds, amphibians and corals. This technique focuses on the physical and biological differences between species, recognising that some species are more sensitive to climate change than others. The most vulnerable species have a low capacity for adaption, which when combined with high sensitivity and exposure to climate change, may lead to extinction. Using this knowledge, the study, published in the June edition of science journal PLOS ONE, found that up to 50% of birds, 44% of amphibians and 32% of coral species are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Of these species, up to 9% of birds, 15% of amphibians and 9% of corals are already faced with the immediate threat of extinction. Areas within the Amazon, Mesoamerica, Northern America, Eurasia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sumatra, Java, Greenland, Iceland, Northern Africa, the Andes, the Arabian Peninsula, from Russia to Mongolia, as well as the southern oceans, the Coral Triangle, the Congo basin and the Himalayas were all identified as regions of high climate change vulnerability for avian, amphibian and coral species. In Australia, the regions identified as of greatest concern were Northern, Eastern and Southern Australia. Australian coral species are also at risk.

The researchers are confident that the novel information provided by this study will greatly improve global conservation efforts. The priorities we identify will strengthen global strategies to mitigate climate change impacts, they state. The considerable refinements our approach introduces provide several important contributions to climate change adaptation strategies. However the heavy presence of climate change sceptics could present resistance to the implementation of these strategies. Over half of the Australian population believes that the threats posed by climate change are being over exaggerated by scientists and the media. Vocal sceptics, supported by a small minority of scientists, drive this belief by denying the severity, or even the existence, of climate change. There is no evidence that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is driving surface temperature, and there is plenty of evidence to show that current levels of temperature and carbon dioxide are neither extreme nor of concern... said Viv Forbes, Chairman of the Australian-based Carbon Sense Coalition. It is unbelievable that many in politics and the media are whipping up public hysteria about global warming when the best evidence suggests that there has been NO increase in temperature since 1998. A recent study by John Cook of the University of Queensland found that over 97% of research papers spanning a decade agree that man-made climate change is occurring. This resists the commonly held perception that the scientific community is largely divided on the topic of climate change. The division is heavily emphasised by climate change sceptics in order to add credibility to their claims and drive the climate

debate that is in fact minimal within the scientific community. However in light of this huge body of research, many persons in positions of power who were originally opposed to climate change can no longer ignore the evidence. Organisations such as the IUCN are constantly providing new and improved information on the impacts of our changing climate, placing pressure on politicians to act. When our job is to predict the future, particularly where theres no precedent for the situations were in and there are millions of variables to consider, I think weve got to be ever ready to humbly and frequently correct ourselves, said Wendy Foden, lead author on the recent IUCN study. Nonetheless, we need to act now and we need to use the very best information we can find. Reference List Cook, J 2013, Its true: 97% of research papers say climate change is happening, The Conservation, viewed 2 September 2013, <http://theconversation.com/its-true-97-ofresearch-papers-say-climate-change-ishappening-14051>. Foden, WB, Butchart, SHM, Stuart, SN, Vie, J-C, esit k akaya, H, Angulo, A, DeVantier, LM, Gutsche, A, Turak, E, Cao, L, Donner, SD, Katariya, V, Bernard, R, Holland, RA, Hughes, AF, OHanlon, SE, Garnett, ST, ekercio lu, CH & Mace, GM 2013, Identifying the Worlds Most Climate Change Vulnerable Species: A Systematic Trait-Based Assessment of all Birds, Amphibians and Corals, PLOS ONE, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 1-13. Forbes, V 2007, Climate Smart?, Media Statement, 1 July, Chairman of the Carbon Sense Coalition, viewed 2 September 2013, <http://carbon-sense.com/climatesmart/>. IBSL Newletter 2008, Interview with Wendy Foden, Programme Officer - Climate Change, IUCN, Interview, 20 August,

Programme Officer IUCN, viewed 2 September 2013, <http://biogeography.blogspot.com.au/2008/ 08/interview-with-wendy-fodenprogramme.html>.