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Future Wildlife Habitats Threatened by Extreme Weather
24 Apr
Summary
- Over a third of wildlife habitats could face multiple extreme weather events by 2085.
- Extreme heatwaves will be the most widespread impact on land habitats.
- Cutting emissions to net zero can prevent these devastating climate impacts.
A concerning new study reveals that by 2085, more than a third of terrestrial wildlife habitats could face a combination of climate-driven extreme weather events, including heatwaves, wildfires, and floods, should warming trends persist. Researchers analyzed climate projections and species distribution data for nearly 34,000 vertebrate species.
Extreme heatwaves are identified as the most pervasive threat, with 74% of land habitats expected to be exposed by 2050. Biodiversity-rich areas such as the Amazon and Southeast Asia face a sharp rise in these events. Yet, the study emphasizes that swift emission reductions to net zero can still mitigate these impacts and protect vulnerable ecosystems.
This research highlights the underestimated threat of extreme climate events for conservation planning, moving beyond gradual temperature shifts. Historic events, like Australia's 2019-20 heatwave killing over 72,000 flying foxes and South America's Pantanal wildfires killing an estimated 17 million vertebrates, underscore the devastating potential. While some species may benefit from specific events like droughts, the accelerating intensity of climate change threatens to overwhelm adaptation capacities.
