This blog contains information about Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation. It also explains the similar Drivers of Climate Changes and Biodiversity loss. It also discusses the Adaptation measures to prevent Biodiversity Loss due to Climate Change.
What is the Relation between Biodiversity and Climate Change?
Biodiversity loss and climate changes are increasingly recognized by the scientific community as two highly interlinked Environmental challenges. These interlinkages are of different types and they have concerns in different directions. The main reason is the Climate Change is an Environmental Problem and living diversity relies on the Environment for most of the activities that they have to do for their survival. For Example, the nutrition, shelter, survival and many other things directly connects to Environment. And we already know that changing climate is a Significant Environmental issue that disturbs all the natural processes going on into the Environment and living varieties are also the part of every natural Environmental process. In this way, Biodiversity is closely linked with Climate Change and the survival of Biodiversity depends on Climatic Change at great extents.
This blog explains the relation of Biodiversity with Climate Changes and Adaptation Strategies protect Biodiversity from Climate Change.
What are the Drivers that Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change Shares?
A significant similarity and relation of Biodiversity loss and Climate Changes, is that it shares same drivers and these drivers effects Climate Change and Biodiversity at the same time. Following is the list of drivers that Biodiversity Loss and Changing climate Shares:
- Land use and land-use change,
- Resource exploitation such as unsustainable fishing practices
- Energy production
- Pollution
- Deforestation
- Destruction of Wetlands etc.
These are the drivers that often exacerbate the impacts of climate change and lead to Ecosystem degradation or loss. Hence, the complex feedback loops between climate change and biodiversity loss are mutually reinforcing, and addressing them requires coherence in policies and actions. This blog is all about Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation.
Economic Cost of Biodiversity Loss:
Economic Cost of Biodiversity loss can be defined as the negative impacts on the economy, society and human well-being caused by loss of biodiversity. This involves the amount that we need to overcome the impacts of biodiversity loss such as Soil Erosion, reduced fertility and productivity of agriculture. The present economic cost of biodiversity loss is about $300 billion each year.
How Climate Change Alters the Ecosystem and Biodiversity?
Anthropogenic climate change threatens the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems due to disruptions in the natural feedback loops and loss of habitat for a variety of fauna and flora. These climate impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity also undermine their ability to deliver ecosystem services, thereby harming human lives and livelihoods, as well as efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger and provide safe water for billions of people. These scenarios may be Extreme Temperatures, Extreme Weather Events and Natural Disasters that are triggered by Climate Changes. These Impacts are harming Biodiversity and causing Ecosystem instability from decades. And it is becoming intense with passing time. Millions of individuals from different living species, are harmed or die every year due to Extreme Impacts of Climate Change. This blog is all about Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation.
How Biodiversity and Ecosystem supports the Climate Change Adaptation?
Biodiversity and Ecosystems play a major role in regulating climate and buffering from its extremes, thereby enhancing societal adaptation and resilience to climate changes. Their role as carbon sinks is an essential contribution to the Paris Agreement’s “Greenhouse Gas neutrality” goal. At the same time, biodiversity and ecosystem health underpin efforts to adapt to climate change.
Biodiversity and ecosystems provide communities around the world with valuable natural resources and ecosystem services that support lives and livelihoods and help address the growing climate risks and vulnerabilities. Increasing Biodiversity loss, including the degradation of ecosystems and the services they provide, threatens existing adaptation efforts, intensifies natural disasters, limits prospective adaptation options, and undermines Sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and resilience building for the most vulnerable communities
Living varieties and healthy and resilient ecosystems are important components of societal adaptation to climate change. Thus, it is important to consider how climate changes will affect biodiversity and ecosystems. If protected and managed in a way that allows ecosystems themselves to adapt, their services can play a vital role in helping people to adapt to climate change. They can mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and make a valuable contribution to human resilience. This creates the foundation for more synergistic cooperation in the planning, design, and implementation of strategies in response to both biodiversity loss and climatic change adaptation to ensure mutually supportive outcomes and avoid counterproductive policies and actions. This blog is all about Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation.
What are Nature-based Solutions?
Nature-based solutions (NBS) to address climate change, which include Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA) and ecosystem disaster risk reduction, contribute to the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems. Examples include watershed and forest protection and coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration to help countries mitigate disaster risks and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Policies and Governance on Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss:
NBS can safeguard local biodiversity and endangered species, preserve soil fertility, increase natural resource availability, and build healthy, resilient, and sustainable communities. Exploring the synergies between biodiversity and climate adaptation policies and actions through NBS allows countries to avoid duplication of work and enable a better, more effective, and more efficient allocation of resources. A well-coordinated approach could facilitate countries’ efforts to achieve multiple commitments domestically and internationally.
In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted an international definition for NbS as follows:
“ Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, which address social, economic and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits.”
Carbon Sequestration:
Carbon Sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric CO2 to reduce its concentration and mitigate climate change. This is mostly done naturally with the help of biodiversity. It is one of the most important natural phenomena that helps in the adaptation of climate changes by decreasing Carbon from the environment that eventually reduces the warming of the Earth. With increasing biodiversity loss such as Deforestation, Destruction of natural habitats and depletion of natural resources, CO2 accumulates in regions of Earth and it is the leading cause of Air Pollution and Global Warming.
These are the Solutions that Nature provide us. They need one time investment and establishing and the they provide benefits for rest of the life. These NBS are best against Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss at the same time. We should apply them as much as we can. This blog is all about Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation.
Why Biodiversity Matters in a Changing World?
How can improved biodiversity management enhance resilience to climate change and contribute to adaptation strategies?
Species and habitats are the building blocks on which human livelihoods depend, the foundation for productive forests, fisheries, and agricultural crops. Climate change is already impacting on ecosystems and livelihoods, but enhanced protection and management of biological resources can mitigate these impacts and contribute to solutions as nations and communities strive to adapt to climate changes. Protecting forests and other natural ecosystem can provide social, economic, and environmental benefits, both directly through more sustainable management of biological resources and indirectly through protection of ecosystem services.
The Bank is already a major global funder of biodiversity initiatives, including support to 598 projects in over 120 countries during the last 20 years. Many of those projects are already promoting sound natural resource management that could contribute to mitigation and adaptation through maintaining and restoring natural ecosystems, improving land and water management, and protecting large blocks of natural habitats across altitudinal gradients. Improved protection of high biodiversity forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other natural habitats provides benefits for biodiversity as well as carbon storage. Integrating protection of natural habitats and improved management of natural and agricultural resources into adaptation plans can contribute to cost-effective strategies for reducing vulnerability to climate change.
Biodiversity has always proved as best option in order to treat Climate Change Impacts and to make Climate Resilient Ecosystems. This blog contains Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation.
How does Climate Change affect Biodiversity?
There are some of the impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity. Following are some of them:
Habitat Loss
Loss of habitat occurs due to different reasons such as heat waves, rise in temperature, deforestation and changes in weather conditions. This may cause damage of the crops, trees, wildfires and many other factors that lead to habitat loss.
Specie Extinction
When species migrate or change their habitat, they are exposed to environmental hazards and predators. Eventually they may get diseases or die. This leads to endangerment and extinction of species. It also increase the possibility of reaching tipping points of the species (critical threshold of biodiversity loss).
Changes in Specie Distribution
Due to climate change, the species changes their distribution by going towards the high altitude in search of better climatic conditions. This produces a competition between native and newly introduce species ending up in biodiversity loss.
Disruption in Ecosystem Interactions
When the ecosystem carry out changes in its composition and atmosphere, it leads to changes in timing of biological events i.e. migration. This creates a mismatch between species that rely on one another.
Disturbance in Ecosystem Services
Loss of biodiversity due to extreme Climate Changes leads to reduction and disturbance in ecosystem services. All the ecosystem services are carried out by different species of biodiversity. When they are damaged or died, these services are disturbed.
Ocean Acidification
Oceans is a habitat to a huge variety of species that participates in ecosystem stability and carbon absorption. When the temperature rises, excessive CO2 adds into the ocean making it acidic. This condition is very crucial for Coral Reef ecosystem and that damage 25% of the marine biodiversity due to Coral Bleaching. Coral reefs are found in Freshwater and it is essential for the survival of Freshwater biodiversity on oceans.
Human Health and Food security:
Human health highly relies on the food they eat and medicines they consume. If there will be less availability of useful living species, there will be no proper quality check of the animals and plants that humans consume. In the same way, loss of biodiversity is a significant reason behind food insecurity because it is interrelated with each other.
These are the major impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity. This blog contains Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation.
What are the human activities accelerating Biodiversity loss?
Following is the list of some human activities that accelerates the Loss of Biodiversity on Earth:
- Deforestation
- Wetland destruction
- Land-use change
- Unsustainable Agricultural Practices
- Intensive Farming
- Modern Development Projects
- Plastic pollution
- Air, Water and Land Pollution
- Industrial Waste
- Hazardous Waste etc.
What are the Climate change adaptations for Biodiversity loss? Conservation solutions for Climate Change
Climate change poses significant challenges to biodiversity, threatening the existence of numerous species and also disrupting ecosystems. Adaptation strategies for biodiversity loss aim to mitigate these impacts and enhance the resilience of ecosystems. Here are key climate change adaptation measures for biodiversity:
i. Protected Area Management and Expansion:
Our first priority should be the establishment of Climate-resilient Protected Areas for Biodiversity. Identify and establish protected areas designed to withstand climate change impacts, preserving critical habitats and also biodiversity. Biodiversity can be protected by establishing Specie Corridors wherever needed to promote Biodiversity. We should create ecological corridors that facilitate the movement of species, enabling them to migrate in response to changing climates.
ii. Habitat Restoration and Rehabilitation:
We have already destroyed many wetlands and suitable habitats of Biodiversity. Now it is our duty to restore degraded ecosystems through planting native trees, enhancing carbon sequestration, and providing habitats for diverse species. This can be done by implementing Reforestation and Afforestation. Another effective step is to protect and restore wetlands to maintain water balance,
support biodiversity, and buffer against extreme weather events.
iii. Species Management and Conservation:
Major problems that species face is during their migration activities. So we should consider translocation or assisted migration of vulnerable species to suitable habitats outside their current ranges. Genetic Diversity is also an important factor in protecting Biodiversity. We should implement breeding programs to maintain genetic diversity in captive populations, especially for species at risk. These strategies will help us to conserve Species.
iv. Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Land Use Planning:
The main Anthropogenic Activity that harms Biodiversity is Non-sustainable agriculture. So, we should promote sustainable farming practices that minimize habitat destruction, reduce chemical use, and maintain biodiversity-friendly landscapes. Ecosystem based Services can also be useful against Biodiversity loss. We must integrate biodiversity considerations into land use planning, incorporating ecosystem-based approaches to enhance resilience.
v. Community Engagement and Indigenous Knowledge:
We should Involve local communities, indigenous peoples, and stakeholders in conservation efforts, acknowledging and respecting traditional knowledge in order to save Biodiversity. Monitoring is also an important step in order to know about the reasons behind Biodiversity loss. Establish community-led monitoring programs to track changes in biodiversity and respond to emerging threats.
vi. Climate-Resilient Fisheries and Marine Conservation:
We should work of the establishment of Marine Protected Areas and expand them. We should designate and expand marine protected areas to safeguard critical marine habitats and support fish stocks. Implement regulations and practices that ensure the sustainable use of fisheries, preventing overexploitation.
vii. Early Warning Systems for Conservation:
The monitoring and surveillance helps in mitigation of the upcoming problem. Develop early warning systems to monitor the health of ecosystems and detect changes in biodiversity. While Rapid Response plans also works against sudden disasters. We should Establish protocols for immediate responses to biodiversity emergencies, such as disease outbreaks or invasive species introductions.
viii: Education and Capacity Building:
We should organize Public Awareness Campaigns to keep people up-to-date. We have to work on raising awareness about the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and the importance of conservation. Capacity Building is also an important step. Provide training and resources for conservation practitioners, local communities, and policymakers to enhance their ability to adapt to changing conditions.
ix. International Collaborations:
Every nation should work hand in hand to conserve Biodiversity and fight with Climate Change. Collaborate with neighboring countries to address transboundary biodiversity challenges. We should also work on the Global Conservation initiatives and engage in international agreements and initiatives that promote biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation.
x. Research and Innovation:
We should work on the establishment of Climate-Resilient Seed Banks and establish seed banks that prioritize the collection and storage of climate-resilient plant species. The research on Adaptation Strategies should never stop and also people should invest in scientific research to understand the specific impacts of climate change on biodiversity and develop effective adaptation strategies.
xi. Climate Change Activism:
This term includes all the individuals, groups and organizations that take action to advocate for policies and practices that address Climate Change and its impacts. Activism includes all the action-based solutions of Climate Changes on Earth. The Climate Change Activism leads to the effective activities that help us to combat Climate change. As climatic changes are the 4th largest driver of biodiversity loss and drives 14% of total loss of biodiversity.
xii. Policy and Governance Responses:
Many international agreements such as Paris Agreement etc. work for the reduction in the extent of Climate Change. In the same way many national and institutional frameworks are utilized in order to reduce biodiversity loss caused by abrupt changes in climatic conditions. Policy and governance can play a vital role in combating climate change and reducing its impacts.
Implementing these adaptation measures requires a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, involving governments, NGOs, local communities, and international organizations to ensure the conservation of biodiversity in the face of climate change.
Conclusion:
Biodiversity is essential for the Natural Environmental Processes going on in our Planet. It plays significant roles in stabilizing Ecosystems that exists on Earth. Climate Change is one of the biggest threat to Environment and Biodiversity. This why the relation of Biodiversity and Climate Change work in a loop. Both of these influence the survival and health of the other. Some of the similar drivers are Land-use Change, Deforestation, Resource Exploitation etc. The best way to protect and conserve Biodiversity is to implement Adaptation Practices to avoid Biodiversity Loss due to Climate Change. These Adaptation Strategies includes, Climate-resilient Agriculture, Early Warning Systems, Community Engagements etc. By applying these Adaptation Strategies we can fight Biodiversity loss due to Climate Change.
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