Report on Climate Change as a Major Driver of Global Biodiversity Loss

Introduction: A Third Major Threat to Global Fauna

A comprehensive analysis confirms that climate change is emerging as a third primary driver of global biodiversity loss, alongside overexploitation and habitat destruction. The research, led by Oregon State University, indicates that rising temperatures, intensified storms, and droughts directly threaten a minimum of 3,500 animal species. This situation presents a significant challenge to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning life on land and below water.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The findings of this analysis have direct implications for several key SDGs:

• SDG 13: Climate Action: The report underscores the urgent need for climate action by demonstrating the severe and direct impacts of climate change on global wildlife populations.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water: A significant portion of the threatened species are marine, highlighting the acute vulnerability of ocean ecosystems to climate-related stressors like rising sea temperatures.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The study documents threats to terrestrial species and ecosystems, reinforcing the necessity of integrating climate mitigation into strategies for protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The research calls for enhanced global cooperation, improved data collection through international bodies like the IUCN, and integrated policy planning to address the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Key Research Findings and Analysis

Species Under Direct Climate Threat

The study analyzed 70,814 species using data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It found that climate change is a recognized threat for a significant portion of these species. The risk is particularly acute for invertebrates.

1. Invertebrate Classes at High Risk: In six entire taxonomic classes, including arachnids, centipedes, and anthozoans (e.g., corals and sea anemones), at least one-quarter of all species are threatened by climate change.
2. Vertebrate Classes: While the proportion is smaller, significant numbers of mammals, birds, and reptiles are also imperiled by climate-related factors.

Vulnerability of Marine Ecosystems (SDG 14)

The oceans are identified as a primary danger zone due to their capacity to absorb excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions. Marine species, especially invertebrates, face heightened danger because their limited mobility prevents them from escaping warming waters and other adverse conditions. This directly threatens the targets of SDG 14, which aim to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

Documented Mass Mortality Events Linked to Climate Change

Recent extreme weather events provide stark evidence of these vulnerabilities, causing mass die-offs that impact ecosystem stability and function.

• A marine heatwave off the coast of Israel led to a 90 percent decline in mollusk abundance.
• The 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome resulted in the deaths of billions of intertidal animals, including mussels and clams.
• A 2016 marine heatwave caused the bleaching of nearly 30 percent of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, jeopardizing progress toward SDG 14.
• An extreme warm spell in the North Pacific (2015-2016) starved an estimated four million common murres and contributed to the loss of approximately 7,000 humpback whales.

These events have cascading effects, disrupting nutrient cycling and carbon-cycle feedbacks, further complicating efforts to achieve environmental sustainability.

Critical Data Gaps and the Challenge for SDG Implementation

The Underassessment of Global Species

The report highlights a critical lack of data, suggesting the true scale of the crisis is far greater than currently documented. Key issues include:

• Limited Scope: The 70,814 species examined represent only 5.5 percent of all described animal species.
• Unassessed Classes: Sixty-six of the planet’s 101 recognized animal classes have had no species formally evaluated for climate risk by the IUCN.

Bias in Conservation Data

Existing data, including the IUCN Red List, is heavily skewed toward vertebrates. This leaves the vast majority of invertebrates—which are essential for critical ecosystem services like pollination, soil health, and marine food webs—largely unexamined. This data gap hinders the ability of policymakers to make informed decisions that support SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Policy Recommendations for Integrated Action

To address this escalating crisis, the report advocates for a series of integrated policy and research initiatives aligned with the SDGs.

Merging Climate and Biodiversity Policies (SDG 13 & 15)

There is a critical need to synchronize biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation policies at a global scale. Policymakers must integrate climate risk assessments into all conservation planning to ensure strategies are resilient and effective in a warming world.

Enhancing Monitoring and Assessment (SDG 17)

The authors call for a significant expansion of data collection and analysis to inform policy. Recommendations include:

1. Global Database: Establish a global database to monitor mass mortality events caused by climate change across all ecosystems.
2. Accelerated Assessment: Increase the frequency of climate risk assessments and expand them to cover currently ignored species, particularly invertebrates.
3. Citizen Science: Expand citizen science initiatives to help monitor overlooked taxa and gather real-time data.
4. Improved Models: Incorporate species’ adaptive capacities, such as dispersal ability and genetic diversity, into risk models.

Conclusion: Urgent Action Required to Meet Global Goals

The study confirms that climate change is an immediate and severe crisis for global wildlife, compounding existing threats and jeopardizing the achievement of SDGs 13, 14, and 15. The window for closing critical data gaps and implementing effective, integrated policies is shrinking rapidly. Without decisive global action to mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity, the number of species sliding toward extinction will continue to grow, with profound consequences for ecosystems and human well-being.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article’s central theme is that “Climate change is rapidly joining overexploitation and habitat destruction as a third major driver of global biodiversity loss.” It discusses rising temperatures, intensifying storms, and droughts as direct climate-related stresses on animal species and calls for climate mitigation policies.

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  The article places a strong emphasis on the vulnerability of marine life. It states that “Marine species, in particular, face heightened danger because they cannot easily move away from warmer waters.” It provides specific examples of mass mortality events in marine ecosystems, such as the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef and the death of billions of intertidal animals.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The article addresses the threat to terrestrial biodiversity, noting that climate change is “forcing thousands of animals onto the endangered species list.” It mentions that classes like mammals, birds, and reptiles contain “significant proportions of climate-imperiled members” and discusses the need to halt biodiversity loss and protect threatened species on a global scale.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 13: Climate Action
  • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The article directly addresses this by highlighting the vulnerability of ecosystems to extreme climate events like the “2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome” and a “severe marine heatwave in 2016.”
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article explicitly calls for this, stating, “We need the integration of biodiversity and climate change policy planning on a global scale.”
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
  • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. The article’s focus on the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef and the “90 percent crash in mollusk abundance” following a jump in sea-surface temperature directly relates to the health and protection of marine ecosystems.
  • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information. The article supports this by identifying specific danger zones, noting “The oceans stand out as a danger zone,” and highlighting the need for protection strategies based on data like the IUCN Red List.
• SDG 15: Life on Land
  • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The article’s core finding that “at least 3,500 animal species already deemed directly threatened by rising temperatures” and its use of the IUCN Red List to identify species “on the brink of extinction” directly align with this target.
  • Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts. The call to “synchronize biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation” and use the Red List to “make decisions about land use, funding, and protection strategies” reflects this integration.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 13 (Climate Action):
  • Global Temperature Rise: The article mentions the 1.5°C threshold, stating that “global temperatures already flirting with the 1.5°C threshold that scientists warn will unleash accelerating hazards.” This is a key indicator for measuring climate change intensity.
  • Database of Climate-Related Disasters: The article proposes a new indicator by calling for “a global database on mass mortality events due to climate change for animal species in all ecosystems.”
• For SDG 14 (Life Below Water):
  • Species Abundance and Mortality Rates: The article provides concrete data points that serve as indicators of ecosystem health, such as the “90 percent crash in mollusk abundance,” the death of “billions of intertidal mussels, clams, and snails,” a 71% reduction in “Pacific cod numbers,” and the loss of “7,000 humpback whales.”
  • Coral Bleaching Extent: The article uses the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef as an indicator, noting a “severe marine heatwave in 2016 bleached nearly 30 percent of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.”
• For SDG 15 (Life on Land):
  • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: This is the primary indicator used throughout the article. It is described as “the world’s pulse check for wildlife” and is used to quantify the number of species at risk. The analysis is based on records for “70,814 species” from the IUCN database.
  • Number of Threatened Species: The article provides a specific number: “at least 3,500 animal species already deemed directly threatened by rising temperatures,” which can be tracked over time.
  • Proportion of Species Assessed: The article implies an indicator of data sufficiency by noting that the “70,814 species examined in the study account for just 5.5 percent of all described animals,” highlighting a major data gap.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: earth.com