Many endemic species can go extinct if greenhouse emissions go unchecked
Recently, a new study published in the Journal of Biological Conservation states that, if the emission of greenhouse gases continues to increase steadily, many animals and plants may be at risk of extinction.
Key findings of study:
- According to the study some 92% of all endemic species on land and 95% of those in the sea will shrink in numbers or even extinct under current emission levels.
- Only due to climate change, more than 60% of the endemic species are facing the threat of extinction in the tropical region.
- In addition, all endemic species inhabiting the islands are at high risk of extinction due to climate change.
- Four out of every five endemic species in the mountains are at high risk of extinction due to climate change.
- Under the Paris Climate Agreement, countries have expressed a resolve to keep global temperature rise below 2 ° C, which would help save the majority of the species if it occurs.
Effect of 30C increase in global temperature
- According to the Biological Conservation Journal study, if the global temperature rises by three degrees Celsius, all the endemic species that inhabit the islands will extinct.
- At such a temperature, about 84% of the endemic species living in the mountains will be extinct, at the same time, one-third of the endemic species living on land and half the endemic species living in the sea will face extinction.
According to this report, the global scenario of 2050
- If greenhouse gas emissions increase, most of the endemic plant species of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and the island of the Western Ghats will extinct by
- It should be noted that, compared to the global species, the risk of extinction of the endemic species increases with increasing temperature by 7
- Endemic species that are most vulnerable to climate change are: lemurs (especially those unique to Madagascar), and snow leopards.
Source – The Hindu
