by Dec. 11 (UPI) — Climate change and human activity are threatening global biodiversity more than ever, according to a report released on Monday at the United Nations COP28 climate conference in the United Arab Emirates, which shows the list of species threatened with extinction growing by almost 2,000 species new in the past year.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s report, known as the “Red List,” measures the world’s biodiversity and includes 157,190 species, of which 44,016 are now threatened with extinction. That compares to last year’s Red List when 42,108 species were put at risk due to human activity and warming temperatures.
“Climate change is threatening the diversity of life in our planet’s oceans, and undermining nature’s capacity to meet basic human needs,” said Dr. Grethel Aguilar, Director General of the IUCN.
“This update of the IUCN Red List shows the strong links between the climate and biodiversity crises, which must be tackled jointly,” said Aguilar. “Species declines are an example of the devastation climate change is wreaking, and we have the power to stop it with urgent, ambitious action to keep warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
Species at risk include the South Central Pacific and Eastern Pacific green turtle populations, according to the Red List report. Hatching success declined in warmer waters as nests flooded with rising sea levels. The turtles are also dying as a result of incidental bycatch in industrial fishing.
Atlantic salmon are also affected by climate change and human activity, which has shown a 23% decline in global population between 2006 and 2020. Warmer temperatures have affected the lifespan of Atlantic salmon with a decrease in prey and an increase in invasive species. Human activity is also to blame as dams, water pollution and logging increase their mortality.
Monday’s report included the first assessment of the the world’s freshwater specieswhich shows that 25% are currently at risk of extinction, or near-threatened, due to declining water levels, dams and overfishing.
“More than half of the world’s known fish species are freshwater fish, an incredible diversity given that freshwater ecosystems make up only 1% of the aquatic habitat. These diverse species are central to the ecosystem and critical to its resilience,” said Kathy Hughes, Co. -chairman of the IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group.
“Ensuring that freshwater ecosystems are well managed, remain free of flow with sufficient water, and good water quality is essential to halt species decline and maintain food security, livelihoods and economies in a world is climate resilient,” Hughes added.
Despite an increase in the number of species added to this year’s endangered list, two species of antelope have been saved. The saiga antelope improved from “critically endangered” to “near threatened,” due to extensive anti-poaching measures.
The scimitar-horned oryx moved from “extinct in the wild” to endangered on the IUCN Red List after the species was reintroduced to Chad. By the late 1990s, the antelope had disappeared from the African wild due to increased poaching and severe drought. In 2021, 331 calves were born in Chad.
“The scimitar-horned oryx is the fourth large mammal that has been successfully reintroduced into the wild in the last 100 years,” said. David Mallon, co-chair of the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group.
“The success of this project and the dramatic recovery of the saga is the result of strategic vision, strong government commitment and investment, technical support from non-governmental organizations and scientific experts, and collaboration with local communities,” he said.
As climate change affects many species of animals and fish, much of the biodiversity affected by warmer temperatures and droughts is the plants and trees they rely on for housing and food .
“This year’s IUCN update adds thousands of trees to the IUCN Red List, many of which are timber species. These trees are often key species in forests and are important to national and local economies. However, they are often at risk of extinction from unsustainable harvesting,” said Megan Barstow, conservation officer at Botanic Gardens Conservation International.
“The climate and biodiversity crises are two sides of the same coin. On the one hand, climate change is one of the causes of documented decline in animals, fungi and plants, but on the other, the resilience of nature through recovery and regeneration species and ecosystems are our most powerful ally in combating the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” said Dr. Jon Paul Rodríguez, chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
“This update to the Red List highlights the climate-related mechanisms behind the decline of fish and sea turtles, as well as the recovery of scimitar-horned oryx and saiga through proactive conservation action.”
