climate change impacts on biodiversity saadullah ayaz

Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity

IUCN, INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE, PAKISTAN

Saadullah Ayaz

IUCN- Pakistan

IUCN believes that conserving biodiversity involves addressing (i) species and their sub-populations; (ii) genetic diversity; and (iii) ecosystems. Hundreds of projects are underway around the world aimed at saving species and ecosystems and providing the knowledge needed for successful conservation action. IUCN's biodiversity conservation work is carried out by its various programmes including Water, Forests, Marine, Species, Ecosystem Management and Protected Areas. The following IUCN’s global programme cater for biodiversity concerns:

BIODIVERSITY AND IUCN

IUCN, INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATUREIUCN, INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE, PAKISTAN

following IUCN’s global programme cater for biodiversity concerns:

IUCN Species ProgrammeIUCN Global Marine ProgrammeIUCN Water ProgrammeIUCN Forest Conservation ProgrammeIUCN Ecosystem Management ProgrammeIUCN Protected Areas Programme

http://www.iucn.org/what/tpas/biodiversity/solutions/

IUCN believes that conserving nature can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and help us adapt to the impacts of climate change

IUCN’s work puts nature at the centre of climate change solutions in hundred of programmes and projects across the world

CLIMATE CHANGE AND IUCN


IUCN’s Climate Change Network coordinates and facilitates climate change work across the Union’s programmes, commissions and member organizations. IUCN’s UN Observer Status offers a unique position at key international decision-making fora, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

http://www.iucn.org/what/tpas/climate/

IUCN AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

The Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Thematic Group of IUCN’s Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), promotes the science and practice of Ecosystem-based Adaptation.

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.


EbA aims to maintain and increase the resilience and reduce the vulnerability of ecosystems and people in the face of the adverse effects of climate change.

IUCN- PEOPLE AND LIVELIHOODS

IUCN introduced “Community-based Risk Screening Tool - Adaptation and Livelihoods”(CRISTAL)

CRISTAL can reduce impacts of climate change on community livelihoods

First tested in IUCN project in Mali


First tested in IUCN project in Mali(Inner Delta of the Niger River)

Made available by IUCN for wider global use ([email protected])

IUCN’S GUIDELINES FOR

PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLES

IUCN developed “Guidelines for Applying the Precautionary Principle to Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Management”

Responding to uncertainty (also relevant to climate change)


www.pprinciple.net

CC AS DRIVER OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS

A comprehensive assessment of the links between ecosystem health and human well-being, climate change is likely to become the dominant direct driver of biodiversity loss by the end of the century

(Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2007)

Projected changes in climate, combined with land use change and the spread of exotic or alien species, are likely to limit the capability


the spread of exotic or alien species, are likely to limit the capability of some species to migrate and therefore will accelerate species loss

(CBD, 2009)

The impacts of climate change on biodiversity are of major concern to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Convention also recognizes that there are significant opportunities for mitigating climate change and adapting to it, while enhancing the conservation of biodiversity

The links between biodiversity and climate change run both ways:

biodiversity is threatened by climate change, but proper management of biodiversity can reduce the impacts of climate change

Biodiversity and Ecosystem (including; forests, wetlands and

BIODIVERSITY AND CC NEXUS


Biodiversity and Ecosystem (including; forests, wetlands and oceans) play a role in climate regulation and impacts regional and global climate changes)

The changing climate has become a major driver of biodiversity loss and threatens its role as a source of essential ‘goods and services’

adaptation for biodiversity – Adaptation measures are

needed to protect biodiversity, to enable the widest range of biodiversity to survive and adapt, and to meet legal duties for biodiversity protection.

biodiversity for adaptation – Biodiversity can also play

BIODIVERSITY AND CC NEXUS


biodiversity for adaptation – Biodiversity can also play

an integral part in adaptation measures for other sectors, such as coastal protection by salt marshes.

Source: UN Convention on Biological Diversity (2001)

IMPACTS OF CC ON BIODIVERSITY

Die-offs

Extinctions

Coral die-offs up to 50% in Indian Ocean

A Specie of Golden Toad in Costa Rica

IMPACTS EXAMPLES


Physiology

Life CyclesGothic Marmots emerge about One month earlier

than 30 years ago

Avg. weight of female polar bears has decreased by

20% in last 25 Years

IMPACTS OF BIODIVERSITY ON CC

Reducing Emissions

Biodiversity

Forests account for more than half on the carbon

stored in the world

Land races of many crops

IMPACTS EXAMPLES


Bio Sheilds

Biodiversity Net

provide genetic material for development of drought resistant crop varieties

The vale of mangroves for protection of coasts has

been estimated $25-#50 per hectare

• Impacts on production of ecosystems

• Shrinking habitats (forests and wetlands)

• Desertification

• Damage to aquatic ecosystems (coral reefs, fisheries)

• Shifts in the natural world (climate change impacts at least 420 physical

CC THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY


• Shifts in the natural world (climate change impacts at least 420 physicaland biological processes),

- Upward migration of plant and animal species,

- Disappearance of some plant and animal species in certain areas,

- Impact on breeding behavior,

- Change in growing season of plants and agriculture crops,

- Species extinction (some 25% of mammals and 12% of birds are

threatened).

Frogs rely on water to breed, any reduction orchange in rainfall could reduce frog reproduction.Moreover, rising temperatures are closely linked tooutbreaks of a fungal disease that contributes tothe decline of amphibian populations

GLOBAL EXAMPLES


The projected rise in sea levels could cause thedisappearance of the tigers habitat, threatening thesurvival of the species in coastal forests of Asia

In Africa, pressures from longer dry periods and

shrinking living spaces are making elephants highly vulnerable to climate change

GLOBAL EXAMPLES


Australia’s Great Barrier Reef could lose up to 95% of its living coral by 2050 due to changes in ocean temperature and chemistry

1. 12th most vulnerable country (Maplecroft 2010)

2. Losing at least 19% of GDP each year (Yale University 2005)

3. Emission share= 0.8% of world’s total- 135th ranking (in 2008)

Total emissions= 309 million tones CO2 eqv.- comprising of 54% CO ,

CLIMATE CHANGE FACTS- PAKISTAN


- comprising of 54% CO2, - 36% Methane, - 9% Nitrous Oxide- 1% other gases

The biggest contributor is the energy sector with 50% share, followed by the agriculture sector (39% share), industrial processes (6% share) and other activities (5% share).

4. Temperature rise= 0.6 to 1.0°C, since early 1900s

(IPCC- FAR 2007)

5. Temperature may further increase by 1.1 to 6.4 °C (GCISC 2009)

• 1.3- 1.5 °C by 2020s• 2.5- 2.8 °C by 2050s• 3.9- 4.4 °C by 2080s

CLIMATE CHANGE FACTS- PAKISTAN (contd.)


• 3.9- 4.4 °C by 2080s• 2.8- 3.4 °C by the turn of the 21st century

6. Decrease in precipitation= 10 to 15% in last 40 years (IPCC 2007)

7. Western Himalayan glaciers will retreat for the next 50 years, resulting in decrease of river flows by up to 30 to 40%

(GCISC 2008)

1. Status of Species

• Higher plants= 5700

• Lower plants (pteridophytes)= 189

• Lower plants (algae, fungi)= 5275

• Mammals= 195

BIODIVERSITY FACTS- PAKISTAN (contd.)


• Mammals= 195

• Breeding birds= 668

• Amphibian and Reptiles= 199

• Fish (fresh and marine)= 976

• Lower animals = 6182(including; echinoderms, crustaceans, molluscs, annelids, and arthropods)

• Threatened species= 73 Source: MoEnv., 2010

1. Protected Areas (as of 2010)

• Number of Protected Areas= 224

(including ; 23 National Parks, 97 Game Sanctuaries, 104 Game Reserves)

• Total area under protection = 9,852,006 ha.

2. Forest Biodiversity



2. Forest Biodiversity

• Scrub and Trees on farmlands 4.73 million ha. (5.014 % of land)

• Others (coniferous, scrub, riverine and mangrove 3.5 million ha. (2.7 %)

3. Agricultural Biodiversity

• Canal irrigated land= 55,982.39 ha. (19.15 % of land)

• Rain- fed= 2,739.42 ha. (3.28 % of land)

• Rain water harvested= 8,28.05 ha. (0.99 % of land) Source: MoEnv., 2010

4. Livestock Diversity

• Buffalo breeds= 2

• Cattle breeds = 8

• Yak breed= 1

• Goat and Sheep breeds = 53

• Horse breeds = 23



• Horse breeds = 23

• Camel breeds = 4

• Indigenous poultry breeds = 3

Source: MoEnv., 2010

CC AND BIODIVERSITY IN PAKISTAN

IMPACTS ON FOREST RESOURCES

• Forest lands in northern mountain areas of Pakistan would shift from one biome to another (north-ward) which would decrease in the productivity of this precious resource

• Change in specie distribution has been recorded, some plant species have gained elevation


• Lower productivity from forest ecosystems is predicted due to change in temperature and water regimes

• Spread of pathogens and diseases become frequent and wider

• Incidences of fire (sub-tropical) have become common due to drought

• Mangrove depletetion due to sea intrusion

IMPACTS ON FAUNA

• Shrinkage of habitat is intense

• Some species of freshwater mollusks and amphibians have been found threatened

• Higher elevation gained by insects (moths and butterflies)

CC AND BIODIVERSITY IN PAKISTAN (contd…)


• Higher elevation gained by insects (moths and butterflies)

• Habitat of brown bear has warmed up, distribution has changed

• Long-tailed Marmots are recorded to appear early from hibernation

• Drastic decline in population of migratory birds, due to depletetion of water bodies and feeding habitat

Many more we don’t know…..!!

CC- AS AN OPPORTUNITY

• Population of large mammals (Markhor and Ibex) have reportedly been increased due to expansion of feeding grounds. Since they have gained elevation and hence are protected from human influence (conservation value of Markhor= US$ 80000)

• Some project interventions have successfully introduced fish breeding (cold water) and hence helped in conservation of local fish population in natural water bodies


fish population in natural water bodies

• Agriculture practices (particularly wheat cultivation) in northern areas is reportedly increasing due to higher temperatures. This is transforming agriculture thus promoting livelihoods

• Increased water flows (glacial melt) is encouraging for hydro-power generation. IN some areas, community based micro hydelsystem has been adopted

Transforming agriculture in High altitude areas


Development of Micro Hydel in Dir- Kohistan


"Like water, air and soil, biological diversity is the hub

of the wheel of life. Destroy it, and the wheel, however

technologically sophisticated…,


technologically sophisticated…,

will no longer run"

(Anonymous)

Thanks

For more information”


For more information”

Saadullah AyazCoordinator Climate Change/ Environmental Fiscal Reforms/Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities

IUCN Pakistan

Email: [email protected]

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