Global warming threat ..
    .. One million species at risk ..

In a report, 'Extinction Risk From Climate Change' (Metro, 8 Jan 2004), the scientists describe their study of the six biodiversity-rich regions, representing 20% of the Earth's land area. They concluded that from 15 to 37% of all the species in the regions studied could be driven to extinction by the climate changes likely between now and 2050. The authors say in the journal Nature a study of six world regions suggested a quarter of animals and plants living on the land could be forced into oblivion.

Crossbill - threatened

The study's lead author, Professor Chris Thomas, of the University of Leeds, UK, says: "If the projections can be extrapolated globally, and to other groups of land animals and plants, our analyses suggest that well over a million species could be threatened with extinction." Some species will no longer have any climatically suitable habitat left, and others may be unable to migrate far enough to reach hospitable surroundings. The Scottish crossbill's chances look slim.

The authors say: "Many of the most severe impacts of climate change are likely to stem from interactions between threats, factors not taken into account in our calculations, rather than from climate acting in isolation." They single out as examples habitat fragmentation and loss, and competition from new invasive species.

Global warming threat (acknowledgment to Metro)

But they have some encouragement as well. They say cutting greenhouse gases and storing the main one, carbon dioxide, could save many species from vanishing. "Minimising greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering [storing] carbon to realise minimum rather than mid-range or maximum expected climate warming could save a substantial percentage of terrestrial species from extinction."

Dr Klaus Toepfer, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: "If one million species become extinct .. it is not just the plant and animal kingdoms and the beauty of the planet that will suffer. Billions of people, especially in the developing world, will suffer too as they rely on Nature for such essential goods and services as food, shelter and medicines".

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