Climate Change study predicts hazy future for Europe's birds
Climate Change study predicts hazy future for Europe's birds
News from BirdLife International
15-1-2008
On January 15th, BirdLife International welcomed the publication of ' A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds'. This Atlas marks a major advance in understanding the potential impacts of climate change on wildlife. It shows that in the course of the 21st century the changing climatic conditions will force most species to move into new areas. For many of them this will prove difficult, and combined with other threats this will increase their risk of extinction in Europe.
The study, based on the use of 'climate envelope modelling', predicts that without vigorous and immediate action against climate change, the potential future range of the average European bird species will shift by nearly 550 km north-east by the end of this century and will reduce in size by a fifth compared to the current range. For some species, the potential future range does not overlap with the current range at all. Arctic and sub-arctic birds and some Iberian species are projected to suffer the greatest potential range loss. Projected changes for some species found only in Europe, or with only small populations elsewhere, suggest that climate change is likely to increase their risk of extinction.
The Climatic Atlas not only shows maps of the potential range of each species breeding in Europe at the end of this century, it also provides ways of responding to this challenge. Most of all we need to protect and restore today's wildlife, and secure healthy populations of birds within their current ranges. Central to this will be the strengthening of Natura 2000, the European network of protected areas. The sites must be better protected, managed and connected to provide a 'backbone for biodiversity' and to accommodate the expected changes in distribution. At the same time, the landscape outside these areas must become more 'permeable' to species movements by providing stepping stones of high quality habitat and by more sustainable land-use policies.
Dr. Clairie Papazoglou, Head of the European Division of BirdLife International concluded: "The implementation of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive across the EU is a precondition for helping our wildlife against the impacts of climate change and for supporting Europe's ecosystems on which we depend ourselves if we want to come through the climate crisis."
http://www.birdlife.org/news/pr/2008/01/climatic_atlas.html
