Biodiversity is an important contributor to climate change mitigation and adaptation. But climate change also significantly threatens biodiversity through the disruption of ecosystems, changes in habitats, and species relocation. Temperature and precipitation changes can cause habitat destruction and extinctions, whereas changes in phenology—such as changed timing of breeding or migration—can affect ecological stability.
In spite of these obstacles, biodiversity is a great friend in the war against climate change. Forests, wetlands, and grasslands are carbon sinks, capable of sequestering carbon dioxide and lowering the concentration of greenhouse gases. Biodiverse ecosystems also have greater resilience, able to resist environmental change and continue delivering key services like pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling.
Conservation measures are critical for preserving biodiversity and building climate resilience. Such measures involve creating protected areas, adopting sustainable land-use planning, and rehabilitating degraded ecosystems to advance biodiversity and enhance ecosystem functions.
Biodiversity supports key ecosystem services, promotes human health, and increases the resilience of both natural and human systems to climate change. Conservation of biodiversity is essential if we are to create more resilient ecosystems, protect nature’s assets, and create a more secure and sustainable future for people and the planet.