1. Biodiversity and Climate Change
CGBN
Co-ordination Group
for Biodiversity and Nature
4th meeting - 12/02/09
Agenda item 3.C-2
Biodiversity and Climate Change

2. CONTENT Some general thoughts on the climate change-biodiversity nexus
Update on what happened since last CGBN

3. Biodiversity decline and climate change: two sides of the same coin
ADAPTATION
(alternative species
composition delivering
required services)
HUMAN ACTION
CLIMATE CHANGE
(-)
(-)
HUMAN
WELL-BEING
ECONOMIC &
SOCIAL
IMPACTS
BIODIVERSITY
OTHER DRIVERS
-habitat destruction
IAS
fragmentation
(-)
(+)
(+)
(+)
MITIGATION
(carbon sequestration,
water retention,
biomass
production)
ECOSYSTEM
SERVICES

4. Some facts
Positive feedbacks from ecosystems to the climate system are significant
They are not incorporated in the current climate models, because of the high uncertainties
But there is general agreement that the main feedbacks will be through increase in soil respiration under increased temperature (e.g. in the arctic potential to add 200 ppm by 2100)
Peatlands are also not explicitly included in global climate models and therefore predictions of future climate change may be underestimates

5. Global CO2 Budgeting 2000-2006 ~7.6 ~1.5 ~4.1 ~2.8 ~2.2 Source
fossil fuel emissions
~7.6
Source
~1.5
deforestation
CO2 flux (Pg y-1)
atmospheric CO2
~4.1
Sink
CO2 uptake by terrestrial eosystems
~2.8
land
ocean
~2.2
Time (y)
Le Quéré, unpublished; Canadell et al. 2007, PNAS

6. therefore
It is impossible to solve biodiversity loss without addressing climate change
It is equally impossible to solve climate change without addressing biodiversity and related ecosystem services
Failing on the biodiversity targets compromises our actions to combat climate change

7. What is at stake ?
Climate change aggravates increasingly threats such as pollution, habitat loss and fragmentation
Climate change impacts on nature conservation, e.g. Natura 2000
Long-term ability of ecosystems to regulate climate compromised by continuing loss of biodiversity

8. Different tools needed to tap all potentials
No Regret Options
Policies / Barriers
Low Cost / Co-benefit
Policies / Incentives
Low Cost / Co-benefit
Policies / Incentives
Low Cost / Co-benefit
Policies / Incentives
Significant Cost
Carbon pricing
High Cost
RD&D
Source: McKinsey 2009

9. What can we do ?
Identify and implement measures to help nature to adapt
Valorise Natura 2000
Promote the potential of « co-benefit approaches »
Address the wider ecosystem challenge of climate change
Integrate biodiversity aspects in climate change policy and negotiations

10. What have we done
Ad Hoc Expert Working Group on Biodiversity and Climate Change
First meeting: 26 November 2008
Mandate
Output: Strategy paper on biodiversity and climate change with a view to link biodiversity and climate change policy for post 2010 including issues of Natura 2000 (N2K) and ecological connectivity and the role of biodiversity and ecosystem services with regards to combating climate change
Second meeting: 11 March 2009
Joint RTD/ENV side event at UNFCCC COP 14 in Poznan
CIRCA

11. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION