World Wildlife Conservation has warned that many iconic species are at risk of extinction if the planet warms up over 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Coral bleaching, penguins losing their Antarctica ice caps and the extinction of the black-headed squirrel monkey of the Amazon are predicted to occur if the planet continues to heat up.
WWF has warned that beyond this temperature, wildlife ranging from bumblebees to snow leopards are under threat from climate change. Even the coffee plants that bear the world’s best brews are at stake from rising temperatures.
The report found that the effects of global warming, which has already crossed 1°C above pre-industrial levels, could now be observed in the UK. For example, mountain hares in the Highlands of Scotland grow white fur that helps them get camouflaged in the snow. Now that snow has been melting earlier, their coats are brown, leaving them vulnerable to predators.
Even though warming of 0.5°C may seem small, reports suggested that its effects would be harmful to many species across the world in different countries.
Image: Ground Report
Climate change warming can cause global catastrophes in oceans and landscapes like heatwaves, droughts, floods and wildfires to name a few, creating conditions that many species will not be able to cope up with.
Also Read: Earth Inches Toward 1.5°C of Global Warming
The report has also reported that failing to curb temperature rise to 1.5°C can have catastrophic damage to wildlife and people, who rely on natural produce.
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But the given pledge and plans, the world is already on the road to reach a temperature rise of 2.4°C, which can have disastrous consequences for coastal communities and species under the pressure of human activity.
Tanya Steele, a chief executive at WWF stated that world leaders must seize any chance at COP26 to build a sustainable future. As host, the UK needs to take initiative and have ambitious climate targets by publishing actionable plans without delay. The target of governments needs to cut down harmful emissions and reach level zero.
Via: The Guardian