BIRDLIFE Cyprus has warned that Cyprus faces a bleak climate future of more droughts and heat waves.
“Emission cuts are vital, no question, but there is a danger in the discussion about reducing CO2 emissions that we forget the crucial role biodiversity conservation has to play in limiting climate change and ensuring the ecosystems we are dependent on can adapt to it,” said BirdLife Cyprus Executive Director, Dr Clairie Papazoglou.
“Forests and wetlands, for example, are massive stores and sinks for carbon and need to be protected if they are to continue to “mop up” CO2. But global warming is already happening and is set to increase – whatever we do on emissions – so biodiversity has to be protected at all costs, as it holds the key to keeping ecosystems healthy and resilient, enabling them to adapt to the shifting climate,” Papazoglou added.
In the last century the Earth’s surface temperature has risen by an average of 0.74°C. Temperature rises beyond 2°C are predicted to lead to catastrophic effects on nature, people and the global economy.
Climate change impacts including drought, crop failure, flooding, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events are already being felt across the world, with the poorest people and most vulnerable ecosystems hit hardest.
Plant and animal ranges are already shifting poleward and upward, and studies suggest many species will not be able to keep up with their changing climate space.
Relevant models predict climate change will hit Cyprus hard through increased drought and higher average temperatures, including more summer heat waves.
At 463mm, average rainfall for the period 1971 to 2000 was already down by eight per cent compared to the 503mm average for the period 1961 to 1990.
According to Professor Manfred Lange of the independent Cyprus Institute, Cyprus will become increasingly dry and can also expect two extra months of days with temperatures exceeding 35C on top of the present summer months.
This desertification trend is expected to hit ecosystems hard, as evidenced by the impact on birds predicted in BirdLife’s groundbreaking 2008 ‘Climate Atlas’ study. The modelling study suggested even common and widespread species such as Swallows and House sparrows could face severe population declines in the eastern Mediterranean area.
BirdLife has joined a consortium of around 500 environment and development NGOs, the Climate Action Network, which is working to limit climate change to sustainable levels.
- To read more about BirdLife’s work on climate change visit: http://www.birdlife.org/climate_change
