Climate change reshapes patterns of life by altering the physical conditions that species depend on and by interacting with other human pressures. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change led by authors including Chris Field at Stanford University and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services chaired by Robert Watson at the University of East Anglia identify climate change as a growing, pervasive driver of biodiversity loss alongside land-use change, pollution, and invasive species. Evidence from ecological research links temperature and precipitation shifts to range shifts, local extinctions, and breakdowns in species interactions.
Mechanisms driving biodiversity change
Warming and altered precipitation force species to move, adapt, or decline. Thermally sensitive species at high latitudes and mountaintops face the loss of suitable habitat as climates shift upslope and poleward, reducing available area and increasing extinction risk. Work by Chris D. Thomas at the University of York and colleagues demonstrated that projected climate envelopes put many species at heightened extinction risk when they cannot disperse or adapt quickly enough. Changes in timing, or phenology, cause mismatches between predators and prey, and between pollinators and flowering plants, disrupting reproduction and food webs. Ocean warming and ocean acidification driven by increased CO2 undermine calcifying organisms and coral reef frameworks. Coral reef specialist Ove Hoegh-Guldberg at the University of Queensland has documented widespread coral bleaching events linked to marine heatwaves that reduce reef complexity and the biodiversity it supports.
Consequences for people, cultures, and territories
Biodiversity loss from climate change has immediate consequences for human well-being because ecosystems provide essential services such as food provision, water purification, coastal protection, and cultural identity. Coastal communities that rely on reefs for fishing and tourism face economic and cultural loss when reefs degrade. Indigenous peoples often experience disproportionate impacts because their cultural practices and territories are tightly coupled to local species and landscapes, making the loss of specific species especially damaging. Tropical regions and islands are particularly vulnerable because many species are endemic with narrow environmental tolerances, while temperate regions experience novel species assemblages that complicate management.
Feedbacks between biodiversity decline and climate change also matter: the loss of forests and peatlands reduces carbon sequestration, amplifying warming. The IPBES assessment led by Robert Watson at the University of East Anglia emphasizes that climate-driven changes interact with habitat destruction and exploitation, producing cumulative impacts that are harder to reverse.
Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions remains central to reducing long-term biodiversity loss, while conservation strategies such as protecting climate refugia, enhancing landscape connectivity, and supporting species’ adaptive capacity can reduce near-term risks. Local social and cultural contexts determine which interventions are appropriate and feasible, making joint conservation and community-led stewardship critical for maintaining biodiversity under a changing climate.