The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) reports that up to 1 million species are already at risk of extinction because of human activities. With an average surface temperature increasing by 3°C or more, this number could be higher. Local communities, including towns and farms, must take steps to adapt and preserve Earth’s biodiversity.
Coastal ecosystems are critical concerns as the large populations on coasts are affected by rising seas along with all the other problems associated with rising temperatures. More effort needs to be focused on these important ecosystems.
Research using climate classification systems predicts how environments and ecosystems will shift as global warming occurs. Planners can use this information to understand how their local environments will change and how the strategies listed below should be applied.
Here are four key strategies to implement at the local level to help ecosystems and communities survive in a changing climate. These approaches represent a shift from traditional conservation methods to more interventionist techniques in the face of severe climate change. Ecosystem complexity fills these strategies with uncertainty, making it essential to employ adaptive management, the continual assessment and revision as we apply the strategies.
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