Large-scale study finds global species will be saved at 1.5C

One of the largest studies of its kind has found significant benefits to keeping global temperatures to 1.5C over 2C.

A team of researchers from The University of East Anglia (UEA) and James Cook University analysed 115,000 species, including 71,000 plants and 31,000 insects.

They measured the risks to biodiversity by mapping out the number of species which are projected to lose more than half their geographic range as a result of climate change. Higher temperatures lead to greater habitat loss and the prospect of entire species being lost.

The Paris Agreement bound all 197 countries to limiting global temperatures to well below 2C with an ambition to reach 1.5C.

However, current commitments to reduce emissions from member states which signed the accord will push the world to 3C. At this point the researchers found that up to 50 percent of insects could loss half their range.

Keeping temperatures to 2C still meant insects would lose 18 percent of the insects studies would lose their range.

This could have serious consequences for all life on Earth as insects are vital to all ecosystems. They pollinate crops, provide food, break down waste and help recycle nutrients.   

All species were found to benefit from lower temperatures, but especially those in Southern Africa, the Amazon, Europe, and Australia.

“We wanted to see how different projected climate futures caused areas to become climatically unsuitable for the species living there,” said lead researcher Professor Rachel Warren at UEA.  

“We found that the three major groups of insects responsible for pollination are particularly sensitive to warming…Other research has already shown that insects are already in decline for other reasons, and this research shows that climate change would really compound the problem.”

A separate study published last month found that limiting temperatures to 1.5C would also prevent mass food shortages around the world.