The Implications of the UK's Climate Change Policy on Biodiversity

Ecology & Wildlife Conservation

Introduction

Biodiversity is the unpredictability among living creatures and their environments. Biodiversity is necessary for human well-being because it give services, like food, medicines, clean water and soil stabilization. There is already a threat for biodiversity from the loss and disintegration of environment, pollution and persistent non-native species (Stuart, Donald, 2008).

Variations in the climate pose a new challenge as it often intensifies the impacts of other forces. A recent report by G8 on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity assesses the failure of biodiversity internationally could be worth 7% of world GDP in 2050 (Stuart, Donald, 2008).

Discussion

The natural atmosphere is an essential part of the weather system, it is both affected by and affects weather internationally and locally. A significant body of speculation on climate change implication in the UK has been developed and is on-going. The idea is to put into practice developing theories and ideas, and to build on lessons learnt from these actions, and to also show that it is essential to point out the dangers and chances for biodiversity conservation, from improvement of climate change over a short and long period. The ecosystem approach shows an ideal system to update the expansion of climate change policies, giving better choice, financial valuation, incentives, ecosystem purpose and thresholds, and reinforce the case for implication and improvement. There is an increasing awareness of the popularity of large-scale approaches to nature conservation in the UK that aim to deliver more functional ecosystems with extensive areas of semi-natural habitat and larger connectivity for wildlife. Additional measurement of how this can be achieved is being undertaken. To obtain action aimed at addressing climate change and for biodiversity conservation there should be discussion with other sectors such as planning, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Central England temperature has grown by about 1ºC since the 1970s. Over the last 45 years, the UK had a boost in winter rainfall; in summer various areas showed reduction. Sea level around the UK rose by about 1mm/yr in the 20th century, with higher rates in the last two decades. The sea surface temperature around the UK coast rose by 0.7°C in the last 30 years (Stuart, Donald, 2008).

The UK will be warmer, particularly in the summer. Generally yearly rainfall will stay the same, but more of it will fall in the winter, with drier summers for ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

The UK will be warmer, particularly in the summer. Generally yearly rainfall will stay the same, but more of it will fall in the winter, with drier summers for much of the UK. Rates of sea level rise will rise in all future situations. The sea surface temperature around the UK will be warmer by the end of the 21st century, by up to 4°C.

The UK is dedicated to defending biodiversity from unpleasant climate change impacts, and numerous strategy agreements are being put into place to address this danger. EU member states have decided to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 and post-2010 targets are presently being argued. The EU White Paper (2009) Adapting to Climate Change highlights the connection between biodiversity and weather change and classifies the need for integrated strategy improvement. In the UK, the Climate Change Act (2008) identifies the requirement for implication measures, which are being observed through the cross-government program implicating to Climate Change (Martin, 2007).

Weather change can permit non-native species formerly unable to live in the UK weather, to become established. Weather change raises the possibility that some non-native species, already established in the UK, will grow or spread geographically, and several of these species can become deceptive. Weather change can cause other conflicts and local species may be out-competed through non-native species. Certain events, like floods, can also accelerate the rise of non-natives species through affecting existing species negatively. Several non-native species that have established themselves in the UK are not invasive or detrimental to wider biodiversity (Martin, 2007).

Several species arriving through natural range expansions may in fact be seen to enhance biodiversity. In which case, anticipation measures and suppression efforts are not a good idea. Though, it is advised that non-native species displaying invasive characteristics driven by climate change should be monitored and contingency plans put in place. Also invasive non-native species are the second greatest threat to biodiversity in the UK after climate change.

The projected future changes to temperature and rainfall will have further contact on biodiversity. For long lived species with slow spreading capability, there may also be a time lag in the response to already observed climate Implication to Climate Change. Projection of future impacts to biodiversity Implication for Biodiversity come from field researchers and modelling. Implication measures are required to preserve biodiversity and its related services in a changing weather. In Field Experiments 2008, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Field experiments operate variables like CO2 Affairs, in cooperation with government agencies and concentrations, temperature and rainfall in the field NGOs published five implication values designed at to imitate upcoming weather situations (John, 2006).

Table 1.Modelling Future Impacts on Biodiversity (PPN 2009)

(red = declining species and blue = expanding species)

Conclusion

Biodiversity is important for services that human well-being depends on. Impacts of weather change are already evident on UK biodiversity and are likely to persist in the future (John, 2006).

Implication measures are required to defend UK biodiversity from difficult effects of climate change. Biodiversity plays a role in implication in other sectors, like flood management. Implication policy should, where possible, incorporate biodiversity, improvement and implication measures.

References

Stuart, Bell; Donald, McGillivray; 2008 pp 225-240; Environmental Law; Publisher Oxford University Press; ISBN 0199211027, 9780199211029.

John, Snape; 2006 pp 345-360; Environmental taxation law: policy, contexts and practice; Publisher Ashgate Publishing; ISBN 0754623041, 9780754623045.

Martin, L; 2007 pp 455-470; Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability; Publisher Cambridge University Press; ISBN 0521880106, 9780521880107.

Wentworth, J; 2009 PPN Parliament Post Note; Biodiversity and Climate Change, 341, 3.