Where The Wild Things Will Be Next

If I was to mention "climate change" and "biodiversity", what picture appears first in your mind? Emaciated polar bears on shrinking ice floes? Bleached coral reefs? Or maybe stories of zebra carcasses on dry and cracked soils? My point is: you'll tend to think about species that may be driven extinct by climate change, but my guess is you won't systematically think about those species that are being forced to move and colonise new environments, potentially changing the nature and functioning of these recipient systems. And more importantly, you probably won't think about how that may impact you, your community, or your country.




The changing distribution of species within countries, between countries, and between national borders and the global commons will require increased international cooperation combined with adequate resources. To help decide on what's best to do, we'll need to be able to better predict where and when redistributions will occur and what the impacts are likely to be; for this to happen, scientists will need access to better data, and develop better, more integrated models.


And then you can do as much as you can to reduce your own carbon emissions and talk to your governmental and/or parliamentarian representatives to get them to push for legislation to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Given the seriousness and certainty of what's ahead, it's crucial that the general public and decision-makers alike understand that this isn't the time to build fences and walls that can prevent species from moving and successfully adapt to changes to changing conditions; this isn't the time to invest and develop oil and coal industries or snub renewable energy solutions; this isn't the time to muzzle climate change scientists and undermine their capacity to do their job. This is the time to listen to scientific evidence, and take the climate crisis seriously. It's time to prioritise long-term benefits over short-term gains. It's time to act.
