BirdLife Malta joined its European BirdLife partners in launching the international scientific publication ‘A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds’. This Atlas marks a major advance in our understanding of the potential future impacts of climate change on wildlife.

During the presentation held at St. James Cavalier, BirdLife Malta’s Executive Director Tolga Temuge explained that, in the course of the 21st Century the changing climatic conditions will force most species to move into new areas, while at the same time losing much of their former range. For many species this will prove difficult, and combined with other threats it will increase their risk of extinction in Europe.

The study, based on the use of ‘climate envelope modelling’, predicts that without vigorous and immediate action against climate change, the potential future range of the average European bird species will shift by nearly 550 km north-east by the end of this century and will reduce in size by a fifth compared to the current range. For some species, the potential future range does not overlap with the current range at all. Arctic and sub-Arctic birds and some Iberian species are projected to suffer the greatest potential range loss. Projected changes for some species found only in Europe, or with only small populations elsewhere, suggest that climate change is likely to significantly increase their risk of extinction.

On his part Dr. Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager, stated: “Due to reasons such as direct human persecution and habitat loss, Malta has relatively few breeding bird species. However, Malta is internationally important for its breeding seabird colonies, and we currently have 10% of the world’s population of Yelkouan Shearwater and the largest population of European Storm-petrels in the Mediterranean. It is particularly alarming to note that the models used by the Atlas predict that we may lose both of these species by the end of this century unless the predicted climate change is averted.”

The Climatic Atlas not only shows maps of the potential range of each species breeding in Europe at the end of this century, but also provides ways of responding to this challenge.

“This important study provides yet more scientific evidence to show the irreversible effects of climate change if we do not take immediate radical action. Our governments must act now to reduce our dependence on oil and coal and start investing in energy efficiency and renewable sources, such as solar and wind. At the same time, investments in renewables like wind energy should be made in a sustainable way in order to avoid other problems,” Temuge added.

Furthermore, the Atlas shows in no uncertain terms that crucial to the protection and restoration of today’s wildlife is the strengthening of Natura 2000, the European network of protected areas. Dr. Clairie Papazoglou, Head of the European Division of BirdLife International in Brussels said: “The Climatic Atlas proves once more the importance of the Natura 2000 network in Europe and the implementation of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive across the EU. This is a precondition for helping our wildlife against the impacts of climate change and for supporting Europe’s ecosystems on which we depend ourselves if we want to come well through the climate crisis.”

Permalink: Climate Change study predicts hazy future for Europe?s birds