WILDLIFE IN A WARMING WORLD

The report analyzes how different temperature rise scenarios (2°C, 3.2°C, and 4.5°C) affect species richness in 35 biodiversity-rich 'Priority Places'. It finds that while a 2°C limit significantly reduces extinction risks, a 'business as usual' 4.5°C scenario could put nearly 50% of species in these areas at risk of local extinction. The research emphasizes that species dispersal—the ability to move to new suitable habitats—can lower extinction rates, though this is less effective for plants, reptiles, and amphibians. The document concludes that urgent cuts to greenhouse-gas emissions and the creation of ecological corridors and refugia are essential to prevent widespread biodiversity loss.

• Limiting global temperature rise to 2°C significantly reduces the risk of local extinction for species in Priority Places, halving the risk compared to a 4.5°C scenario.
• A 'business as usual' scenario resulting in a 4.5°C temperature rise would put nearly half of the species currently found in Priority Places at risk of local extinction.
• Current national climate pledges under the Paris Agreement are projected to lead to a temperature rise of approximately 3.2°C, which would put around 37% of species groups in Priority Places at risk of local extinction.
• Species dispersal can mitigate extinction risks; for a 2°C rise, the risk of local extinction drops from 25% without dispersal to 20% if species can move freely.
• Plants are expected to be particularly vulnerable to climate change because they often cannot adapt quickly enough, potentially causing knock-on effects for other dependent species.
• The availability of 'refugia'—areas that remain climatically suitable—is drastically reduced by higher temperatures; a 2°C rise leaves 56% of Priority Place areas as refugia, compared to only 18% under a 4.5°C rise (without dispersal).
• In the Amazon and Guianas, amphibians are the most affected group, and even a 2°C rise threatens more than one-third of species in all groups if they cannot disperse.
• South-west Australia is identified as one of the most vulnerable regions, with 30-60% of species across all groups projected to find the area unsuitable even at a 2°C rise.
• The Miombo woodlands face disastrous projections at higher temperature levels, with plant species risk reaching 81% under a 4.5°C scenario.
• In the Mediterranean, a 2°C rise puts almost 30% of most species groups and over a third of all plants at risk.

APA

WWF International (2018). WILDLIFE IN A WARMING WORLD. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/813/558gtvwcut_WWF___Wildlife_in_a_Warming_World___2018_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. WILDLIFE IN A WARMING WORLD. 2018. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/813/558gtvwcut_WWF___Wildlife_in_a_Warming_World___2018_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=WILDLIFE IN A WARMING WORLD |date=March 2018 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/813/558gtvwcut_WWF___Wildlife_in_a_Warming_World___2018_FINAL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2018wildlife, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{WILDLIFE IN A WARMING WORLD}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2018}, month = mar, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/813/558gtvwcut_WWF___Wildlife_in_a_Warming_World___2018_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }