Over a million species will be wiped out by 2050: Study

A quarter of land animals and plants will be extinct in the next 50 years due to changes in climate as a result of global warming, reveals a research study.

Carried out over a period of two years, experts from all over the world were involved in this comprehensive study

The findings of study are the first major assessment of the impact of climate change on six regions of the world. Together the regions account for 20 per cent of Earth's land surface. The research was carried out in Europe, Australia, Central and South America and South Africa.

The experts, led by Chris Thomas, professor of conservation biology at Leeds University, say that more than one million species will be wiped out by 2050. Prof Thomas, talking to the magazine Nature, described the results as 'terrifying'.

He says that much of what has been lost due to global warming -- more than one in 10 of all plants and animals -- cannot be retrieved. But the study reveals that if action to limit greenhouse gases is taken in time, a different story can be scripted for remaining plants and animals.

The experts also found that species living in mountainous areas had a greater chance of surviving rising temperatures due to their ability to move uphill to cooler climes. But animals in plains of Brazil, Mexico and Australia, say experts, may not be so lucky.

Birds, says Prof Thomas, will be the luckiest as they could fly across to safety. But trees and other habitat needed for survival will not keep pace and eventually the birds will also die out.

"When scientists set about research they hope to come up with definite results, but what we found we wish we had not. It was far, far worse than we thought, and what we have discovered may even be an underestimate," says Prof Thomas.

The study forecasts that out of the 24 species of butterfly in Australia, 21 will disappear by 2050. Similarly South Africa's Kruger National Park runs the risk of losing up to 60 per cent of its species

In Brazil too, out of the 163 tree species in the Cerrado region 70 would become extinct. This region, also known as Brazilian Savannah, covers one-fifth of the country.

Europe, say the experts, will be the continent least impacted by climate change. But even here they estimate that between 11 to 17% of plant species will be wiped out, and one-fourth of the birds would disappear.

The rate of emission of greenhouse gasses, especially by the US, is worrying the experts. By 2050, say the experts, burning oil, coal and gas will doom up to one third of all life forms.

Prof Thomas says the switch to non-fossil fuels is essential if the damage has to be stopped. "It is possible to drastically reduce the output of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and this research makes it imperative we do it as soon as possible. If we can stabilise the climate and even reverse the warming we could save these species, but we must start to act now."

John Lanchbery, climate change campaigner for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, told The Guardian: "This is a deeply depressing paper. President Bush risks having the biggest impact on wildlife since the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs. At best, in 50 years, a host of wildlife will be committed to extinction because of human-induced climate change. At worst, the outcome does not bear thinking about. Drastic action to cut emissions is clearly needed by everyone, but especially the USA."

Agencies