Natural England - Vulnerability

Vulnerability

Why does climate change matter?

Climate change is already affecting our wildlife. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that changes to the natural environment match those we would expect to see as temperatures rise.

Effects on wildlife

In the UK, spring is now arriving earlier compared to 10 or 20 years ago: frogs are spawning earlier, leaf and flower buds are bursting earlier, and animal migrations are happening earlier. We are also seeing the movement of southern species, such as the Dartford warbler, to the north.

There is also evidence of different species changing at different speeds, which can lead to problems of mismatch. For example, bird chicks hatch earlier, but not early enough to eat the caterpillars that are now able to develop even earlier.

Extreme weather events

We expect climate change to have a major impact on our water systems, leading to more droughts and more floods. In 2006, we had a severe drought that damaged aquatic ecosystems, including ponds and rivers. In 2007, the summer floods caused serious damage to biodiversity, as well as their impact on people’s homes and livelihoods.

These changes are already happening. As we look to the future, we expect to see more serious impacts on the natural environment. We expect to see a decrease in summer rainfall in England, which will lead to further droughts. At the same time, when rainfall does fall, it is likely to be more intense, causing flooding, such as those events of 2007.

We also expect to see more heat waves. By the middle of the century, a summer as hot as 2003 (during which 2000 people died in the UK) is likely to be common place. In the Peak District, a study showed that there were likely to be more wildfires as the moorland becomes drier, damaging one of our most valued landscapes and leading to increased park closures.

Effect on ecosystem goods and services

Ecosystems – the integration of the animals, plants and environment within an area – are vital to our health and wellbeing, so damage to ecosystems is likely to be detrimental to us too. For example, we depend on upland ecosystems to store and supply us with freshwater. But as these ecosystems become degraded due to the effects of climate change, supplies of fresh water are likely to decrease, which will affect agriculture, human consumption and biodiversity.

Climate change matters and we need to act to stop further increases in greenhouse gas emissions that will cause even more damage. We need to start to adapt, and allow our environment to adapt, to protect England’s natural environement for its own sake and for the sake of human wellbeing.