Wildlife ranging from bluebells and bumblebees to snow leopards and emperor penguins are under threat from climate change, according to a new report.
Even the coffee plants that produce one of the world’s favourite brews are at risk from rising temperatures, WWF has warned.
The conservation charity is calling on world leaders meeting for Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow in November to ensure action to cut greenhouse gas emissions to curb global temperature rises to 1.5C and limit the damage to nature and people.
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WWF’s Feeling The Heat report warns that climate change is warming oceans and landscapes, and increasing the frequency of heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires, creating conditions that many species cannot cope with.
In Europe, puffins, mountain hares, bumblebees and bluebells are already feeling the heat, while overseas, species including sea turtles, Amazonian monkeys, frogs, coral and hippos are all under threat.
Mike Barrett, the charity’s executive director of science and conservation, said: “This isn’t a far-off threat – the impacts of climate change are already being felt, and if we don’t act now to keep global warming to 1.5C, we will slide faster and faster towards catastrophe.”
Source: RTE