The publication of the European Union (EU) report on climate change highlights stark inevitable changes which will dramatically affect humans. But what will the changes mean for wildlife? And how can the environment help humans to adapt?

As Society begins to recognise the necessity to change lifestyles, and prepare for social consequences, The Wildlife Trusts urge for consideration of the natural environment - with particular focus on the need for adaptation.

Threats to wildlife-rich habitats not only endanger refuges for plants and animals, but also put at risk the ecological services essential for people. For example, wetlands can reduce flood risk, intertidal habitats can minimise the effects of sea level rise, the provision of green roofs can provide a natural cooling system to counter urban island heat effects, and natural habitats can provide carbon storage.

For example, wetlands can reduce flood risk.

Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Nicholas Stern was clear in his report when he stated ‘policies for nature protection should be sufficiently flexible to allow for species' movement across the landscape’. A large-scale approach to land management is needed. We need to identify wildlife-rich places and how to connect them together. It means providing room for wildlife to manoeuvre to shadier slopes, higher ground or alternative habitat. Time is of the essence too. Species and habitats take time to adapt. It takes time to rebuild biodiversity. If climate change is allowed to continue at the current rate they just won’t have the chance. Our window of opportunity will disappear, if Government doesn’t act now, along with many UK species.”

Climate change impacts on species include the following:

• • The survival of several UK species, such as the native bluebell, is under threat. Bluebells need to grow and flower before the buds of the trees above them open and cast a deep shade. There are genetic limits on the timing of bluebell growth, so if trees come into leaf earlier, bluebells may not be able to follow suit, and so may disappear from woodlands.
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  • 75% of rare and endangered species in southern Britain could expand their ranges northwards. The little egret and small red-eyed damselfly, for example, have already moved northwards.
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  • Upland species are likely to migrate uphill and some could become isolated at the mountain tops (eg snow bunting, ptarmigan).
  • Lowland ponds are more likely to dry out which will result in a loss of feeding and breeding habitat for a range of important species, such as Great Crested Newt.
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  • Heathland and grassland species could be at risk by more and frequent fires on small isolated nature reserves.
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  • We will also see the arrival of non-native invasive species and diseases which may have a detrimental impact on the UK’s biodiversity