SoNaRR2020: Climate change

Summary

Changes in the climate are threatening ecosystem resilience and ecosystem services through:

• Altering the ranges of species
• Localised extinctions
• Changes to life-cycle events such as migrations and breeding.
• Rising sea level
• Increasing numbers of invasive species and the diseases they can spread

Climate change is also projected to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts, river and coastal floods and heatwaves. This is expected to reduce ecosystem resilience further.

Globally and within Wales, some of the impacts of climate change including sea level rise and coastal erosion will be irreversible.

A whole systems approach, integrating adaptation and mitigation measures, is required to help achieve net zero emissions and biodiversity goals.

Our assessment

Download the SoNaRR2020: Climate change chapter (PDF)

The chapter provides an overview of the effects of climate change on natural resources and ecosystems in Wales, including on ecosystem resilience and ecosystem services.  It highlights key policies on climate change adaptation, mitigation and opportunities for action.

The pressures, impacts and opportunities for action identified by the Climate change chapter can be found in the natural resource registers for the ecosystems.

The Climate change chapter's evidence needs are included in the overall evidence needs table.