Named the main threat to rare species on Earth

Climate crisis has become the main threat to endangered species in the US for the first time

An international team of scientists has discovered an alarming trend: climate change has for the first time in history risen to the top of the list of threats to endangered species included in the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). This discovery marks a revolutionary turn in the scientific understanding of factors threatening the planet's biodiversity.

As reported by TUT.AZ, the results of this large-scale study were published in the prestigious scientific journal BioScience.

During their work, scientists studied the status of 2,766 animal and plant species threatened with extinction in the United States and in American overseas territories. The results are shocking: a full 91% of these species are already experiencing the consequences of climate change.

Researchers carefully analyzed the impact of five key anthropogenic factors that pose a danger to biodiversity: climate change, transformation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, excessive exploitation of species, environmental pollution, and the spread of invasive species. It was found that the vast majority - 86% of species - simultaneously face multiple threats. Corals, bivalve mollusks, and amphibians proved to be the most vulnerable to these impacts.

The study authors note that previously the impact of climate change on endangered species was significantly underestimated. However, thanks to new data on climate sensitivity, it has become evident that in terms of scale, the climate factor has already equaled habitat transformation, which was traditionally considered the main threat.

Scientists emphasize that official ESA documents may significantly underestimate the number of species suffering from the consequences of climate change, and insist on including climate risks directly in species assessment and protection processes.