Transcript Climate Change and Biodiversity: Global and Antarctic Interactions

Global and Antarctic Climate Change and
Biodiversity:
Physical connections and
Legal disconnections
Tina Tin, Scott Hajost, James Barnes
Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC)
Global climate
change
Antarctic
climate change
Global
biodiversity
Antarctic
biodiversity
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
• Southern Ocean warming down to 3,000m and faster
than global average
• Sea ice off West Antarctic Peninsula reduced by 40%
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
• Antarctic Peninsula warming 5 times faster than global
average
• 90% of Antarctic Peninsula glaciers have retreated
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
Antarctic
biodiversity
• Less sea ice -> less krill
• Fewer Adelie penguins in northern Antarctic Peninsula
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
Antarctic
biodiversity
• More Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins in northern
Antarctic Peninsula
• Rapid expansion of some plant communities
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
• Antarctica will warm by 3C by 2100
• Southern Ocean continues to warm and to greater
depths
• Annual average total sea ice area decrease by 33% by
2100
• Acidification of Southern Ocean
• Retreat of glaciers and ice shelves
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
Antarctic
biodiversity
• Higher risk of invasion of non-native species (marine and
terrestrial)
• Perturbation of marine food web and ecosystem
Global climate
change
West Antarctic
Ice Sheet
Amundsen Sea
Embayment
Antarctic climate
change
Global climate
change
Antarctic climate
change
• Less snow and ice -> lower global albedo -> more
warming
• Changes in global ocean circulation
• Global sea level rise
• Changes in global climate system??
Global climate
change
Global
biodiversity
Antarctic climate
change
Menon et al 2010
Global summary of percent areal reduction across global
ecoregions under a scenario of 6 m of sea-level rise.
Antarctic Treaty (1959)
Preamble
“Recognizing that it is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica
shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and
shall not become the scene or object of international discord.”
Article IX
“… preservation and conservation of living resources in Antarctica”
Antarctic Treaty System
Antarctic Treaty (1959)
Agreed Measures for the
Conservation of Antarctic Flora
and Fauna (1964)
Convention for the Conservation
of Antarctic Seals (1972)
(CCAS)
Convention for the Conservation
of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (1980) (CCAMLR)
Protocol on Environmental
Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
(1991)
Protocol on Environmental Protection
to the Antarctic Treaty (1991)
Article 2
Objective and Designation
“The Parties commit themselves to the comprehensive protection of
the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems
and hereby designate Antarctica as a natural reserve, devoted to
peace and science.”
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic
Marine Living Resources (1980) (CCAMLR)
Article II (1)
“The objective of the Convention is the conservation of Antarctic
marine living resources.”
28 Consultative Parties
to the Antarctic Treaty
Argentina
Ecuador
Korea (ROK)
South Africa
Australia
Finland
Netherlands
Spain
Belgium
France
New Zealand
Sweden
Germany
Norway
Ukraine
India
Peru
United Kingdom
Italy
Poland
United States
Japan
Russian Federation
Uruguay
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Antarctic Treaty System
Antarctic Treaty (1959)
International Convention for the
Regulation of Whaling (1946)
Agreed Measures for the
Conservation of Antarctic Flora
and Fauna (1964)
Agreement on the Conservation
of Albatrosses and Petrels
(2001) (ACAP)
Convention for the Conservation
of Antarctic Seals (1972)
(CCAS)
Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (1973)
(CITES)
Convention for the Conservation
of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (1980) (CCAMLR)
Protocol on Environmental
Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
(1991)
Convention on Biological Diversity
(1992) (CBD)
UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (1992) (UNFCCC)
•Weak linkages between ATS and UNFCCC, CBD, CITES
•Limited to invitation of experts, transmission of reports
(UNFCCC); acknowlegment of importance in coordination
(CBD)
• ATS late in putting climate change on agenda. Only
starting discussion on including CC in management and
conservation. No discussion of GHG inventories or
mitigation on the pretext of small overall emissions (true!)
but moral obligation linked with justification of climate
change science and GHG emission intensity of each person
going to Antarctica far greater than global average.
Future Linkages?
Global climate
change
Antarctic
climate change
Global
biodiversity
Antarctic
biodiversity