On this page: Climate Change - IUCN's Response - Documents & Publications - Contacts

Climate change is one of the principle environmental challenges of the 21st century. Because of our use of coal, oil, and gas for energy, and the loss and degradation of our forests, our planet is warming faster than at any time in the last 10,000 years. The warming of the Earth's atmosphere is already adversely affecting fragile ecosystems and poor people's livelihoods. These trends are projected to accelerate over the coming decades, prompting governments to adopt the Kyoto Protocol, which calls for industrialized countries to collectively reduce emissions five percent below 1990 levels from 2008 to 2012. Three new funds have been set up under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to strengthen the flow of financial and technological resources to developing countries to enhance their capacity to address climate change including coping with its adverse effects.

Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania dramatically illustrates the impacts of climate change. The picture on the left shows snow and ice cover in 1993. Taken in 2000, the shot on the right shows greatly reduced snow cover. Culminating at 5895 meters, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa.

IUCN's RESPONSE

Climate change is a priority for IUCN because it is closely linked with our vision: a just world that values and conserves nature. Because of the threat posed to ecosystems and people, the Union could not achieve this vision without taking climate change into account. The IUCN Climate Change Initiative assists countries to successfully mitigate and adapt to climate change in a manner that is environmentally sound and socially equitable. We leverage our knowledge and experience in natural resource management to tackle climate change, focusing on the following areas:

1. Understanding climate change impacts on nature and society
2. Enhancing the adaptive capacity of society to climate-related disasters and climate change
3. Promoting climate change mitigation activities
4. Improving climate change governance at the national, regional and international level

Some current activities of the Climate Change Initiative are:

Climate Change and Nature: Adapting for the Future: Recognizing that climate change is already affecting the conservation of some ecosystems and species, the Vth World Parks Congress in September 2003 called on governments, NGOs and local communities to adapt conservation strategies to climate change. IUCN recently prepared advice to protected area managers on how to deal more effectively with risks and uncertainties created by climate change. To find out more, download the information paper below or please visit : http://www.iucn.org/themes/wcpa/wpc2003/index.htm to view the World Parks Congress recommendation.

Climate Change and Species Survival: Currently, only seven species are categorized as threatened by climate change under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Evidence suggests that this is not an accurate reflection of the threat, and IUCN is working to more effectively incorporate climate change into future surveys of species survival. Find out more about the IUCN Species Survival Commission: http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/

Task Force on Climate Change, Vulnerable Communities and Adaptation: Comprised of experts from the fields of climate change, disaster management, conservation and social policy, the Task Force is evaluating environmental management actions, such as wetland restoration and improved water resource management, to reduce the vulnerability of communities to climate-related disasters and climate change. Find out more about the Task Force: http://www.iisd.org/natres/security/ccvca.asp

Adapting Water Management to Climate Change: Based on regional dialogues in Central America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, and West Africa, IUCN has produced a new report entitled "Change." It highlights actions being taken by water professionals to adapt to increasing climate variability and climate change and suggests how others can follow suit. Released at 3rd World Water Forum in March 2003, the report emphasizes that adaptation in the water sector requires a new management approach that moves beyond technical quick fixes, and towards a more adaptive style that is inclusive and innovative. Visit the IUCN Water and Nature Initiative to know more about our work on water and climate: http://www.waterandnature.org/

Carbon, Forests and People: IUCN believes that afforestation and reforestation projects under the clean development mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol should be environmentally sound and socially equitable. In full partnership with FAO and UNEP, IUCN is providing technical and legal support to countries in Latin America and Africa on the modalities for afforestation and reforestation CDM projects. We are facilitating regional meetings to provide a neutral space for governments to exchange views and for dialogues between these two regions. Visit our Climate, Forests and People Information Desk at http://www.iucn.org/themes/carbon/

IUCN Climate Change Fund: A number of progressive businesses are attempting to make their business operations carbon neutral. This means that businesses reduce their emissions through greater energy efficiency and offset unavoidable emissions by supporting other emissions reduction projects. IUCN aims to become the first major environmental organizations to minimize our impact on the global climate.

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DOCUMENTS & PUBLICATIONS

Climate Change and Nature: Adapting for the Future. Information paper for the Vth World Parks Congress. Available as a pdf in: [English] 245KB

Bergkamp G., B. Orlando, I. Bruton, Change: Adaptation of Water Management to Climate Change. IUCN-The World Conservation Union (2003)
Available as PDF in [English]

Orlando, B., D. Baldock, M.S. Manguiat, S. Rietbergen, N.Schneider, T.Young, Carbon, Forests and People: Towards the Integrated Management of Carbon Sequestration, Biodiversity and Sustainable Livelihoods. IUCN-The World Conservation Union. (2002)
Available as a pdf in: [English] and [French] 1MB each

Livelihoods and Climate Change. Discussion Paper of the Task Force on Climate Change, Adaptation and Vulnerable Communities
Available as a pdf in: [English] 1.5MB

Abramovitz J., P.O.Girot, B.Orlando, N.Schneider, E.Spanger-Siegfried, J.Switzer and A.Hammill, Adapting to Climate Change: Natural Resource Management and Vulnerability Reduction, A Background Paper to the Task Force on Climate Change, Adaptation and Vulnerable Communities. IUCN-The World Conservation Union and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (2002)
Available as a pdf in: [English] 258KB

Climate Change and Species Survival: Implications for Conservation Strategies, IUCN-The World Conservation Union (2001). Discussion paper presented at the IUCN Workshop on Climate Change and Species Survival in January 2001, Gland, Switzerland.
Available as a pdf in : [English] 355KB

Orlando, Brett M. The Role of NGOs in Capacity Building. Paper presented to the 2nd Alliance of Small Island States Climate Change Forum, Apia, Samoa (2000).
Available as a pdf in : [English] 84KB

Klein R. and B. Orlando, Taking an Ecosystem Approach to Climate Change Adaptation in Small Island Developing States. IUCN-The World Conservation Union. Discussion Paper Presented at the Alliance of Small Islands States Climate Change Forum, Apia, Samoa (2000).
Available as a pdf in : [English] 353KB

Bergkamp G. and B. Orlando, Wetlands and Climate Change: Exploring collaboration between the Convention on Wetlands and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. IUCN-The World Conservation Union. (1999)
Available as a pdf in : [English] 315KB

Orlando, B. and L. Smeardon (eds). Report of the Eleventh Global Biodiversity Forum: Exploring Synergy Between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity. IUCN-The World Conservation Union (1999).
Available in PDF in [English] [Spanish] [French] 1MB each

Introduction to Climate Change
Forest-based Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
Our Work in Climate Change

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