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Climate change is now the leading threat to imperiled species, new study finds

Authors of an in BioScience reveal that climate change has become the most pervasive threat to ESA-listed species, marking the first time that this driver has been identified to surpass other causes of biodiversity loss for this group.

To conduct their analysis, Talia E. Niederman and colleagues, who are affiliated with Defenders of Wildlife, examined species hazards included in Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings, International Union for Conservation of Nature assessments, and novel climate sensitivity assessments.

In a study of 2,766 imperiled species across the United States and its territories, climate change now affects 91% of ESA-listed species within this group.

The authors examined five dominant drivers of human-caused biodiversity loss—climate change, land and sea use change, species overexploitation, pollution, and invasive species—noting that the overwhelming majority (86%) of U.S. imperiled species face multiple hazards simultaneously. Some groups, including corals, bivalves, and amphibians, face a greater number of threats than the average.

According to the authors, "With the addition of comprehensive climate sensitivity data, climate change is just as prevalent a stressor to ESA-listed species as land and sea use change; this trend likely applies more broadly as well."

The researchers emphasize that data from IUCN assessments and original ESA listing documents may vastly underrepresent the number of species affected by climate change. They recommend "explicitly including climate sensitivity in ESA listing decisions and management plans" to help address the growing danger posed by a rapidly changing climate.

The authors also stress the importance of being mindful of knowledge gaps that may conceal additional issues of concern, especially those affecting species that are strongly in need of updated assessments.

However, the authors conclude, "We need no further research to know that biodiversity is facing multiple persistent threats. Addressing the five drivers of biodiversity loss promptly across all affected taxa will be critical to preventing further extinction."