BuaNews (Tshwane)
Richard Mantu
9 September 2003
Pretoria — Unless countries - particularly the most industrialised nations - reduce gas emissions by about 60 to 80 percent by 2050, climate change will continue to have serious consequences on the world's protected areas.
This according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which released a report 'No place to hide: Effects of Climate Change on Protected Areas' during the second day of the 10-day World Parks Congress here.
WWF Director General Claude Martin appealed to the Congress to take cognisance of the effects of climate change which had led to heat waves, droughts, an increase in forest fires, rise in global sea level thus having 'drastic consequences for protected areas.'
'Since the last World Parks Congress ten years ago nobody talked about climate change and nobody could have predicted the effects of climate change on protected areas.'
He said it had become abundantly clear that climate change was a new and major threat to protected areas.
'We (would) like to appeal to the congress that whatever comes out here there should be a strong recognition of climate change on PA. It will be shortsighted not to do so,' said Dr Martin.
He said countries like the US, which contributes about 25 percent of global gas emissions, needed to make a 'power switch' from coal to clean energy that includes wind, solar and biomass sources.
'World leaders must take steps immediately to reduce carbon dioxide emissions if the world's protected areas are to avoid irreversible damage. Alien species is usually a sign of something happening in your protected areas,' he explained.
Climate change is caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas for the use of energy. It accounts for over 80 percent of global warming pollution.
The report points out the phenomenon has caused the rising seas to flood 7500 hectares of mangroves in the Sundarbans National Park in Bangladesh and severe coral bleaching of the famous Seychelles Aldabra Atoll, the largest raised coral island in the world amongst world protected areas.
More so, farmers in Africa have also borne the brunt of climate change, said Dr Martin. He added the recent spell of severe drought in southern African greatly affected farmers thus having dire consequences for the country's ability to feed its people.
WWF Director of Climate Change Jennifer Morgan said dire consequences seen in this regard were usually felt by communities living within or around protected areas as some relied heavily on these areas for their livelihood.
'When temperatures increase, corals bleach and usually corals link in with fish, link in with communities. So you have a lot of communities that are very depended on coral reefs because of their fisheries,' said Ms Morgan.
The Fund has challenged key stakeholders in the electricity producing sector globally from politicians, banks and power utilities to use other sources of power including solar energy, wind and biomass sources.
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