65% of Antarctica’s native species will likely disappear by the end of the century if the world continues its business-as-usual ways, a study finds. The study also showed that the current conservation efforts in Antarctica are not working on the rapidly changing continent. Researchers concluded implementing an extra layer of cost-effective strategies could save up to 84% of Antarctic biodiversity. Conservation measures to protect Antarctica’s species and its ecosystem could cost $1.92 billion over 83 years, or around $23 million per year – a fraction of the global economy, an international study has found. These measures include managing human activity, transport and infrastructure, as well as protecting native species while also controlling non-native species and diseases that enter the region.
Climate change poses the most pervasive threat to Antarctic biodiversity, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology. The study comes days after UN biodiversity negotiators reached a landmark agreement to better protect the planet’s vital ecosystems. Lee: “The incentive is there, but it’s just finding that initial investment, and it just depends on priorities”.
