Current science indicates that at our present trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, the global climate is in jeopardy of catastrophic impacts and continued shifts affecting humans, animals, plants and ecosystems, meeting or surpassing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s worst-case scenarios^1.

The impacts of climate change threaten food and water security in some of the world’s poorest regions, and as these incidents escalate, they will tax global humanitarian efforts and our technological and financial capacity for recovery, as well as threaten global security and diplomatic relations.

Bold, immediate steps must be taken to stem the negative effects of climate change. Preserving natural ecosystems is a critical part of the solution.    

TAKE ACTION: Protect an acre of tropical forest for only $15.

Conservation International is working locally, regionally and globally to secure protection of the Earth’s natural ecosystems and its inherent capacity for resilience and adaptation, and to provide immediate, sustainable climate change solutions and greater adaptive potential for humanity and all life on Earth.

Protecting the Earth’s natural ecosystems, ecological processes and biodiversity is essential to addressing the climate crisis. Conserving terrestrial and marine ecosystems produces myriad additional benefits beyond climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, including provision of freshwater and other critical inputs to agricultural production; mitigating risk from natural disasters; sustaining local economies and cultural heritage; and protecting biodiversity.

Climate change may result in a 30-50 percent reduction in water availability in places like South Africa and the Mediterranean; agricultural yields could decline as much as 35 percent in areas of the Southern Hemisphere; and up to 50 percent of all animal and plant species may become extinct.  The conservation of natural ecosystems is fundamental to resolving these critical challenges. 

Keeping ecosystems intact provides unmatched climate security and other ecosystem service benefits, including fish and animal production, fuel, freshwater, natural medicines, rainfall regulation, water purification, waste treatment, disease prevention, limiting pests, pollination, recreation , tourism, nutrient cycling and preserving cultural values.