Climate change and wildlife conservation: crisis or opportunity?

Climate change and wildlife conservation: crisis or opportunity? - our second event in the Conservation Challenges for the 21st Century series

Roughly 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the loss of tropical forests in developing countries. Largely owing to deforestation, Brazil and Indonesia are third and fourth in the rankings of global emitters of greenhouse gases, behind the US and China¹. Recognition that these activities are contributing to climate change has led to proposals to include deforestation more comprehensively in the post-2012 UN climate agreement. There is also evidence to suggest that forests could be catastrophically impacted by climate change, resulting in dangerous positive feedback loops.

What is the relationship between climate change, biodiversity conservation and human livelihoods in tropical forest ecosystems, and what can be done to ensure that linkages are taken into consideration in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? What mechanisms should be incorporated in the post-2012 agreement?

This evening of presentations and debate involving both governmental and non-governmental participants will highlight how conservation and environment NGOs are contributing to tackling climate change and how activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in forest ecosystems can carry additional benefits for biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation.

Updated information: The meeting will be chaired by Lord Ron Oxburgh (Vice-Chair GLOBE UK and Vice-President GLOBE International), and coordinated by ZSL, WWF, GLOBE International, Fauna & Flora International and Wildlife Conservation Society, in collaboration with a large network of NGOs.

1: Total GHG Emissions in 2000 (includes land use change)

Organised by Jon Bielby, Conservation Programmes, ZSL.

Outline for the evening:

17.30 Doors open

18.30 Welcome and Introduction "Climate change as a threat to wildlife conservation and forests" (Jonathan Baillie, ZSL)

18.35 "Achieving a global deal that avoids dangerous warming and incorporates biodiversity and livelihood benefits into climate change mitigation mechanisms" (Emily Brickell, WWF)

18.50 "Identifying and promoting REDD mechanisms that contribute most to tropical forest conservation and climate change mitigation: a case study from Madagascar" (Matthew Hatchwell, WCS)

19.05 "Identifying mechanisms for incorporating effective climate change ecosystem-based adaptation into the global climate change framework" (Joanne Phillips, RSPB)

19.20 "Preparing for Copenhagen" (Gregory Barker MP)

19.30 Discussion / debate (panel + facilitator)

20.00 End

Please note that this event has already taken place.

Download a poster for this event (314 KB)

Conservation Challenges for the 21st Century
This is the second event in ZSL's Conservation Challenges for the 21st Century series. Our aim is to highlight how the collaborative work of ZSL and other conservation organizations tackles some of the major challenges that we currently face in field conservation.

Talks begin at 6.30pm (doors from 5.30pm) and are scheduled to finish at 8.00pm.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome. This event will be held in the ZSL Meeting Rooms (access from Outer Circle, Regent's Park) and seats will be on a first-come, first-served basis – we apologise that we are unable to take reservations.

Further Information: please contact Joy Hayward, Scientific Meetings Coordinator, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY.
Tel:+44 (0)20 7449 6227. Fax: +44 (0)20 7449 6411. E-mail: joy.hayward@zsl.org.

Related links
ZSL Scientific Meetings
Map showing ZSL Meeting Rooms