GLOBALBIODIVERSITYGLOBALBIODIVERSITYINFORMATIONFACILITYINFORMATIONFACILITY

WWW.GBIF.ORG

WWW.GBIF.ORG

Building the global

biodiversity information

commons for climate change

adaptation

Building the global

biodiversity information

commons for climate change

adaptation

UNFCCC CoP 15UNFCCC CoP 15Side Event Side Event 8 Dec, 20h00Dan Turell RoomBella Centre

Dr Nick King, Executive Director, GBIF

The Biodiversity CrisisThe Biodiversity Crisis

The UN Millenium Assessment found losses in biodiversity in the past 50 years ’was more rapid than ever before in human history’. To sustain Earth’s life-support services, from food security, resilience to natural disasters, and access to clean water and raw materials, improvements are needed to address biodiversity losses and changes (extinctions, changes in population sizes, distribution, species composition, genetic diversity).

Habitat Loss Invasive SpeciesOverexploitation

PollutionClimate Change

Changes in forest cover in Borneo (left) and the human impact globally – estimated <20% of original forests intact and fully functional (Nature 452, 2008)

Increasing loss and fragmentation of ecosystems eg. forests

Destruction of forests and forest soils accounts for 20% of global GHG emissions; Yet standing forests absorb ~15% of atmospheric carbon = compound problem!

Fishing Down the Food Web….

5

4

3

2

Tro

phic

leve

l

Global footprint vs biocapacityGlobal footprint vs biocapacity

Source: Global Footprint Network

TEEB Report 2009

TEEB Report 2009

The `Stern report´ equivalent for biodiversity loss, – trying to understand what we are losing economically.

Crisis? Which crisis?Crisis? Which crisis?

Economic case for biodiversity conservation:

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study found that not meeting the CBD 2010 target would result in 7% losses in GDP by 2050; eg. annual cost of forest loss is between €2-5 trillion, this alone dwarfs the current financial crisis losses.

‘the degradation of ecosystem services represents loss of a capital asset; loss of eco-systems services are seldom, if ever, brought into the balance sheet of GDP. When loss through unsustainable use is factored into GDP, many of the countries that show positive GDP growth are actually experiencing net loss of capital, with dire consequences for future growth.’(Millennium Assessment, 2005)

The MDGsThe MDGs

7. Ensure environmental sustainability (Integrate sustainable development into policies/programs & reverse loss of natural resources).  

Millenium Assessment (2005)

“Balance sheet more red than black”

(Wilson et al, Ecology 2005)

16 mountain butterfly species Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain

Average movement uphill = 212 m + 60 m (SE)

Temperature increase = 1.3 °C 225 m

Average range area loss since 1970 ONE THIRD

Change over ~ 35 years:

>90% area loss by

2050

min. no. spp.

mid-range

max. no. spp.

9%

21%

14%

30%

32%

47%

(based on 1103 spp from region/taxon combinations including: Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Europe, Australia & mammals, birds, other vertebrates, butterflies, plants)

Thomas et al, Nature, 2004

Percentages of species expected to lose >90% of suitable range by 2050

- predict….nearly 50% of species will be ‘committed to extinction’

full/ubiquitous dispersal / without dispersal

Decline in biodiversity with increasing intensity ofhuman use; loss of habitat means decreasing ability to adapt or migrate....

Netherlands Env Agency

Solving transboundary issues….Solving transboundary issues….

Climate change and biodiversity are both a transboundary issue;

Solutions are only possible through multi-lateral cooperation and info-sharing;

GBIF is a working example of a multi-lateral agreement to share and provide access to relevant information for improved policy and decision-making….

Key Millennium Assessment Solutions

Key Millennium Assessment Solutions

IPCC Side Event Tuesday 8 Dec: update on AR4, road to AR5: 1.move from “it’s real” i.e. climate is changing and AGW is the cause; to2.what we need to do about it i.e. “here is the information you need to make good decisions”

GBIF’s Mandate ”To facilitate free and open access to biodiversity data worldwide, via the Internet, to underpin scientific research, conservation and sustainable development.”

GBIF is govt-initiated, and govt. funded, in response to government agency needs in biodiversity information access and management;

GBIF is in service to science, as a global ‘public good’

Not a database or data aggregator

GBIF is a global science/informatics research infrastructure:

What is GBIF?

- promoting global participation, linking up a global network of participants;- enabling online publishing and

sharing of biodiversity data;

- promoting development of data capture & exchange standards;

- building an informatics architecture;- building capacity;

- catalysing development of analytical tools.

Primary biodiversity data and information effectively available

Data and information that have been produced but are not easy to find, access, and use (i.e not effectively available!) - a gigantic task of mobilising billions of data is still needed, as well as integrating new data.

Biological collections

Scientific publications

Observations

Reports

Gray literature

Data Bases

Geography

Growth in GBIF ParticipationGrowth in GBIF Participation

NB: Drop in Associate Participants in 2007 is attributable to delays in signing the new MOU 2007-2011

39

51

63

7278 81 79

88

96

GBIF: an intergovernmental initiative to share biodiversity information

GBIF: an intergovernmental initiative to share biodiversity information

Currently 53 countries; 43 International Organisations…

Data shared online via GBIF Data shared online via GBIF

(>190m biodiversity records mapped to a 1 X 1 degree grid)

Data geo-referenced to USData geo-referenced to US

US-hosted data shared via GBIFUS-hosted data shared via GBIF

GBIF Data portal and data access/sharing/ repatriation

GBIF Data portal and data access/sharing/ repatriation

Predicting climate-induced changes in tropical forests composition…..

Predicting climate-induced changes in tropical forests composition…..

Species richness - forest genera of Sterculiaceae, Meliaceae, Dipterocapaceae

Summary of CC impacts on tropical forests …Summary of CC impacts on tropical forests …

All families and genera suffer >50% niche loss; species loss;

Some gain in potential, but this would require migration and suitable ecological/climate niche (for forests) at destination;

Important implications for REDD, LULUCF and many other CC adaptation/mitigation programmes…..

FamilyAverage habitat

loss

Average habitat

expansion

Percent of species with

more than 50% loss

Percent of species with

more than 90% loss

Dipterocarpaceae 57.1 34.4 56.8 40.5Meliaceae 50.6 29.6 54.5 18.2Sterculiaceae 51.0 32.8 50.3 12.4

Agriculture and climate changeAgriculture and climate change

IAS – World’s 100 Worst Invaders listIAS – World’s 100 Worst Invaders list

GBIF-enabled data mean of 15000 records per species. Need ~20 unique occurrence points for robust model development (83 of 100 Worst Invaders list).

Asian longhorn beetle

Mapping Human Mapping Human Disease VectorsDisease VectorsMapping Human Mapping Human Disease VectorsDisease Vectors

Aedes albopictus “Asian Tiger Mosquito”

Invader - fastest spreading mosquito in the world

Known to transmit Dengue, La Crosse, St. Louis, Eastern Equine, Ross River, Rift Valley, and West Nile Viruses

Tiger mosquito– native range……Tiger mosquito– native range……

Modeled native range in Asia from specimens & observations

Tiger mosquito: modeledpotential continental-US invasion….

Tiger mosquito: modeledpotential continental-US invasion….

Projected Asian ecological niche onto present USA ecological zones to create invasion risk-map.

Tiger mosquito: observedactual US invasion (by county)Tiger mosquito: observedactual US invasion (by county)

Asian Tiger mosquito: world risk-map (present climate niches)Asian Tiger mosquito: world risk-map (present climate niches)

Ecosystem-based Adaptation & Biodiversity buffers (IUCN)Ecosystem-based Adaptation & Biodiversity buffers (IUCN)

Summary - key pts:Summary - key pts:1. Climate Change is changing biodiversity worldwide,

impacting ecosystem services, forests, agriculture and food security, disease transmission, etc;

2. Climate change and ecosystem change are transboundary problems;

3. Transboundary issues can only be solved by international agreement on cooperation and information sharing;

4. GBIF is a working example of a multi-lateral agreement to share and access biodiversity data to underpin improved decision-making for adaptation and mitigation……

5. Requires global participation!

Join GBIF and benefit from being part of a global solution.....

Join GBIF and benefit from being part of a global solution.....

Web site: www.gbif.org

GBIF SecretariatUniversitetsparken 15DK-2100 Copenhagen ØDenmark

E-mail: info@gbif.org

GBIF Secretariat building, supported by a grant from the Aage V. Jensens Fonde