Land and Ocean: Visualizing the Impacts of Climate Change on Species and Ecosystems

By Climate Interactive
October 3, 2024

We’re excited to introduce two powerful new graphs in the En-ROADS Simulator that highlight the possible impacts of climate change on terrestrial and marine life.

Extinction Risk of Endemic Animal Species

This graph illustrates the effect of climate solutions on the percentage of endemic species at risk of extinction. Endemic species, like the emperor penguin in Antarctica, are found only in specific regions. They are particularly vulnerable to global warming due to their limited geographic ranges and specific habitat needs.

Loss in Ocean Life from Warming

This graph portrays the probable loss of marine life in various climate warming scenarios. Rising temperatures impact all sea life, from microscopic plankton to large marine animals, leading to ecosystem disruption.

These new graphs offer a fresh perspective on the critical relationship between climate change and our natural environment, and they highlight the urgent need to limit global temperature increase to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems.

We are grateful to the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation for funding these new additions. Stay tuned for more graphs coming to the En-ROADS Simulator later this year, which will provide further insights into the impacts of climate change.