Climate change is defined as a variation either in the mean state of the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It encompasses temperature increases, sea-level rises, changes in precipitation patterns, and increases in the frequency of extreme weather events.

Biodiversity and climate change are closely linked, and each impacts upon the other: biodiversity is threatened by human-induced climate change, but biodiversity resources can reduce the impacts of climate change on population and ecosystems. More »