Blog written by Claire Hamlett, a freelance journalist and contributor

The UK government has come under fire after a leaked briefing revealed it is planning to ditch its pledge to provide £11.6 billion in funding to help vulnerable nations cope with climate change and protect nature. Developing countries and small island states who would have received a share of the funding – which made up the UK’s contribution to an as yet unfulfilled international $100bn (£78.6bn) a year climate fund – are already struggling from climate disasters, with not enough time or resources to rebuild and protect themselves from storms, droughts, floods, and fires. 

The devastation being wrought on these countries isn’t limited to humans. When regions are hit by floods and wildfires, millions of free-living animals will be killed and displaced, losing their homes and sources of food. Without help for developing countries to protect their natural ecosystems, free-living animals in these areas may become even more exposed to the impacts of extreme weather. Habitat destruction and fragmentation like deforestation makes ecosystems less resilient to climate change and extreme weather events, so keeping them intact is vitally important. £3bn of the UK’s climate and nature fund was supposed to be used for protecting and restoring nature as part of meeting commitments made at the Cop15  Biodiversity Conference last December.

In developed countries, the damage caused to humans by climate disasters is not generally as severe as it is in developing nations, because infrastructure and support systems tend to be more robust. But animals in the US or Europe are just as vulnerable as they are in parts of Africa or on islands. Some are displaced or killed by a huge catastrophic weather event, while others struggle to survive as their environments slowly become increasingly hostile to life.

Wildfires and heatwaves

Two of the most shocking recent heatwaves and wildfire disasters for free-living animals are the Australian wildfires of 2019-2020, which killed an estimated one billion animals, and the heat dome that baked western Canada in 2021 which killed another billion, mostly shellfish that cooked inside their shells. Videos of people rescuing burned and crying koalas from the Australian bush are heart-breaking evidence of what can happen to animals when climate-fuelled fires rage out of control. 

Hotter, drier summers are taking their toll on wildlife. The heatwave that hit the UK in July last year during an already very dry summer saw birds falling out of the sky and dehydration among hedgehogs, foxes, and grass snakes. A blaze also ignited at Norfolk's Wild Ken Hill nature reserve, destroying 33 hectares of habitat, likely killing the reptiles, amphibians, and late-nesting birds who lived there.

It’s not just fire itself that poses a mortal danger to animals. The smoke can also cause health problems including respiratory distress, inflammation, and compromised immune function. Some animals and plants are adapted to survive naturally occurring fires, but the growing intensity and frequency of wildfires as a result of the warming climate can be a challenge even for those species.

Ocean heating and acidification

The oceans, which cover 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, absorb 90 percent of the heat caused by the emission of greenhouse gases. Increasingly frequent heatwaves in the oceans are killing corals, kelp forests and seagrass meadows, imperilling marine animals and seabirds that depend on these ecosystems for food and shelter. Some species are being forced to move away from the equator and coastlines to cooler waters. But cold-blooded, stationary, and slow-moving creatures, like sponges and starfish, are more likely to die off as a result of the rising water temperatures.

The oceans not only absorb heat, but carbon dioxide too, taking in about 30 percent of that which is released by human activities like burning fossil fuels and clearing land for cattle farming. Increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide is making the water more acidic, which poses a threat to marine wildlife. Sharks have been found to be particularly at risk from ocean acidification, which can alter their blood chemistry and decrease oxygen to their brains. Coral reefs are also being impacted by more acidic waters, as it makes their exoskeletons dissolve more easily. 

Confused seasons

The seasons in places like the UK are no longer as distinct and predictable as they once were thanks to climate change, having all sorts of knock-on effects on various species. The breeding cycle of blue tits, for example, has evolved to sync up with the boom in caterpillar numbers at the start of spring. But now as trees come into leaf earlier in the year, caterpillars are hatching earlier, leaving blue tits struggling to find food for their young. Bees are also negatively affected by climate disruption to the seasons, making it harder for them to nest and find food.

Flooding

Serious flooding events are becoming more common in many places as storms become more intense and rainfall becomes heavier and more concentrated, falling on land that is less able to absorb water due to ecosystem degradation from things like agricultural expansion. Inundated wetlands are losing oxygen, killing off insects and worms and flooding nesting sites of bees and birds. 

While flooded areas can create new habitat for some aquatic species, others will be displaced by the water. When the floods recede, all can find themselves cut off from their previous homes, which may have changed considerably if they manage to return to them. Floodwaters can also be highly polluted with human sewage, manure from farms, and chemicals, which can poison animals and kill off large numbers of fishes.

Helping animals effected by climate change

While the UK government may be shirking its duty to help humans and other species hit hardest by the climate crisis, conservationists are trying to work out ways to give animals a fighting chance following a climate disaster. Some are testing artificial refuges to give small animals somewhere safe to hide from predators like cats and foxes that come looking for weakened and displaced prey in the wake of wildfires. Wildlife charities are working to restore and reconnect habitats that will draw down emissions as well as give animals a better chance at survival. Wildlife hospitals and sanctuaries are also increasingly dealing with the fallout from extreme weather events, and can always use funds and volunteers.

One of the most impactful changes that a person can make on an individual level is to choose a plant-based diet. Not only will this immediately help end the slaughter of farmed animals, but it will lessen the impacts of climate change on the natural world. 

As always,

For the animals.