New Study Finds No Evidence of Increased Climate Change Extinctions in Last 200 Years

A recent study from the University of Arizona has revealed that, contrary to some prevailing narratives, there is no evidence of increasing extinction rates directly attributable to climate change over the past two centuries. This finding was highlighted by "The Honest Broker" on social media, stating, > “Somewhat unexpectedly, the researchers found that in the last 200 years, there was no evidence for increasing extinction from climate change.”

The research, conducted by Kristen Saban and John Wiens from the University of Arizona's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, analyzed extinction patterns across 912 species over the last 500 years, encompassing data from nearly two million species. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, suggest that extinctions in plants, arthropods, and land vertebrates peaked approximately 100 years ago and have since seen a decline.

The study indicates that past extinctions were predominantly caused by invasive species on islands, rather than climate change. Lead author Kristen Saban emphasized the importance of accurate scientific discourse, noting that while biodiversity loss remains a significant issue, the study aims to move beyond "doomsday scenarios." Co-author John Wiens clarified that their findings do not negate climate change as a threat but rather suggest that "past extinctions do not reflect current and future threats."

Wiens further explained that the primary drivers of current and future extinctions are rapidly changing, with habitat loss on continents now posing the most significant risk. The researchers also pointed to the effectiveness of conservation efforts, suggesting that investments in protecting species are yielding positive results. Despite these findings, experts caution against complacency, stressing that climate change continues to push other species towards vulnerability and extinction.