Globally, around one million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, climate change ranking as the third most important threat to biodiversity. But despite the growing evidence of species’ vulnerability to climate change, adaptation actions to support wildlife remains a gap. GRID-Arendal collaborated with UN Environment and a number of partners to implement the Vanishing Treasures Programme that focused on climate change adaptation of vulnerable mountain species.
Vanishing Treasures focused on mountain flagship species in three mountain regions; the Royal Bengal tiger in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas (Bhutan), The Snow Leopard in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) and the Mountain Gorilla in the Virunga region (Rwanda and Uganda). These represented pilot regions for the Vanishing Treasures programme and delivered positive change both on the ground, but also served as test cases and examples for other mountain regions.
The Programme was funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and aimed to generate maximum synergy between climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation by improving the adaptive capacity of mountain ecosystems while maintaining related ecosystem services, protecting mountain flagship species who are key to ecosystem functioning, and promoting alternative livelihoods for local communities.
The objectives of Vanishing Treasures included: To train wildlife managers in protected areas in climate-smart wildlife conservation, including adaptation to climate change through nature-based solutions; To improve communication between climate research and biodiversity conservation practitioners to ensure that the conservation sector appropriately responds to recommendations for adaptive action; To promote and develop a green infrastructure approach including restoration and rehabilitation of habitats and corridors, creation and maintenance of buffer zones and provide alternative forms of income to local communities facing the impacts of climate change.
