IUCN: Wild Animals Key to Combating Climate Change
On October 10, 2025, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) adopted a resolution, highlighting the crucial role of wild animals in ecosystems as a climate solution.
The IUCN resolution, passed at a World Conservation Congress, emphasizes the significant impact of wild animals on carbon absorption and storage. For instance, seed-dispersing animals boost carbon capture in tropical forests by four times. Similarly, elephants in the Congo Basin enhance carbon storage by around 7%.
The IUCN calls for the recognition of these roles in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This follows the IPCC's Sixth Assessment report, which underscores the importance of local species for ecosystem services and resilience. Wild animals contribute by helping forests grow stronger, preventing wildfires and erosion, and even fertilizing phytoplankton. Remarkably, penguin poop aids cloud formation, keeping Antarctica cool. Sea otters, too, play a vital role, increasing carbon capture in kelp forests by up to 12 times.
The 16th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity also stressed the effectiveness of conserving and restoring animal populations for climate mitigation and adaptation.
The IUCN's resolution underscores the vital role of wild animals in combating climate change. By preserving and restoring animal populations, we can enhance ecosystems' resilience and carbon absorption. This approach, supported by the IUCN and other global conferences, offers a promising path towards climate mitigation and adaptation.
