Why is it important?

Disrupted food chains

Climate change affects even the smallest organisms. In the Arctic Ocean, melting sea ice and ocean acidification reduce krill populations, which are a key food source for whales, penguins, and seals (IUCN, 2021). When species at the bottom of the food chain decline, the effects spread through the entire ecosystem and may only become visible many years later.

Climate change also affects agriculture. Warmer and wetter conditions increase crop diseases such as Fusarium ear blight in wheat, causing serious food losses and health risks due to toxic substances (WWF, 2023).