Global Climate Change Adaptation Priorities for Biodiversity and Food Security

International policy is placing increasing emphasis on adaptation to climate change, including the allocation of new funds to assist adaptation efforts. Climate change adaptation funding may be most effective where it meets integrated goals, but global geographic priorities based on multiple development and ecological criteria are not well characterized. Here we show that human and natural adaptation needs related to maintaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem integrity intersect in ten major areas globally, providing a coherent set of international priorities for adaptation funding. An additional seven regional areas are identified as worthy of additional study. The priority areas are locations where changes in crop suitability affecting impoverished farmers intersect with changes in ranges of restricted-range species. Agreement among multiple climate models and emissions scenarios suggests that these priorities are robust. Adaptation funding directed to these areas could simultaneously address multiple international policy goals, including poverty reduction, protecting agricultural production and safeguarding ecosystem services.

当前国际政策愈发重视气候变化适应工作，包括拨付新增资金支持气候适应相关行动。气候变化适应资金若契合综合目标往往能发挥最佳效用，但目前基于多重发展与生态标准划定的全球地理优先级尚未得到充分明确。本研究表明，与维持农业生产力及生态系统完整性相关的人类与自然适应需求，在全球范围内共存在十大核心交汇区域，由此形成一套连贯统一的气候适应资金国际优先级划分方案。另有七个区域被列为值得开展进一步研究的对象。上述优先级区域指的是影响贫困农户的作物适宜性变化与狭域分布物种分布范围变化发生重合的区域。多套气候模型与排放情景的结果一致性表明，这些优先级划分具备稳健性。向这些区域拨付气候适应资金，可同时兼顾多项国际政策目标，包括减贫、保障农业生产以及维护生态系统服务功能。