Climate Change Threatens Migratory Species Worldwide, Warns New UN Report

A new report from the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has revealed alarming evidence that climate change is severely disrupting migratory species across the globe. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and changing water systems are threatening the survival of animals that travel long distances across continents and oceans.

The report, the result of an expert workshop held earlier this year, underscores the urgent need for integrated global action to protect migratory species as the world approaches the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil.

Migratory Species at Risk

According to the CMS report, one-fifth of migratory species are threatened with extinction, while the figure rises to 97% for migratory fish. The findings warn that habitat fragmentation, changing climate zones, and human pressures are accelerating species loss.

Himalayan and Indian Impacts

In the Himalayas and North India, rising temperatures are forcing cold-adapted species such as musk deer, pheasants, and snow trout to move higher into smaller, fragmented habitats. Scientists predict that small mammals in Uttarakhand could lose over half of their range, creating cascading ecological consequences.

In South Asia, Asian elephants in India and Sri Lanka face growing challenges as climate and land-use changes shift suitable habitats eastward. However, due to limited habitat connectivity, elephants are unable to migrate, leading to increased human-elephant conflict.

Key Findings from the Report

• Climate change affects all migratory groups: Warming, erratic weather, and shifting waterways are altering species’ ranges and threatening ecosystem services.

• Timing mismatches: In Alaska and the Arctic, shorebird nesting seasons no longer align with insect emergence, reducing chick survival.

• Whales under threat: Climate-driven shifts in sea temperatures are altering whale migration patterns and prey availability. The North Atlantic right whale is among the most vulnerable.

• Marine ecosystems in danger: Heatwaves in the Amazon and Mediterranean are killing river dolphins and could shrink fin whale habitats by up to 70% by mid-century.

• Seagrass loss: Seagrass meadows—vital carbon sinks supporting dugongs, turtles, and fisheries—are being destroyed by marine heatwaves and rising seas.

Migratory Species as Climate Allies

The report highlights that migratory animals play a crucial role in maintaining climate stability.

• Whales help sustain carbon-absorbing seagrass ecosystems, while

• Forest elephants enhance the carbon storage capacity of tropical forests—each elephant in the Congo contributing up to $2.6 million in carbon storage value over its lifetime.

Global Cooperation Needed

Amy Fraenkel, CMS Executive Secretary, called migratory species “the planet’s early-warning system,” warning that their decline signals widespread environmental instability.

Dr. Des Thompson, Scientific Councillor for Climate Change under CMS, emphasized the importance of removing barriers to migration and collaborating with Indigenous communities to develop sustainable, nature-based solutions.

The report’s recommendations will be advanced at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS (COP15), scheduled for March 23–29, 2026, in Campo Grande, Brazil.

About CMS

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is a United Nations environmental treaty, established in 1979. It brings together 133 Parties (132 countries and the European Union) to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species and their habitats worldwide.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy