Abstract
Human-induced climate change is occurring as an unprecedented rate resulting in ecosystem deterioration and biodiversity loss. Climate change exacerbates environmental hazards, ecosystem modification as well as loss of biological organisms. Anthropogenic releases of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2 has warmed the Earth’s surface. The average global temperature has risen more linearly for the last 100 year (1906-2005) by 0.74°C (.56-0.92°C); than the corresponding period (1901-2000) of 0.6°C (0.4-0.8°C). The objective of this review was to examine the potentials of ecosystems in mitigating climate change and in building resilience. A review of relevant literature was employed as possible approach to compile this document. Ethiopia is an agrarian country where agriculture is both the cause and victim to extreme climate variability like elevated temperature and precipitation fluctuation. These have resulted recurrent drought, flooding and reduction in agricultural productivity as a whole. The occurrence and spatial distribution of drought is projected to continue in the upcoming future. The effects of climate variability significantly reduced farmers’ adaptive capacity while exacerbating their vulnerability to further weather events. The current trends of ecosystem degradation could not be controlled only through protection of parks. Instead, it involves a large-scale and integrated approach addressing the whole land and sea-escapes. This large scale and integrated ecosystem management approach conserves biodiversity, builds system resilience as well as to ensures the sustainable production of ecosystem services from which the majorities of the rural poor depend on. Resilient ecosystems have a wide range of biodiversity and ecosystem services, resist and recover from extreme events more quickly and are potential to mitigate and adapt to climate change while sustaining livelihoods. Thus, ecosystem based approach through adaptation and mitigation is instrumental to maintain ecosystem health so as to sustain system resilience in the face of climate change.
Highlights
Human-induced climate change is occurring [33, 35, 39] as an unprecedented rate resulting in considerable consequences on ecosystems and human well-being [32, 39, 43]
It is real that global climate is changing at unprecedented rate resulting in considerable consequences on ecosystems and human well-being
Anthropogenic releases of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2 has warmed the Earth‘s surface; where its concentration has risen more linearly for the last 100 year (1906-2005) by 0.74°C than the corresponding period (19012000) of 0.6°C. This has resulted in occurrences of extreme weather events, such as rising sea-levels, recurrent droughts, intensive hurricanes and floods, etc
Summary
Human-induced climate change is occurring [33, 35, 39] as an unprecedented rate resulting in considerable consequences on ecosystems and human well-being [32, 39, 43]. The average global temperature has risen more linearly for the last 100 year (1906-2005) by 0.74°C; than the corresponding period (1901-2000) of 0.6°C (Fig.3) As a result, this period (20thc) is the largest and fastest warming period of the planet [35] leading to occurrences of extreme weather events, such as rising sea-levels, recurrent droughts, intensive hurricanes and floods, etc. In line with atmospheric temperature, global sea level was increased at average rate of 1.8 mm/yr and at 3.1 mm/yr since 1961 and 1993, respectively This has resulted in thermal expansion, melting of glaciers and ice caps, and polar ice. On the other hand, Arctic sea ice has reduced by 2.7 percent per decade since 1978; where a reduction by 7.4 percent per decade was recorded during summer seasons [35] (Fig 1)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
