Climate
We take action to tackle the nature and climate crises
Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s impacting every facet of our society. From devastating floods to raging wildfires, its impacts disrupt millions of lives and decimate species, habitats, and ecosystems vital for our survival.
To halt global warming and limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, we must act now. And to succeed, we must work with nature.
Guided by science, policy expertise, and practical action, BirdLife advocates for climate change solutions that benefit both people and nature. Our mission is to secure a future that is equitable, carbon-neutral, and nature-positive.
Our work
Renewable energy
Fossil fuels – oil, coal, and gas – are the primary drivers of climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions.
BirdLife supports a rapid transition away from these harmful energy sources toward renewable energy. This transition must also prioritize energy efficiency and reduce overall consumption to achieve meaningful climate action.
Planning with nature in the clean energy transition
The transition to renewable energies must go hand-in-hand with nature. This means putting renewable energy installations and grid infrastructure in the right places, and in the right ways.
BirdLife plays a leading role in this effort by developing sensitivity maps, formulating spatial zoning policies, establishing environmental criteria in auctions to install new renewable energy capacity, promoting best practices to minimise project impacts, and actively pursuing opportunities to restore nature as an integral component of the clean energy revolution
We actively contribute to shaping sustainable pathways in the renewable energy sector through our memberships in Renewables Grid Initiative and the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature.
Bioenergy: a fake renewable
Despite its label as a renewable energy source, bioenergy is far from sustainable. In Europe, more than 50% of logged wood is burned for energy – an equivalent of 15 million loaves of bread every day. Far from being climate-neutral, bioenergy contributes to the climate crisis by releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere.
BirdLife works with a coalition of over 100 NGOs to urge the EU to end subsidising biomass burning and the production of energy crops for biogas and biofuels. For a deeper insight into bioenergy, visit our dedicated website:
Combatting climate change with nature
From peatlands to grasslands, when it’s thriving and biodiverse, nature itself is our greatest ally in capturing and storing carbon. By protecting and restoring these natural habitats, we can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and bolster climate resilience.
Forests
The pivotal role of forests in climate change is undeniable, but unsustainable management practices are jeopardising their potential.
Sustainable forest management supports biodiversity, productivity, and regeneration. This ensures forests continue to store carbon and protect the climate long into the future.
At BirdLife, we actively monitor the Forest Bird Index and advocate for forest management practices aligned with the protection of forest bird species, contributing to our goal of sustainable forest ecosystems.
Carbon removal practices
Natural ecosystems play a vital role in storing carbon, but they must be protected and restored to realise their full potential.
BirdLife promotes carbon removal practices that prioritise ecosystem health while also pushing for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, especially from farmland soils. We closely monitor EU laws related to carbon farming to make sure it is truly sustainable and has climate change adaptation at the core of its design.
Find out more about our extensive work to reform our agriculture and food systems.
Nature restoration
By restoring nature across Europe and Central Asia, the BirdLife Partnership is helping to reduce greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, and ensure that society is better prepared for and resilient to the impacts of climate change.
OUR PUBLICATIONS
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 | Stichting BirdLife Europe gratefully acknowledges financial support from the European Commission. All content and opinions expressed on these pages are solely those of Stichting BirdLife Europe. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. |
