Implications of polar ecosystem change for achieving targets 3,4 and 8

Polar regions play a critical role in the Earth system. They regulate global climate through oceanic and atmospheric circulation, support highly productive marine ecosystems, and provide essential feeding and breeding grounds for many migratory species, including whales, seabirds and commercially important krill and fish (e.g. Atlantic cod, capelin, pollock). They also host unique habitats associated with seasonal and multi-year sea ice, supporting species highly adapted to these conditions. The functioning of these ecosystems, therefore, has implications that extend far beyond polar regions, affecting global climate, ocean systems, and biodiversity, with consequences for economies, food security, and societal stability. At the same time, polar regions are among the environments most rapidly affected by climate change, with profound transformations in physical and biological conditions (IPCC, 2019). In this context, this brief examines how these transformations in polar regions may affect progress toward Targets 3, 4 and 8 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.