With changing climates, some currently suitable habitats will become unsuitable, and if species cannot move to areas where future climates are suitable for them, they are eventually committed to extinction. It is predicted that the worst affected areas will be the low-lying areas on the West Coast and Southwest of the Cape Floristic Region. Such species and regions of concern can now be prioritized for monitoring and planning; eventually leading to appropriate conservation action guided by the principles of climate change integrated conservation strategies (Hannah et al. 2002a and b).

Figure Box 6.3.2
Change in Red List status (number of categories downlisted or uplisted) of all study species for the future compared to current conditions. Future scenarios are low and high habitat transformation excluding climate change (LT - CC, HT - CC), and low and high habitat transformation including climate change (LT + CC, HT + CC).