Ascension Climate
Conserving Ascension Island’s Biodiversity in a Changing Climate
The Earth’s climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, threatening ecosystems and human wellbeing alike.
To respond effectively to such threats, we must first understand the likely impacts of global change at a local scale. In this project, funded by the UK Darwin Initiative, we aim to assess how a changing climate will affect the globally significant biodiversity of Ascension Island – a remote volcanic island in the tropical Atlantic Ocean – and explore potential adaptation measures to mitigate the most severe impacts.
Funded by the Darwin Initiative
NEWS
SEA LEVEL
0.25 mm/year
Current rate of sea level rise at Ascension Island
TEMPERATURE RISING
1.5 °C
Predicted increase in mean temperature at Ascension Island by 2100 under intermediate emissions scenario (IPCC; RCP4.5)
SEA LEVEL
Statistic Source
Based on period 1993-2001. Source: Woodworth et al. (2012) African Journal of Marine Science, 34, 443-452.
TEMPERATURE RISING
Statistic Source
International Panel for Climate Change, RCP4.5
NEWS & UPDATES
Pastures new: assisted migration of Ascension Island spurge as a climate mitigation strategy
Globally, many species face a growing problem as climate change intensifies. Species’ current ranges are often becoming hotter and drier. Suitable...
Climate forecasting for the Ascension Island Marine Protected Area
More than 99 % of Ascension Island’s territorial area is comprised of ocean. The ocean plays a key role in regulating Ascension’s climate, holds...
New Publication!
The long-term temperature and rainfall time series for Ascension Island compiled as part of the CRACAB project was recently published in the...
First 3D models of Ascension Island’s green turtle nesting beaches
Using imagery collected by drones, scientists at the University of Exeter have created the first high resolution 3D models of Ascension Island’s...
Exploring climatic influences on the breeding success of Ascension’s endemic frigatebird
One of the goals of the CRACAB project is to understand how contemporary climate variability influences the reproductive success of Ascension...
Reconstructing a century of climate change at Ascension Island
Phil Jones and David Lister from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit explain how they have been compiling the first comprehensive dataset of temperature and rainfall observations for Ascension Island.