Assisted Migration and Climate Change - Essay Example

Climatic change has occurred following global warming, deforestation, and other human-interruptive environmental activities, which has rendered the climate and the habitats for various species to consistently change, and thus become less habitable by the species that previously lived in such environments (Assisted Migration, 84). With these changes, the species of organisms are trying to move from the regions where the environmental conditions have been disrupted, to the regions where the environment is naturally suitable for them. This discussion seeks to argue that we ought to engage in Assisted Migration.

Explanation of an argument

Assisted Migration is necessary in modern climatic conditions, to ensure that the plant and animal species that are living in regions that do not favor them are rescued and moved to other regions, where they can co-exist favorably and continue to thrive. Human beings are the ultimate contributors to the environmental and climatic changes that have been experienced in the world (Assisted Migration, 77). Therefore, it is only fair if the same human being would take the responsibility of ensuring the continued survival of living organisms, which are highly threatened by the changes in climatic conditions. However, the only way that human beings can ensure the continued survival of the living organism whose habitat and living environments have been destroyed, is to ensure that the living organisms have been moved to safer and environmentally friendly regions, which are compatible with their natural requirements.  Considering that the damage is already done in certain environmental conditions where such species used to co-exist, the only way of guarding against the extinction of such species is to find a favorable environment for them and then move the species there. It is, therefore, the responsibility of human beings to ensure that the species that would have survived, without the climate change that humans have caused, continues to survive, no matter what (Assisted Migration, 77). This commitment requires that humans will do everything, even if it means moving the organisms that are stressed out to an environment that is friendly to them, as long as it is sure that the species will thrive under the new climate. This serves as the fundamental basis for supporting the thesis that; we ought to engage in Assisted Migration, since the survival and safeguarding against the extinction of endangered species is paramount, which calls for the necessary measures to be adopted to ensure the survival of such organisms, notwithstanding the costs or the implication of this act on the organisms’ baseline (Assisted Migration, 76).

Reasonable criticism of the argument    

While the concept of Assisted Migration is vital to ensure the survival and continued thriving of endangered species, while guarding them against extinction, it is detrimental and disruptive to the natural species, since it amounts to the creation of invasive species (Assisted Migration, 78). Thus, any attempt to move organisms from their natural habitat to a different one, even though it would enhance the survival of such species, will violate the integrity of the coevolved ecosystem. In addition to the negative implications of the violated integrity of the ecosystem and the distress that would be caused to such species while being migrated to a different environment, the practicality of the whole concept of Assisted Migration is questionable. This is because; there are so many endangered species in the world, which may not be practically immigrated to other favorable regions (Assisted Migration, 82).        

Response to the criticism

While the criticism is more doubtful on the practicality of the concept of Assisted Migration, it is eminent that the current changes in the climate conditions threaten to cause the extinction of certain endangered species (Assisted Migration, 79). Additionally, while the violation of the integrity of the coevolved ecosystem is adverse to environmental sustainability, the negative implication of violating this integrity is not as harmful, as the allowed extinction of some endangered species. Therefore, it would be more beneficial to the world to apply the concept of Assisted Migration, since it would salvage the endangered species, which will otherwise perish.