The Australian government officially confirmed that the Bramble Cay melomys had gone extinct in 2019. This small rodent lived on a low-lying island in the Great Barrier Reef and was the first mammal to disappear due to human-induced sea level rise.
Under a 3-degree scenario, 15% to 48% of assessed species could be at very high risk of extinction according to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. A 2024 review paper suggests that 13.9% to 27.6% of all species might go extinct by 2070 under moderate emission scenarios while high-emission pathways could lead to 22.7% to 31.6% extinctions by the same date.
Salamanders are particularly vulnerable with salamanders being more than twice as threatened as other amphibian groups. At 2 degrees Celsius of warming, 11% of amphibians and 24% of salamanders face very high extinction risks.
Sea levels rise by 3.96 centimeters per year in southeast Alaska contaminating streams and rivers with saltwater. This process stops sockeye salmon from reproducing in spring since spawning requires fresh water.
Madagascar is projected to lose 60% of its species under 2 degrees Celsius of warming. The Fynbos region in South Africa's Western Cape will lose one-third of its species while Miombo Woodlands could lose 86% of birds and 90% of amphibians.