Statement of purpose: Emphasizing the importance of considering biodiversity when dealing with climate change.

Paper description: Land use is both a contributor to and a victim of climate change. Biodiversity is important for handling both problems. Biodiversity is also threatened by both the effects of climate change, and some of the suggested solutions.

Sustainable land use can decrease emission of greenhouse gases and increase carbon storage e.g. by limiting its use of fossil fuels and fertilizers, changing soil treatment, use more perennial plants, and planting more trees. This requires access to well adapted species and varieties.

To find new biofuels that do not compete with food production we need a variety of species and varieties to choose from and breed from.

Biodiversity is also important for limiting the negative impacts and taking advantage of the new opportunities presented by climate change. Biodiversity is necessary for finding and breeding new species and varieties adapted to the new climate.

Because of the increasing uncertainties, and the more extreme and more frequent variations in the weather, it is important for the individual farmer or forest owner to spread the risks by growing a wider variety of plants and trees.

Unfortunately, some climate change mitigation and adaptation compete with biodiversity preservation in the short run.

Conclusions: Considering the importance of biodiversity for both mitigation and adaptation, it is important not to fall victim of the temptation of dealing with climate change in ways that threaten biodiversity.