A new scientific consensus released at the June 2026 Climate Meetings in Bonn argues that wild animals play a meaningful role in climate regulation. Sharks, tigers, elephants, and even muskoxen influence carbon storage by shaping ecosystems through predation, seed dispersal, and soil compaction. The consensus calls for integrating wildlife conservation into UNFCCC climate policy, noting that protecting species can also protect carbon sinks like seagrass meadows and forests. African leaders have already backed a Wildlife for Climate Action Declaration ahead of COP 31. The article explains why policymakers should treat biodiversity loss and climate change as linked crises, not separate ones. For carbon market professionals, this opens a new angle for nature-based credits tied to fauna rather than just flora.
