According to a new study, increasing greenhouse gases could cause extinction of certain species. The effect could be so bad that it could lead to extinction of one species out of six. Different models were produced by scientists in order to estimate the rate of extinction together with the present rate of global warming.

According to study author Mark Urban, an ecology and evolutionary biology researcher at the University of Connecticut, it is necessary to adopt required strategies as soon as possible; these strategies should help limit further climate change so as to avoid an acceleration of global extinction.

According to the study, a two degrees increase could threaten 5.2% of species, whereas a three degrees rise could lead to risk for 8.5% of all species.

According to the study, if present business-as-usual trajectory, leading to a 4.3 degree Celsius rise, is followed then climate change could be risky for one in six species. According to Urban, "Extinction risks were highest in South America, Australia and New Zealand, and risks did not vary by taxonomic group".

The results of this study suggest that the risk of extinction will accelerate with rising global temperatures to threaten up to 16% of animal species. The study has been published Thursday in the journal Science.

Approximately 23% of species in South America could face extinction, whereas in New Zealand and Australia roughly 14% could be threatened.

He added that it is important to implement conservation strategies in an attempt to protect the most endangered species.

Urban said that it is not clear whether present scenario could be called a mass extinction event, but species are approaching that direction only.