Current plant diversity patterns can be to a large extent explained by the climatic conditions and other environmental features of an area. Upon this relationship, we modelled possible consequences of different climate change projections on species numbers for the year 2100. The capacity for species richness increases in temperate and arctic regions, but declines severely in tropical and subtropical regions. Countries least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions are likely to incur disproportionately large future species losses, whereas industrialised countries are facing moderate increases.

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