Climate change is expected to significantly increase extinction risks, with current policies potentially threatening up to 1 in 6 species. A meta-analysis of 131 studies found that 7.9% of species are at risk of extinction due to climate change, with uncertainty primarily driven by future temperature increases, extinction thresholds, and dispersal assumptions. Extinction risks are highest in South America, Australia, and New Zealand, where species face no-analog climates and have small ranges. Endemic species and certain taxonomic groups, such as amphibians and reptiles, are particularly vulnerable. The study highlights that extinction risks increase with global temperatures, with risks rising from 2.8% at present to 16% under a business-as-usual scenario. Dispersal limitations and unrealistic assumptions about extinction debt further exacerbate risks. Modeling techniques also influence predictions, with species-area relationships and expert opinion contributing to higher risks. The study emphasizes the need for more realistic dispersal assumptions and incorporation of biological mechanisms like evolution and species interactions to improve predictions. While extinction risks are likely smaller than the total number of species affected, climate change is already altering species distributions and interactions. The findings underscore the urgency of limiting climate change to prevent accelerated global extinctions. The study calls for a focus on less studied regions and more accurate models to better predict the number and timing of future extinctions.Climate change is expected to significantly increase extinction risks, with current policies potentially threatening up to 1 in 6 species. A meta-analysis of 131 studies found that 7.9% of species are at risk of extinction due to climate change, with uncertainty primarily driven by future temperature increases, extinction thresholds, and dispersal assumptions. Extinction risks are highest in South America, Australia, and New Zealand, where species face no-analog climates and have small ranges. Endemic species and certain taxonomic groups, such as amphibians and reptiles, are particularly vulnerable. The study highlights that extinction risks increase with global temperatures, with risks rising from 2.8% at present to 16% under a business-as-usual scenario. Dispersal limitations and unrealistic assumptions about extinction debt further exacerbate risks. Modeling techniques also influence predictions, with species-area relationships and expert opinion contributing to higher risks. The study emphasizes the need for more realistic dispersal assumptions and incorporation of biological mechanisms like evolution and species interactions to improve predictions. While extinction risks are likely smaller than the total number of species affected, climate change is already altering species distributions and interactions. The findings underscore the urgency of limiting climate change to prevent accelerated global extinctions. The study calls for a focus on less studied regions and more accurate models to better predict the number and timing of future extinctions.