Pastoralism occupies 30% of the Earth land area, supports 50% of global livestock and contributes to livelihoods of 2 billion people. Global pastoral systems typically exist on marginal lands characterized by resource scarcity and variability. These conditions are likely to be exacerbated by warmer temperatures and altered precipitation regimes associated with future climates. This session emphasizes the potential impacts of climate change and asks whether they may contribute to the end of global pastoralism in the 21st century. The session specifically focuses on the unique impacts of climate change, vulnerability of social and ecological components, adaptation strategies, and resilience of pastoral systems. The session will begin with one talk addressing climate change as the 'breaking point' for the pastoral lifestyle, a second talk addressing fundamental plant resource responses to climate change, and a third talk addressing how previous pastoral activities have impacted current and future sustainability. Subsequent talks will address direct and indirect consequences of climate change on range and pasture systems worldwide, and strategies that are being employed to adapt to climate change. The goal of the session is to synthesize knowledge of global pastoral systems facing climate change by evaluating commonalities and differences to draw conclusions regarding potential management and policy options to sustain pastoral systems. The target audience at ESA includes basic and applied ecologists that work in grassland, rangeland, and other managed systems; ecologists interested in plant-animal interactions and herbivory; and scientists that explicitly address the human role in ecological systems.