Climate change and biodiversity loss are connected: Key takeaways from NEXUS report

Sub: Env

Sec: Int convention

Context:

A first-of-its-kind IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) Nexus report emphasizes the interconnectedness of five major challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, water scarcity, and health risks. Addressing these challenges in isolation is not only ineffective but also counterproductive.

Key Findings of the Nexus Report:

Interlinkages of Crises:
- Economic activities harm biodiversity, climate, food production, water, and health, with unaccounted costs of $10–25 trillion annually.
- Actions addressing one challenge may negatively impact others (e.g., scaling food production can stress water, land, and biodiversity).
Synergistic Solutions:
- Over 70 response options were identified with positive outcomes across multiple elements.
- Examples:
  - Restoration of carbon-rich ecosystems (forests, soils, mangroves).
  - Nature-based solutions for sustainability.
  - Sustainable diets and managing biodiversity to reduce disease risks.
- Emphasis on sustainable production and consumption, ecosystem conservation, pollution reduction, and climate mitigation.
Economic Impacts of Biodiversity Decline:
- Over 50% of global GDP (~$58 trillion annually) depends on nature.
- Biodiversity loss (2–6% per decade) directly reduces productivity.
- Trillions of dollars in incentives still support biodiversity-harming activities.

Transformative Change Report: A Call for a Paradigm Shift:

Simultaneously, IPBES released the Transformative Change Report, proposing a new ecological approach based on:
- Equity and Justice
- Pluralism and Inclusion
- Respectful Human-Nature Relationships
- Adaptive Learning and Action

Urgency of Action:

Delaying action will double costs in a decade.
Immediate action could generate:
- $10 trillion in business opportunities.
- 400 million jobs by 2030 through nature-positive economic models.

What is IPBES?

IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) is the equivalent of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for biodiversity and ecosystems.
While the IPCC focuses on climate change, IPBES periodically evaluates existing scientific knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystems to make comprehensive assessments but does not produce new research.

Key Facts about IPBES:

Established in 2012, it informs major environmental agreements, such as:
- UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Convention on Combating Desertification (CCD)
- Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
Its first report in 2019 revealed that:
- 1 million species are at risk of extinction due to human-driven ecosystem changes.
- 75% of Earth’s land and 66% of marine environments have been significantly altered.
- Over 85% of wetlands have been lost.
This report shaped the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), which aims to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 through:
- 30×30 Goals: Protecting 30% of land, freshwater, and oceans and restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems.

Source: IE