Time to integrate global climate change and biodiversity science-policy agendas

This event discussed the current set of political and scientific propositions for jointly addressing the threats posed by the climate and biodiversity crises and highlighted options with the greatest potential for delivering biodiversity gains.

It then identified research priorities that must be addressed to improve the effectiveness of such options, and considered potential systemic barriers to progress environmental efforts that fully integrate the climate and biodiversity agendas.

The anthropogenically driven climate crisis is one of the greatest existential threats to global human health and welfare, exacerbating global biodiversity declines.

Biodiversity loss driven by climate change, but also by habitat loss and degradation, invasive species and pollution, is in turn deepening the impact and effects of the climate crises. Given these linkages, there is increasing recognition of the need for a more integrated approach to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are defined as actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges while simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Examples of NbS include the setting up of protected areas, as well as restoration and rewilding projects. 

NbS could be a game changer to jointly address the climate change and biodiversity crisis. The question of how to design and implement solutions that fall under a combined approach is likely to be at the centre of global environmental discussions during meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP) for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

Speakers

• Professor Nathalie Seddon, University of Oxford: "Promise and pitfalls of nature-based solutions"

• Professor Jos Barlow, Lancaster University: "Nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation: An Amazonian perspective"

• Matthew Lowton, Zoological Society of London: "Reforming the current institutional set-up to secure a more sustainable future"

• Professor William Sutherland CBE, University of Cambridge: "What should an improved world look like?"