The biodiversity nexus: biodiversity

The future of the Earth’s biodiversity is in crisis. Over the past five decades, biodiversity has been declining at an unprecedented rate. The IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services highlights that around twenty-five percent of species in animal and plant groups are threatened, and one million species currently face extinction. Land use change, especially due to agricultural expansion, is the greatest driver of biodiversity loss globally, followed by overexploitation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change.

Biodiversity is the cornerstone of life on the planet

Biodiversity and ecosystem services are the cornerstone for numerous critical aspects of human existence. For example, natural ecosystems perform vital functions, including pollination and maintaining soil fertility, which are critical to global food security and nutrition. Biodiversity is also the foundation of various dimensions of human health. It contributes to the regulation of air quality, provides nutritious foods, and supports physical and mental well-being. Moreover, ecosystems-based processes regulate the accessibility of clean drinking water and the water supply for agriculture and industry. Carbon-rich ecosystems like forests and wetlands also play an indispensable role in climate mitigation through carbon sequestration and storage. Biodiversity can also be harnessed to reduce climate change-related risks, as demonstrated in the UNEP’s Making Peace with Nature Report.

Biodiversity needs to be protected, restored, and sustainably used

There is an urgent need to conserve biodiversity, restore critical ecosystems, and promote the sustainable use of nature and its benefits. In December 2022, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework via decision 15/4. The framework sets out ambitious plans to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 while ensuring people’s needs are met through sustainable use and benefit sharing. The implementation of the framework will be supported and guided by a comprehensive package of associated decisions also adopted at COP15, which include a monitoring framework (decision 15/5) and an enhanced multidimensional approach to planning, monitoring, reporting, and review (decision 15/6).

The biodiversity nexus approach

While aspects of the way we currently manage the health, food, climate, water, transport, and energy sectors can contribute to biodiversity loss, the long-term sustainability of these sectors hinges on biodiversity and the ecosystem services it supports. Using a nexus approach enables the analysis of interlinkages and interdependencies between these sectors to better understand potential synergies and trade-offs. This approach can help inform policy and decision-making to ensure that people can continue enjoying the benefits of nature while also allowing nature to thrive.