Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change: A Growing Crisis, Says IPBES Report

New Delhi : The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has warned that biodiversity loss and climate change are intertwined and have compounding effects that pose a serious threat to human health and well-being. According to a report released by IPBES on Tuesday, biodiversity is rapidly declining at an alarming rate of 2-6% per decade, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and society.

The IPBES, an intergovernmental organization dedicated to addressing biodiversity issues, highlights that these environmental crises are driven by common socioeconomic trends, including GDP growth, overconsumption, waste production, and unsustainable land and sea use. These trends contribute to pollution, invasive species, and overexploitation of natural resources, which cannot be addressed in isolation, the report emphasizes.

The report, titled "Nexus Assessment," also presents a set of 71 policy response options aimed at mitigating the damage caused by these interlinked challenges. These responses have been grouped into 10 broad categories, including:

1. Conserving or halting the conversion of ecosystems with high ecological integrity.
2. Restoring natural and semi-natural ecosystems.
3. Managing ecosystems in human-exploited lands and waters.
4. Promoting sustainable consumption.
5. Reducing pollution and waste.
6. Integrating planning and governance.
7. Managing risks.
8. Ensuring rights and equity.
9. Aligning financing.
10. A general "others" category for additional actions.

Biodiversity, which is vital to our survival, is being lost at an unprecedented pace, threatening the balance of ecosystems that support life on Earth. Effective conservation measures, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable agricultural practices are crucial to slowing the ongoing decline, the report stresses.

The IPBES report also emphasizes the importance of integrated approaches to address climate change and biodiversity loss. Scenarios that incorporate nature-oriented solutions, such as ecosystem restoration and sustainable diets, are more likely to achieve global climate goals than focusing solely on emission reductions. The report argues that climate change policies will be more effective when they minimize trade-offs, such as avoiding conflicts between land-use policies aimed at mitigating climate change (like tree planting) and those necessary for food production.

The urgent message from the IPBES is clear: tackling climate change and halting biodiversity loss must go hand in hand to secure a sustainable and healthy future for all. Governments and policymakers are urged to take immediate and comprehensive action to address these intertwined crises.