New biodiversity reports ‘a wake-up call’ for action
In its latest reports, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has highlighted the growing threats to biodiversity and the need to find a holistic solution to the problem.
With the release of the IPBES Nexus Assessment and Transformative Change Assessment reports, IIED principal researcher Dr Dilys Roe said:
“This should be a wake-up call for action on biodiversity loss. Business as usual is not going to cut it.
“These reports make clear the need to tackle these global crises collectively, rather than trying to address them separately. They also recognise the role different groups have in solving these problems and confirm the importance of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in particular.
“We know that one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss is unsustainable levels of consumption – particularly in the world’s richest countries. This 'loss and damage' to nature has consequences for everyone but particularly for local communities that themselves are dependent on the very commodities that are being over-consumed in the global North.
“Issues like these are not just environmental. They go to the heart of fairness and justice – that those who’ve done the least to cause the crisis are bearing the brunt of its fallout.
“Reforms are urgently needed at all levels, from the systemic changes needed to our global finance and food systems to the way we manage, protect and restore sites on the ground. Investing in Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ efforts is an essential building block to the broader transformational change we need to see, not least because they intrinsically recognise the interconnectedness of people and nature and their approaches based on long cultural tradition have been proven to be effective.
“There’s also a greater role for small-scale farmers, who are actively managing biodiversity and building climate resilience while also helping to feed the world.
“The overwhelming message of these reports is that so many of the world’s big challenges – climate change, biodiversity loss, food security and more – are interconnected. Continuing to address them in siloes – and in ways that ignore the contributions of local people – is a recipe for disaster."
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