IPBES Nexus Report: Interlinking Climate, Biodiversity, and Human Well-being

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released the Nexus Report.

Key Highlights of the Report

• Biodiversity loss threatens food, water, health, and climate systems: Over the last 30-50 years, biodiversity has declined by an average of 2-6% each decade
• Trade-offs between food security and other nexus elements: Six nexus scenario archetypes are developed to assess how the five nexus elements – biodiversity, water, food, health and climate – will interact with each other.
• Restoring nature for climate mitigation and adaptation: Techniques like reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable land management provide co-benefits for biodiversity restoration and climate action. 
• Reforming global financial systems: The report highlights a $300 billion to $1 trillion annual funding gap for biodiversity.
  • Current economic systems fail to account for externalities of biodiversity loss, imposing unaccounted costs of $10-25 trillion annually. 

What are the recommendations?

• Economic opportunities: Transitioning to sustainable approaches can create over $10 trillion in economic opportunities and generate 400 million jobs by 2030.
• Harmonizing responses: Policies addressing food systems, climate action, and biodiversity conservation should maximize synergies and avoid trade-offs.
• Reforming financial systems: Incentivizing nature-positive investments is crucial to close biodiversity funding gaps and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Conclusion

• The IPBES Nexus Assessment highlights the need for integrated policymaking to address interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and food, water, and health security. 
• The report underscores the importance of restoring nature, transitioning to sustainable food systems, reforming economic structures, and bridging the biodiversity funding gap. 

Source: IE