High-Level Thematic Ministerial Dialogue “Synergies Between Biodiversity and Climate Change: From science to action”

Both the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have increasingly emphasized the need to tackle both crises together, breaking down the barriers between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The 2020 Joint IPBES-IPCC Workshop highlighted that transformative governance of socio-ecological systems can lead to development pathways resilient to both climate change and biodiversity loss.

Speaking on behalf of the COP 16 Presidency, Ana Maria Hernandez, former IPBES Chair, opened the meeting by stating that addressing the interlinkages between climate and biodiversity is “an urgent call for all of humankind, for our own survival.”

Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary, CBD, underscored the saliency of the climate-biodiversity nexus theme, and that the Paris Agreement and the GBF are beacons that must guide global action. She said they go hand in hand at both the global and national levels and urged countries to recognize the synergies that exist between climate and biodiversity when revising their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). She stressed that scientific advice should not be addressed in silos. Schomaker noted the UN Environment Programme 2024 Global Resources Outlook, which highlights the need for immediate action toward sustainable resource consumption and production. She emphasized that a move towards sustainable circular economies is essential for tackling both climate change and biodiversity loss.

Moderator Razan Al Mubarak, President, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), noted increased recognition of the need for synergies, including in the GBF, UNFCCC COP 28’s Joint Statement on Climate, Nature, and People, calling for alignment between NDCs and NBSAPs, the Rio Trio Initiative, and now at the CBD COP 16, where she urged Parties to take the synergies message home. Al Mubarak said we should keep our feet firmly grounded in science, with “our hearts feeling the pulse” and the urgency of those on the front lines facing the brunt of biodiversity loss and climate change, and ”our brains knowing we need to get it right for our children.”

David Obura, IPBES Chair, highlighted the accelerating increase in temperature, and associated devastating effects on biodiversity. He stressed that integrated approaches, such as nature and ecosystem-based solutions, are necessary to avoid exacerbating challenges, curb biodiversity loss, mitigate climate change, and meet the basic needs of people. He advocated for the use of precautionary measures in light of current uncertainties, noting that delayed action increases long-term costs and limits options.

Ramón Pichs-Madruga, IPCC Vice-Chair, stressed that the interconnections between climate change and biodiversity loss have reached unprecedented levels, impacting all aspects of life. He highlighted the importance of science-based decisions and the roles of the IPCC and IPBES in this regard, while underscoring the need for equity and inclusive decision making. He said recognizing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) is essential for effective action. Pichs-Madruga concluded that without urgent and equitable measures, climate change threatens biodiversity, health, justice, governance, and the well-being of future generations.

Carlos Nobre, Science Panel for the Amazon Co-Chair, warned that the Amazon forest is nearing its tipping point and has become a carbon source. He noted that all Amazonian countries have taken important steps to fight deforestation, but that human-made fires have caused unprecedented destruction. He advocated for: a large-scale forest restoration project to reduce CO2 emissions and protect biodiversity; the scaling up of a bioeconomy of standing forests; and respect for, recognition of, and learning from IPLCs, who have always kept the forest intact. Nobre urged Parties to save the Amazon and its people, emphasizing that it is their version of the Amazon that we need.

María Susana Muhamad González, COP 16 President, noted the increased acknowledgments of synergies between climate and biodiversity, but lamented that, during negotiations, Parties have not been advancing on the topic. She said climate change and biodiversity loss are “two sides of the same coin” but that Parties often treat them as “two different coins.” Recognizing the devastating impacts of climate change on biodiversity, she emphasized the role that conserving nature can play in mitigating climate impacts. She said the GBF is a mitigation and adaptation strategy for climate change that protects nature and urged Parties to engage in meaningful dialogue to address these synergies.

Several Parties shared experiences with integrated policy measures with many emphasizing marine conservation and protected areas. They highlighted the Ocean as a carbon sink that enhances resilience to climate change, while also stressing the importance of ecosystems like coral reefs and mangroves for storm mitigation and for coastal communities and economies.

Several Parties and observers emphasized the need for a radical transformation of economic models to support climate and biodiversity agendas, including nature-based solutions, circular economies, and payment for ecosystem services. Others noted that financial incentives alone are often insufficient and can be counterproductive.

Some speakers acknowledged the need for legislation to enable private sector investment in nature and climate, highlighting initiatives like the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures and the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

Several stressed the importance of supporting IPLCs, including Afro-descendants, to ensure their effective participation in decision-making and fair recognition of benefits arriving from resource use, including digital sequence information. One observer noted that “going back to our origins is the most effective solution.”

References to a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach were common, as was the role of cooperation across all levels of government. Many noted the clear need for knowledge sharing, data access, capacity building, technology transfer, and financial support. Many Parties emphasized the need to turn science into action and called for integrating various knowledge systems and human-rights approaches in decision-making. One observer highlighted the importance of social science research for a just transition.

Muhamad concluded the discussions by summarizing the main takeaways, and on a positive note, highlighting that the dialogue left Parties with “a sense of possibility.”

Organizer: COP 16 Presidency
Financial support: German Cooperation
Contacts: prensa@minambiente.gov.co
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