Highlights and images for 17 December 2024

The embargo was lifted on the much-anticipated thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food, and health (Nexus Assessment) of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a key outcome of the 11th plenary session of IPBES just concluded in Windhoek, Namibia.

Moderated by Rob Spaull, IPBES Head of Communications, the media launch brought together IPBES Executive Secretary Anne Larigauderie, IPBES Chair David Obura, and the assessment Co-Chairs Pamela McElwee (US) and Paula Harrison (UK) to present the Assessment’s key messages and discuss its merit and significance.

Executive Secretary Larigauderie outlined the main outcomes of IPBES 11 before focusing on the Nexus Assessment. She explained that the report looks at options to simultaneously reach our development goals related to food, water, health, biodiversity, and climate/energy, addressing the most urgent and critical questions that the world faces. She stressed that these complex interlinkages are not well understood and are often addressed separately, leading to a problematic silo approach.

Co-Chair Harrison outlined the production process and highlighted key messages from the Nexus Assessment. On past and current trends in nexus elements and their interactions, she stressed that: biodiversity is essential for water, food, health, and climate, yet is declining in all regions; and current societal, economic, and policy decisions prioritize limited and short-term benefits while ignoring their negative impacts on the nexus elements.

Regarding future nexus interactions, she underscored that continuation of current trends in direct and indirect drivers will result in substantial negative outcomes for biodiversity, water, food, and health, while exacerbating climate change. She further emphasized that positive outcomes for people and nature are feasible and include integrated and timely adoption of multiple response options, adding those that positively impact the nexus elements have more beneficial outcomes for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Focusing on response options that address nexus interactions, Co-Chair McElwee noted that many response options are available, with the Nexus Assessment identifying 70, and may benefit multiple nexus elements when implemented at appropriate scales and accounting for context, given that they are often case-specific. She added that these response options can support the achievement of the SDGs, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Goals, and the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals for mitigation and adaptation.

Regarding governing the nexus for achieving just and sustainable futures, she emphasized the Assessment calls for integrative, inclusive, equitable, accountable, coordinated, and adaptive approaches to governance. She highlighted that the transformation of economic and financial systems can facilitate greater investment across the nexus, enhance financial stability and equity, and deliver sustainable development outcomes. She concluded by emphasizing that the Nexus Assessment provides decisionmakers, policymakers, and stakeholders with the best available evidence on the interlinkages of the nexus elements, and gives guidance on how economic, financing, and governance systems can evolve toward holistic and integrated approaches.

Chair Obura expressed his pride in being the first African IPBES Chair in the first IPBES meeting in Africa. He underscored that the nexus assessment is critically important, dealing with many tangible challenges around the world. He stressed the importance of IPBES’ work to bridge science and policy, emphasizing that the real work starts now, spreading the word in national platforms and strengthening them to link with national, subnational, and local governments, and concluding that “it is all about solutions.”

In the ensuing discussion, questions included: whether the report provided a dimension for national-level implementation and what mechanisms would ensure uptake of the recommendations at the national level; how land rights and traditional rightsholders were taken into account and involved in the process; and the transformation needed in the economic and financial systems to ensure investments across the nexus. Further questions were raised regarding the links between the Nexus Assessment and the Transformative Change Assessment; the need for better alignment between the Rio Conventions; which response measures would have the most positive effects; and how realistic it would be to achieve development goals such as the SDGs and the GBF Goals by 2030.