This is the main conclusion of a new report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), with the participation of the ICM-CSIC.
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has published a new report, known as the Nexus Assessment, presenting to decision-makers the urgent need for a more ambitious and complex management of sectors’ interactions and specific response options. The goal is to maximise the co-benefits of management across five interrelated elements: biodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change. The document highlights that the current management measures to tackle these challenges fail to address the complexity of interrelated issues, leading to inconsistencies in governance.
The report, with the participation of the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), emphasises the importance of achieving a broader and more integrated vision of the management of the various crises, as the data clearly show that isolated approaches are ineffective and can lead to negative consequences.
In this regard, the report highlights how biodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change are interconnected, needing an integrated and adaptive decision-making to maximise the co-benefits among the different elements and minimise negative interactions. A prime example is the management of marine protected areas, which includes local communities in the decision-making process, resulting in increased biodiversity, greater food availability for the population, and improved socio-economic aspects for local communities.
Furthermore, the report reveals that biodiversity loss, driven by factors such as land-use change, unsustainable exploitation, and excessive resource consumption, has direct and negative repercussions on food security, water availability, health, and climate resilience. It also quantifies the economic costs of management inaction at tens of trillions of US dollars annually.
Special attention to the ocean
Marine and freshwater ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to human impacts, including pollution and sedimentation. These factors have led to widespread degradation, with severe consequences for biodiversity and the services these ecosystems provide, such as food, coastal protection, and climate regulation.
The report highlights that marine biodiversity has been declining at a rate of 2-6% per decade over the past 30-50 years. This loss affects essential services such as fisheries. It also points out that nearly one billion people directly depend on coral reefs for food, protection, and other livelihoods.
Marine ecosystems not only support biodiversity but also act as carbon sinks, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. For example, more than 50% of oceanic carbon sequestration is attributed to coastal ecosystems. The restoration of these ecosystems, such as seagrass meadows and coral reefs, can significantly contribute to the fight against climate change.
Climate change is causing irreversible losses, such as the disappearance of coral reefs, and affecting vital fisheries that prevent malnutrition and other global health issues. At the same time, illegal natural resource extraction activities result in economic losses of up to 300 billion US dollars annually.
To reverse this situation, the report proposes key interlinked actions, such as improving the integrated management of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, reducing plastic pollution at its source, and implementing sustainable practices in fisheries and aquaculture. Additionally, it promotes a transition towards healthy and sustainable diets with a more equitable food distribution.
Ultimately, the new IPBES report, which will soon be available at this link, proposes a paradigm shift in decision-making, moving from isolated and sectoral approaches to integrated strategies, providing a roadmap with concrete steps. This strategic framework includes understanding the interconnections between these factors and establishing mechanisms for implementing, monitoring, and continuously adjusting strategies.