Climate – proofing Biodiversity
By Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, ECOTRUST / African CSOs Biodiversity Alliance
The post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework needs to have a crystal-clear target that will minimize the effects of climate change on biodiversity. Climate change is among the top drivers of biodiversity loss and current levels of global warming are already affecting species and ecosystems, particularly the most vulnerable ecosystems such as coral reefs, mountains and polar ecosystems (IPBES 2019). While affected by climate change, some ecosystems such as forests, peatlands and wetlands rank highly in storing carbon. Biodiversity is therefore both a victim and a solution to climate change.
Target 8 text under the 1st draft of the GBF in its current form does very little to protect biodiversity from the adverse impacts of climate change. The reference to nature-based solutions in particular shifts the focus towards biodiversity as providing “solutions” to climate change mitigation and adaptation as opposed to enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
If not well addressed, climate change could undermine efforts for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Without a clear and strong target safeguarding biodiversity from climate change in the post 2020 GBF, the rest of the strategies risk becoming obsolete in the light of a changing climate. Furthermore, it is necessary to ensure that all climate change related interventions (irrespective of what they are called) do not harm biodiversity in the long term.
References:
IPBES (2019) Models of drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem change
https://ipbes.net/models-drivers-biodiversity-ecosystem-change
The opinions,commentaries, and articles printed in ECO are the sole opinion of the individual authors or organizations, unless otherwise expressed.