IPBES Nexus Report: Integrated solutions to address interconnected global crises

The Assessment Report on the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health emphasizes that environmental, social, and economic crises are deeply interconnected. It offers over 60 specific response options to address these interconnections and maximize co-benefits across five key areas: biodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change.

“Continuing on the current path without addressing the interconnectedness of biodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change will damage both the environment and our well-being,” says PIK scientist Alexander Popp, one of the lead authors of the report's chapter on "Future Interactions Across the Nexus." "Only by fostering synergies across these critical areas can we meet the global policy goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Convention to Combat Desertification."

The report is the result of three years of work by 165 leading international experts from 57 countries and was approved by 147 governments on December 16. The report's authors emphasize the need for an integrated approach to tackle the complex and interconnected crises we face. They warn that scenarios focused solely on optimizing objectives for one element often lead to negative outcomes for other parts of the nexus. PIK has recently contributed to reports on all three Rio conventions — UNFCCC, CBD and UNCCD — highlighting the importance of coordinated action across these frameworks.

IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body comprising almost 150 member governments, established in 2012. It provides policymakers with objective scientific assessments about the state of knowledge regarding the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems and the contributions they make to people, as well as the tools and methods to protect and sustainably use these vital natural assets.