iDiv researchers' messages to the UN Biodiversity Conference CBD COP 15

»Global Biodiversity framework was approved by CBD COP15. Extraordinary achievement of the global policy and scientific community. Now the hard work starts: implementing those targets and goals.

The text retains much of the original ambition, particularly the parts that I felt were more solid and important. I am particularly glad to see that the ambition for “all areas”  under integrated spatial planning remained in Target 1. And that reducing species extinction by tenfold by 2050 stays at the core of goal A.

Ambitious restoration (Target 2), protected area (Target 3) and endangered species (Target 4) targets. And ambitious Target 10 on agriculture that still recognises the need for sustainable intensification in some areas.

Particularly glad to see monitoring mentioned in several targets, particularly Target 20 and 21. This is a huge win for the multi-year efforts of GEOBON to raise the importance of biodiversity monitoring.

»Living in harmony with nature needs different values of nature. COP15: please make sociodiversity a key element of Transformative Governance of Biodiversity.

Biodiversity needs respect for #sociodiversity: as the ipbes values assessment shows good biodiversity governance requires a broad set values of nature including non-monetary and non-western perspectives.

»Some invasive plant species pose a threat not only to native species but also to human health. Strategies to curb their spread should be part of a forward-looking health policy.

COP15 addresses invasive species as a major threat to biodiversity. Several invasive plant species that pose a serious threat to native species, can also be harmful to human health.

An interdisciplinary team of researchers studied the allergenic potential of Ailanthus altissima, better known as “tree of heaven”, one of the world's most invasive species, spreading across six continents. Originally introduced as an ornamental tree, the allergenic potential is assessed to be very high, and it can be expected that the species will continue to spread rapidly.

»We created the new software enerscape that helps predict movement behaviour of wild animals, with benefits for nature conservation rewilding measures.

COP15 negotiates the “30by30” goal, to place 30% of the total land and sea surface under nature conservation by 2030. The new software enerscape can facilitate identifying new protected areas even with very little information.

Enerscape provides a cost-effective tool to predict the movement of terrestrial animals virtually everywhere. This can help understand the movement of wild animals, as well as plan landscape corridors and optimise current networks of nature reserves.

»Reversing biodiversity loss in tropical forests urgently requires addressing poorly defined land-tenure as a key driver.

Land resources are at the core of several CBD post2020 targets as they aim for land planning where ecosystems are prioritized, and 30% of intact landscapes are protected 

In Brazil, lands that are neither titled nor designated to any use account for almost one hundred million hectares - an area larger than Tanzania.

»Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals requires understanding the complexity of the natural world. @COP15: Promote and invest in fundamental biodiversity research!

COP15 will discuss sustainable development goals - a set of interlinked objectives seeking to promote conservation and human development in tandem.

Many usual approaches are unsuccessful and expensive. But sometimes, hidden in the evolutionary history of species, nature can inspire us to find surprising solutions. Here comes an example:

»The fingerprint of climate change on biodiversity is already visible. We need to act now to protect the services our ecosystems provide!

#climatechange is an increasingly important driver of #biodiversity change. This aspect will be part of the discussions at COP15. Typical fingerprints of climate change are visible already today: the shift of life-cycle events such as leaf-out dates, first flowering or fruit set.

These changes have important consequences for us, e.g. in terms of fruit security, considering the impact of late-frost events on fruit tree blossom. In PhenObs we could show that phenological changes cannot only be observed in trees.

»Economic studies show: ecosystems save us enormous costs, e.g., in climate protection. Conserving nature is economically prudent.

COP15 will negotiate a lot of money to be spent on nature conservation. Yet, many economic studies show: ecosystems save us enormous costs.

For instance, coastal ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, salt marshes and mangrove forests store carbon and, thus, make an important contribution to mitigating climate change.

»Ecological studies show: nutrient pollution increases the loss of plant species, changes aboveground plant biomass dynamics, and ecosystems’ functioning.

COP 15 will negotiate how to reduce nutrient input into the environment by half, and how to use ecosystem-based approaches to contribute to mitigation and adaptation to climate change (2030 action target 7).

If plant species are lost, and biomass dynamics change, this affects the collective activities of all life that depend on plant biomass directly, and indirectly. This limits our ability to use existing ecosystem-based approaches to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

»COP15 will hopefully set ambitious but also achievable goals towards tracking the status of invasive alien species and their management.

Action target 6 of the #post2020 GBF suggests managing #invasive alien species (IAS) to reduce their introduction and establishment by at least 50%, and to eliminate or reduce their impacts, focusing on priority species and priority sites.

In most countries of the world, we lack sufficient knowledge to report on the suggested #post2020 global #biodiversity targets, e.g. regarding the rate of introduction, distribution and impacts of IAS.

»Research shows: protecting Malaysian primates and their natural habitat benefits biodiversity but also agricultural yields.

The CBD’s long-term goal of protecting wildlife can be combined with another goal such as sustainable agriculture. E.g. in oil palm plantations, macaques, considered a pest eating the harvest, actually can diminish a more severe pest: Rats!

Yet, actively hunting for plantation rats, pig-tailed macaques offer an important ecosystem service for anthropogenic landscape matrices. Regular visits to oil palm plantations by macaques can reduce rat numbers by >75%. https://www.idiv.de/en/news/archive-2019/news-2019-single-view/4158.html

»Action Target 8 of the expected Global Biodiversity Framework of the CBD aims to minimise the impact of climate change on biodiversity, but: biodiversity is not only a victim of climate change but also a cure against it.

Across many plant and animal species worldwide, the cold-adapted show a retraction of their ranges – likely an early warning of their imminent extinction induced by global warming. Forest damage induced by extreme droughts and heat waves has become a global phenomenon, also in Germany.

»For plants trends in biodiversity change are similar to trends in income and property distribution among people: gains are concentrated on a few species, losses are distributed across many.

#COP15 will pay particular attention to the implementation of national biodiversity monitoring and observation networks. Here, it is crucial to integrate monitoring data currently collected by universities, NGOs, natural history societies or individual experts for particular species groups.

For instance, we recently showed for time series of vegetation plot records how these data can be mobilised and analysed together with data owners and analysts. https://www.idiv.de/en/news/news_single_view/4632.html 

»Avoid repeating old mistakes. In the future, global goals for biodiversity must apply to all member states of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), also at national level!

COP 15 will introduce a new set of goals and targets for biodiversity by 2030. Overall, they should place us on a trajectory to live in harmony with nature by 2050, effectively “bending back the curve” of biodiversity loss.

»Biodiversity is important for health and quality of life. We could show that the density of street trees around the home correlates with a reduced risk of prescribing antidepressants.

COP15 will set ambitious targets for nature conservation. As many studies show: biodiversity makes happy! Biodiversity is the foundation for our #health and quality of life. For instance, Biodiversity crucially contributes to human health by providing us with medicines, food, as well as climate, air and water regulation. Biodiversity also contributes to our mental health.

»The species found in local assemblages are changing. Understanding where, how and why is vital for effective conservation.

While numbers of species are on average remaining relatively constant, the species found in local assemblages are undergoing widespread changes. These changes in composition can impact ecosystem services significantly. 

COP 15 will negotiate multiple measures to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people. To effectively protect biodiversity, we need to understand where, how and why compositional changes are occurring. https://www.idiv.de/en/news/news_single_view/4151.html

»COP15 will set new global ambition for biodiversity. But ambition is nothing without action. Everyone has to contribute.

Here’s how it could work:  We need action not only from conservationists but also from bankers, business owners, farmers, indigenous people, NGOs, etc. 

To get them on board, we need to identify which issues are closest to their hearts and where they can make the biggest change.

Biodiversity science has made huge progress in the past decade. We now better understand how biodiversity is created and maintained and what threatens it. https://www.idiv.de/en/news/news_single_view/3375.html

This knowledge about biodiversity helps us find ways to protect it.

»Biodiversity restoration must become central to COP15 targets. Yet, a coherent portfolio of restoration approaches will be needed. Research shows: rewilding, ecosystem services and cultural values can all coexist, with support of participatory scenarios.

CBD will negotiate global restoration targets including large-scale recovery of ecosystem integrity. Discussions include how to restore functional ecosystems while sustaining people’s well-being.

Restoration must include actions beyond protected areas e.g., in forests, agroecosystems and urban environments. There is ample space, but policy should adjust approaches to the different social-ecological opportunities.