To: Presidents, Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP29)
To: Parties to the CBD and the UNFCCC
Cc: Executive Secretaries of the CBD and the UNFCCC
Cc: UNFCCC Climate Champion
Cc: UN Environment Management Group
We, a group of climate scientists, ecologists, social scientists, law and governance scholars, environmental management professionals and others, are writing to ask you to urgently take action to bridge the implementation gaps between the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the Paris Agreement. We believe this could be done effectively by setting up a joint work programme between the CBD and the UNFCCC, and we ask you to consider initiating processes towards the creation of this much-needed joint policy framework.
We are acutely aware of the existential threat that humanity faces from climate change and the loss of biodiversity. As stated in the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)’s Global Assessment Report on biodiversity and ecosystem services, biodiversity is declining globally at unprecedented rates, eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide. At the same time, the overwhelming scientific consensus, recently expressed in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Sixth Assessment Report, is that nature and humanity are facing a climate emergency, with anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions altering climatic conditions, sea levels and the pH of surface ocean waters. Recent work estimates that we have now crossed at least seven of eight Earth-system boundaries—the safe operating spaces for humanity. Breaching these limits increases the risk of generating large-scale, abrupt or irreversible environmental changes.
As highlighted in the IPBES-IPCC Co-Sponsored Workshop Report on Biodiversity and Climate Change, the climate and nature crises are not happening in isolation—they are deeply connected. Changes in climate are negatively impacting biodiversity, while the loss of biodiversity is amplifying the breakdown of our climate, making us less able to adapt to it. Yet global strategies to halt these dual crises, such as the GBF and the Paris Agreement, are formulated separately within two international conventions. This is a barrier to simultaneously tackling the interweaved crises, as the current lack of coherent and comprehensive joint policy framework creates implementation gaps whereby (i) some problems are inadequately tackled by both plans, and (ii) solutions developed to tackle one crisis can inadvertently make the other worse.
The CBD and UNFCCC are pivotal platforms for guiding global actions to address the environmental breakdown we are facing. But they cannot continue to work separately. Both Conventions have recognized that their agreements are interdependent and have begun collaborating, and we were for example pleased to see recommendation 25.8 by the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice that suggested considering establishing a joint work programme to operationalize such integration at future COP meetings. However, no similar recommendation has been issued by the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies and the work remains dependent on voluntary actions.
High levels of integration between biodiversity and climate change agendas are essential to identify and address the risks associated with various climate and biodiversity solutions, and coordinate policies around the world that benefit climate, nature and people. A platform dedicated to advancing an environmental agenda that equally supports biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation is urgently needed. A joint work programme between the CBD and the UNFCCC, organised in a transparent and inclusive way, could:
– oversee the alignment of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans to achieve shared objectives;
– be a hub for developing and strengthening methods to monitor and review progress on the interdependent objectives of the GBF and the Paris Agreement;
– identify climate actions that are harmful to biodiversity and transform or quarantine/end them to ensure joint objectives of the Conventions are met;
– organize technical expert dialogues, including experts from different disciplines and holders of traditional knowledge;
– form a platform for visibility and recognition of efforts undertaken by countries, local governments, non-state actors, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities, to advance the programme priorities.
Such a joint work programme should be initiated and advanced with attention to processes and outcomes related to social, economic, community, global and intergenerational justice, while honouring the rights and contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities around the world. To be effective, it will need to develop a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) plan for addressing the financial, technical and capacity needs associated with the delivery of its work. Its outcomes could, among other things, inform national plans as well as the critical and fast-developing realm of voluntary actions on biodiversity and climate led by a diversity of actors across sectors on biodiversity and climate, by, for example, facilitating harmonization of the CBD and UNFCCC Action Agendas. Additionally, it could provide guidance to global funding entities to help countries meet their objectives under the two Conventions and guide joint future assessments by the IPCC and the IPBES.
Better coordination and collaboration between all three Rio Conventions is ultimately needed to successfully address the climate and nature crises and deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Addressing land degradation is indeed expected to generate benefits to climate and biodiversity action, and vice versa. Despite being the custodian agency of SDG indicator 15.3.1 on Land Degradation Neutrality, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) currently lacks a comprehensive action plan that matches the level of commitments and details found in the Paris Agreement and the GBF. Because of this, implementation gaps between the UNCCD and the priorities established by the CBD and UNFCCC in the GBF and the Paris Agreement are not clear, making it currently more difficult to articulate a vision for a joint, focused, work programme between the CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD. By setting up a joint CBD/UNFCCC work programme as a time-bounded yet renewable initiative, there is, however, scope for the UNCCD to contribute to it once such an action plan is agreed.
The upcoming CBD and UNFCCC COPs are critical moments for advancing global action to both stabilize our climate and reverse biodiversity loss. We have a small and rapidly closing window to act. Both Conventions have already recognized that their agreements are interdependent and have begun collaborating, but without a concrete policy framework underpinning these efforts, countries and other actors will continue to struggle to move beyond merely voluntary actions to coordinated implementation. We are calling on you to lead in this critical step by formally initiating processes towards the creation of a much-needed joint policy framework.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Nathalie Pettorelli, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, UK
Prof. Idil Boran, Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Canada
Prof. Mercedes Bustamante, Department of Ecology, University of Brasília, Brazil
Prof. Pedro H. S. Brancalion, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Dr. Adalberto Luis Val, Brazilian National Institute for Research in Amazonia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil
Dr. Tadeu Siqueira, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand and Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
Prof. Philip M. Fearnside, National Institute for Research in Amazonia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil
Dr. Cássio Cardoso Pereira, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Dr. Geraldo Wilson Fernandes, Knowledge Center for Biodiversity, Brazil
Dr Walisson Kenedy-Siqueira, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Anke Manuela Salzmann, Boticário Group Foundation, Brazil
Fernando Campos, Conservation and Climate Finance Manager, Sitawi – Finance for Good, Brazil
Clóvis Ricardo Schrappe Borges, Executive Director, Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education (SPVS), Brazil
Ricardo Aguiar Borges, Coordinator, Atlantic Forest Great Reserve Initiative, Brazil
Paula R. Prist, Principal Scientist, Conservation & Health, EcoHealth Alliance, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Manuel Pulgar Vidal, WWF International Climate & Energy Global Lead, President of UNFCCC COP20 and Former Peruvian Minister of the Environment, Peru
Prof. Deborah Delgado Pugley, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Peru
Andrés Mogro, Coordinador en Ecuador del Proyecto Regional Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático, Ecuador
Maria Jose Lopez Ortiz, Program Coordinator, Fundacion Avina, Paraguay
Dr. Micaela Trimble, South American Institute for Resilience and Sustainability Studies, and Universidad de la República, Uruguay
Prof. Sandra Díaz, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET) and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina
Dr. Roberto Manuel Salas, Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas, CONICET, Argentina
Prof. Nicola Clerici, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
Prof. Benjamin Quesada, Earth System Science Program, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
Prof. Andrea Devis-Morales, Earth System Science Program, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
Dr. Carolina Pardo-Diaz, Dean School of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
Dr. Alvaro Avila-Diaz, Earth System Science Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
Dr. Javier Lopatin, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile
Prof. Patricia Balvanera, Institute for Ecosystems and Sustainability Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico
Dr. Melanie Kolb, Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico
Dr. Diva Amon, SpeSeas Director, Trinidad and Tobago
Prof. Govindasamy Bala, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
Dr. Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi, India program of the Snow Leopard Trust & Nature Conservation Foundation, India
Dr. Ramanathan Thirugnanasambandam, Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, India
Dr. Gautam Talukdar, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, India
Dr. Nakul Chettri, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Nepal
Prof. Akira S Mori, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Prof. Nobuo Mimura, Global and Local Environment Co-creation Institute (GLEC),
Ibaraki University, Japan
Dr. Alice Hughes, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Dr. Jin Wu, Assistant Professor, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Prof. Jian Zhang, Sun Yat-Sen University, China
Dr. Xudong Zhu, Xiamen University, China
Dr. Chi Yeung Choi, Assistant Professor, Duke Kunshan University, China
Dr. I-Ching Chen, Vice Dean of the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
Dr. Fahmuddin Agus, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia
Agus Sari, Chief Executive Officer at Landscape Indonesia, Indonesia
Prof. Funmilola Ajani, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr. Ngozi M. Oguguah, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Nigeria
Dr Joseph Onoja, Director General/CEO, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Nigeria
Dr. Esther Oluwafunmilayo Makinde, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
Professor Laura Pereira, Global Change Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden
Prof. Andrew E. McKechnie, University of Pretoria and South African National Biodiversity Institute, South Africa
Prof. Emma Archer, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Dr. Odirilwe Selomane, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Dr. Kaera Coetzer, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Dr. Handa Collins, The Technical University of Kenya, Kenya
Dr. Humphrey Agevi, Africa Research and Impact Network (ARIN), Kenya
Florence Onyango, Africa Research & Impact Network, Kenya
Dr. Asanterabi Lowassa, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute and Nikinjiye Organisation, Tanzania
Raymond Okick, Research Scientist, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Tanzania
Fidele Ruzigandekwe, Deputy Executive Secretary for Programs, Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration, Rwanda
Dr. Timothy A. Balag’kutu, Centre for Peace and Security Research, University of Professional Studies Accra, Ghana
Blaise Mudodosi, Coordonnateur National de l’ONG Actions pour la Promotion et Protection des Peuples et Espèces Menacés en RDC, APEM RDC, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Dr. Osman Gedow Amir, Somali Wildlife and Natural History Society and National Museum of Somalia, Somalia
Prof. Carlos Duarte, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Ali A Berbash, Head of protected area & biodiversity section, Nature conservation Department, Ministry of Environment, Libya
Prof. William F. Laurance, Centre for Tropical Environmental & Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Australia
Prof. Tiffany Morrison, University of Melbourne, Australia
Prof. Peter Bridgewater, Centre for Heritage and Museum studies, Australian National University, Australia
Prof. Xuemei Bai, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Australia
Prof. Melodie A. McGeoch, Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, Monash University, Australia
Prof. Chris Turney, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Prof. Ralf Buckley, Griffith University, Australia
Prof. Gretta Pecl, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Australia
Dr. Kate Dooley, The University of Melbourne, Australia
Faith Coleman, EcoProTem, Australia
Prof. Cate Macinnis-Ng, School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Prof. David Hayman, Massey University, New Zealand
Dr. Paul Franklin, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, New Zealand
Dr. James Butler, Cawthron, New Zealand
Dr. Juan Carlos Garcia-R, Massey University, New Zealand
Dr. Julie Collins-Emerson, Massey University, New Zealand
Prof. Kai Chan, The University of British Columbia, Canada
Prof. Dawn R. Bazely, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, York University, Canada
Prof. Stacy D. VanDeveer, Dept of Conflict Resolution, Human Security and Global Governance, McCormack School of Policy & Global Studies, UMass Boston, USA
Prof. Maria Ivanova, School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Northeastern University, USA
Prof. Rodolfo Dirzo, Associate Dean for Integrative Initiatives on Environmental Justice, Departments of Biology and Earth Systems Science, Stanford University, USA
Prof. Susan Harrison, University of California Davis, USA
Prof. Eric Post, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, USA
Prof. Eduardo Brondizio, Indiana University, USA
Prof. Janet Franklin, Campanile Foundation Professor of Geography, San Diego State University, USA
Prof. Edward Maibach, Director of the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, USA
Prof. Jennifer S. Powers, University of Minnesota, USA
Prof. Kristie L. Ebi, Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE), University of Washington, USA
Prof. Diana Liverman, School of Geography, Development & Environment, University of Arizona, USA
Prof. William J. Ripple, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, USA
Adjunct Prof. Felix Dodds, Water Institute University of North Carolina and Associate Fellow, Tellus Institute, Boston, USA
Dr. Sarah Diamond, Case Western Reserve University, USA
Liz Willetts, Strategic Advisor on Biodiversity and Health, Planetary Health, and One Health, USA
Prof. Timo Vesala, University of Helsinki, Finland
Prof. Petteri Vihervaara, Finnish Environment Institute, Finland
Prof. Vigdis Vandvik, Department of Biological Sciences, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, and CeSAM Centre for Sustainable Area Management, University of Bergen, Norway
Dr. Robert Lewis, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Norway
Prof. Michele Betsill, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Prof. Jens-Christian Svenning, Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Dr. Robert Buitenwerf, Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Prof. Unai Pascual, Basque Centre for Climate Change, BC3, Spain
Prof. Miguel Bastos Araújo, National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, Spain
Dr. Airam Rodríguez, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Spain
Dr. David Vieites, Spanish National Research Council CSIC, Spain
Dr. Annie Machordom, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Spain
Prof. Isabel Sousa Pinto, University of Porto and Director of the Coastal Biodiversity Laboratory Cimar – Centre for Marine and Environmental Research, Portugal
Dr. Christos Astaras, Forest Research Institute (ELGO-DIMITRA), Greece
Dr. Ozgun Emre Can, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Ankara University, Türkiye
Dr. Özge Balkız, Biodiversity Conservation Programme Coordinator, Doğa Koruma Merkezi, Türkiye
Dr. Zuhre Aksoy, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Bogazici University, Türkiye
Dr. Harun Guclusoy, Head of Scientific Monitoring Department at Mediterranean Conservation Society, Türkiye
Prof. Lindsay Stringer, York Environmental Sustainability Institute, University of York, UK
Prof. Paul Behrens, British Academy Global Professor, University of Oxford, UK
Prof. Harriet Bulkeley OBE FBA, Durham University, UK
Prof. Mark Maslin, Pro-Vice Provost of the UCL Climate Crisis Grand Challenge, University College London, UK
Prof. Rosie Hails MBE FRSB, Honorary Professor University of Exeter and Cranfield University, National Trust, UK
Prof. Dame E.J. Milner-Gulland, Department of Biology & Merton College, University of Oxford, UK
Prof. Pete Smith, University of Aberdeen, UK
Prof. Sarah Durant, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, UK
Prof. Andrew Cunningham, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, UK
Prof. Len Shaffrey, Professor of Climate Science, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, UK
Prof. Luca Börger, Head of Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, UK
Prof. Nathalie Seddon, Nature-based Solutions Initiative (NbSI) Director, University of Oxford, UK
Audrey Wagner, Programme Coordinator, Nature-based Solutions Initiative, (NbSI), University of Oxford, UK
Prof. Jeff Ollerton, Visiting Professor of Biodiversity at the University of Northampton, UK, and Visiting Professor at the Kunming Institute of Botany, China
Prof. Hans-O. Poertner, Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Germany
Prof. Almut Arneth, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
Prof. Henrique M. Pereira, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
Prof. Ralf Seppelt, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
Prof. Josef Settele, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany
Prof. Solveig Richter, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research iDiV / Institute of Political Science, Leipzig University, Germany
Prof Anna-Katharina Hornidge, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) & University of Bonn, Germany
Prof Ines Dombrowsky, Head of Department Environmental Governance, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Germany
Dr. Steffen Bauer, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Germany
Prof. Charlotte Streck, University of Potsdam, Germany
Daniela Rizzi, Senior Expert for Nature Based Solutions, Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity, ICLEI Europe, Germany
Dr. Marufa Sultana,
Senior Expert, Biodiversity & Nature Based Solutions, ICLEI European Secretariat, Germany
Priscila Franco Steier, expert at Biodiversity & Nature Based Solutions Team, ICLEI European Secretariat, Germany
Ralf Roechert, Head of Strategic Science Communication, Alfred Wegener Institute – Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Germany
Dr. Setu Pelz, Energy, Climate and Environment (ECE) Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria
Prof. András Báldi MAE, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Hungary
Dr. Péter Batáry, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Hungary
Dr. Jerneja Penca, Science and Research Centre Koper, Slovenia
Prof. Joyeeta Gupta, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Prof. Rik Leemans Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
Dr. Sander Chan, Radboud University, The Netherlands
Dr. Gus Greenstein, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Dr. Oscar Widerberg, Associate Professor, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dr. Ina Lehmann, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marcel Kok, Programme leader International Biodiversity Policy, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Netherlands
Gertjan Storm, ambassador of The Netherlands, retired, Brussels, Belgium
Prof. Chinwe Ifejika Speranza, University of Bern, Switzerland
Prof. Thomas Crowther, Institute of integrative biology, Department of environment systems sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Prof. Louisa Parks, University of Trento, Italy
Prof. Carlo Rondinini, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Dr. Grégoire Dubois, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Italy
Dr. Tamatoa Bambridge, Président du Conseil Scientifique du Rahui Center and Directeur de Recherche au CNRS, Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement (CRIOBE, USR 3278), Polynésie Française
Prof. Philippe Ciais, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE), Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL), France
Prof. Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Research Director, CNRS-Sorbonne University-Iddri, France
Dr. Jonathan Lenoir, UMR CNRS 7058 “Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés” (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France
Dr. Nathalie Morata, Head of the European and international coordination Unit of the Fondation pour la recherche sur la biodiversité, France
Dr. Thierry Oberdorff, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and Center of Research on Biodiversity and Environment (CRBE), France
Romaric Tegang, Biodiversity-Environment & Sustainable Development (BEDD), France
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the signatories of this letter may be different from those of their affiliated organizations