As COP30 approaches, policymakers must ensure that the integration of climate and biodiversity action by non-state and subnational actors is anchored in spatial data. Otherwise, we cannot see where change is happening, how effective it is, or who bears costs and benefits. The UNFCCC Global Climate Action and CBD Action Agenda Portals should lead by requiring spatial details on implementation, enabling more credible and participatory monitoring, analysis, and collaboration.
This paper is by BioCAM4 team members Paul Hagenström, Nathalie Pettorelli, Idil Boran, Deborah Delgado Pugley, Hollie Folkard-Tapp, Pablo Imbach, Sander Chan, and colleagues. Here is a summary of its findings:
Learn more:
- View a slide deck with additional summary insights on From places to pledges.
- Read the paper.
- Read the policy brief.
- Read coverage of the paper: INTERVIEW: Climate pledges must integrate spatial data to effectively address biodiversity, by Giada Ferraglioni, November 21, 2025,
***
Press Release
From pledges to places: BioCAM4 calls for spatial data to unlock integrated climate and biodiversity action during COP30
To deliver on global climate change and biodiversity goals, policymakers and international frameworks must ensure that non-state and subnational climate and biodiversity actions are grounded in spatial data, urges international research consortium BioCAM4 (Biodiversity Integration in Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Actions for Planet, People, and Human Health) and the ACHIEVE project.
In a new paper, the authors warn that most global climate and nature commitments still exist as pledges, not place-based actions, limiting the world’s ability to track impacts, assess equity, and collaborate effectively. As COP30 is underway, they argue that the UNFCCC Global Climate Action and the CBD Action Agenda Portals should require spatial information in reporting to advance credible, just, and effective implementation.
“As we enter a crucial year for climate and nature governance, real-world implementation must take centre stage,” said Dr. Paul Hagenström, lead author of the study. “Without knowing where action happens, we cannot know who benefits, who bears the costs, or whether interventions are truly effective. Spatial data is not a technical add-on — it is essential infrastructure for trustworthy climate and biodiversity action.”
Non-state actors — including cities, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, businesses, and civil society — are increasingly central to implementation under the UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD. Yet today, most reporting focuses on pledges rather than places, leaving critical blind spots in monitoring progress and ensuring accountability.
“Climate change and biodiversity loss intersect on the ground — in forests, in marshes, in agricultural landscapes, and in communities,” said Professor Idil Boran, Principal Investigator of the BioCAM4 Research Consortium and Professor at York University. “Integrating spatial data strengthens transparency, enhances collaboration, and supports local and Indigenous stewards who are leading action on the ground.”
As COP30 in Belém highlights the importance of “Stewarding Forests, Oceans & Biodiversity,” the paper outlines key opportunities for international climate and nature systems to align and scale impact. Recommendations include:
- Requiring spatial data in non-Party climate and biodiversity reporting
- Enabling joint monitoring across UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD action agendas
- Providing incentives, capacity building, and ethical guidancefor spatial data collection
- Supporting participatory mappingto ensure justice and inclusion for Indigenous Peoples and local communities
Spatialisation, the authors note, enables multidimensional monitoring beyond emissions, supports cross-context learning, and fosters collaboration across governments, science, and frontline communities.
“Action agendas are where global promises meet real-world change,” said Dr. Sander Chan. “By anchoring commitments in place, we can spot synergies, prevent harmful trade-offs, and ensure that this transition is equitable and effective.”
The full article is available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s44168-025-00307-5.
Consortium Spokespeople
- Paul Hagenström, PhD candidate, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Lüneburg; Researcher, German Institute for Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Bonn
- Idil Boran, Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, York University; Principal Investigator, BioCAM4 (Biodiversity Integration in Climate Adaptation & Mitigation Actions for Planet, People, and Human Health), Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University
- Sander Chan, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography / Political Science, Radboud University; ACHIEVE project
Media Contact
Annette Dubreuil
Email: afdubreu@yorku.ca
Phone: +1.416.825.1474
About BioCAM4
Biodiversity Integration in Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Actions for Climate, People, and Human Health
BioCAM4 is an international research consortium bringing together scientists, policymakers, and community partners to advance knowledge on nature-based climate action. Through global mapping, regional deep-dive studies, and policy engagement, the project explores pathways that deliver co-benefits for biodiversity, human health, and local livelihoods. The project is coordinated by the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research (York University, Canada), with consortium partners, the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS – Germany), Institute of Zoology (United Kingdom), Radboud University (Netherlands), Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE, Costa Rica), African Research Impact Network (ARIN – Kenya), and Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (Rwanda). BioCAM4 is funded by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) (Grant number: NFRFI-2023-00225), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / German Science Foundation (DFG), and UKRI’s Economic and Social Research Council (grant no: ES/Z000092/1). Learn more at www.biocam4.com
