November 5, 2024 | 17:31 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Wednesday- 11:27, 16/06/2021

Tackle climate change and biodiversity loss together: UN panel

(VAN)The world must tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss together, two United Nations expert groups meeting together, warning against measures to combat global warming that harm nature.
A one-year-old baby mountain gorilla eats leaves from a bush in the forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda, Apr 3, 2021. (File photo: AP)

A one-year-old baby mountain gorilla eats leaves from a bush in the forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda, Apr 3, 2021. (File photo: AP)

In the first ever collaboration between the UN's intergovernmental panels on climate and nature loss, the scientists said that while the twin threats were mutually reinforcing, they had historically been treated as if they were independent of each other.

A peer-reviewed workshop report, based on virtual discussions between experts from the IPBES biodiversity and IPCC climate panels, warned that a number of planned interventions against global heating would adversely impact nature.

These include planting bioenergy crops over large land areas, which are detrimental to ecosystems.

They also cautioned against planting trees to suck up carbon pollution in ecosystems that have not historically been forested, which often damages biodiversity and food production.

The panel called for an end to the loss and degradation of carbon- and species-rich ecosystems on land and oceans.

Subsidies supporting activities harmful to nature - such as deforestation, over-fertilisation and over-fishing - must halt, the experts concluded.

At the same time, they underlined the need for changes in individual consumption habits.

Restoring ecosystems was among the cheapest and quickest climate interventions available, and could also offer much-needed additional habitat for plants and animals, the researchers said.

Improved management of cropland and grazing systems alone could save 3 to 6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions a year.

"Climate change and biodiversity loss combine to threaten society - often magnifying and accelerating each other," said Hoesung Lee, chair of the IPCC.

Lee said that Thursday's report was an "important step" in the collaboration between scientific fields focusing on climate and those focused on biodiversity.

An aerial picture shows an area replanted with mangrove trees in Pabeanilir village, Indramayu regency, West Java province, Indonesia, Mar 14, 2021. (File photo: Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

An aerial picture shows an area replanted with mangrove trees in Pabeanilir village, Indramayu regency, West Java province, Indonesia, Mar 14, 2021. (File photo: Reuters/Willy Kurniawan

"LONG OVERDUE"

Alexandre Antonelli, director of science at Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens, said the IPCC and IPBES collaboration was "long overdue".

"Although climate change and biodiversity loss pose unseen threats to our future, the good news is that we can tackle both through the right measures - those that are based on solid science," said Antonelli, who was not involved in the report.

Several IPCC and IPBES members took the opportunity to stress the need for a total transformation in the way humans interact with nature.

Ana Maria Hernandez Salgar, chair of IPBES, said that nothing short of a "complementary" approach to both crises would avert the worst.

"Transformative change in all parts of society and our economy is needed to stabilise our climate, stop biodiversity loss and chart a path to the sustainable future we want," she said.

Environmental groups welcomed Thursday's collaboration, as well as the joint assessment's conclusion that nature alone cannot be relied upon to offset humanity's vast carbon emissions.

"The report unequivocally concludes that land- and ocean-based actions that capture carbon must be in addition to, and not in lieu of, ambitious reductions of emissions from fossil fuels," said Doreen Stabinsky, professor of global environmental politics at the College of the Atlantic.

Tr.D

(AFP)

Meeting the new demands of the EUDR

Meeting the new demands of the EUDR

(VAN) Sophisticated automation enables users to send hundreds of data collection requests with a single click.

Small farmers in Europe struggle to get by

Small farmers in Europe struggle to get by

(VAN) Brutal economic situation has inflicted misery on farmers who struggle to turn a profit and forced some to look for alternative streams of revenue.

China intensifies emergency food supply amid increasing extreme weather events

China intensifies emergency food supply amid increasing extreme weather events

China has reinforced its emergency food supply in response to increasing extreme weather events and natural disasters, an official said.

Scientists dismayed as UK ministers clear way for gene editing of crops - but not animals

Scientists dismayed as UK ministers clear way for gene editing of crops - but not animals

(VAN) Advocates urge government to allow ‘precision breeding’ to combat disease, but RSPCA warns of ethical dangers.

Expectations positive, but tempered on GM wheat in US

Expectations positive, but tempered on GM wheat in US

(VAN) HB4 wheat’s USDA approval will enable Bioceres to 'move forward with nonregulated field activities for product development and commercialization,' CEO Federico Trucco said in September.

Famine and catastrophic hunger in 5 major hotspots alongside the looming La Niña_climate threat in others

Famine and catastrophic hunger in 5 major hotspots alongside the looming La Niña_climate threat in others

(VAN) Acute food insecurity is set to increase in magnitude and severity in 22 countries and territories.

Pharma and agritech groups push against biodiversity levy at UN summit

Pharma and agritech groups push against biodiversity levy at UN summit

(VAN) One contentious proposal seeks to impose 1% levy on returns from products made using genetic data.

Read more