Preface

The report addresses biodiversity loss and climate change as interconnected crises that are often addressed separately in policy and governance. It highlights risks of fragmented approaches and frames the workshop as the first formal collaboration between IPBES and IPCC to synthesise evidence across both domains.

Introduction

The workshop was convened to assess interactions between biodiversity, climate change and human well-being, drawing on IPBES and IPCC assessment material. It aims to inform implementation of the Paris Agreement, the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals. The report emphasises that actions targeting one crisis can create co-benefits, trade-offs or co-detrimental outcomes for the other.

Climate and biodiversity are inextricably connected with each other and with human futures

Climate stability over the past 12,000 years supported ecosystem functioning and human civilisation. Current warming is approaching levels unprecedented in human history, increasing risks of biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption. Biodiversity influences climate through carbon sequestration, albedo effects and ecosystem regulation, while climate change drives species redistribution, extinction risk and ecosystem degradation. The report stresses that climate mitigation strategies must account for biodiversity impacts to avoid unintended harm.

Biodiversity conservation in light of a changing climate

Anthropogenic climate change is altering conservation baselines, with many species and ecosystems unable to adapt at the current pace of warming. Conservation goals must shift from preserving historical states to enhancing resilience and adaptive capacity. Reducing non-climate stressors such as land-use change, pollution and invasive species can significantly improve adaptation outcomes. Ecosystems such as tundra and deserts rely primarily on ecological adaptation, while grasslands and savannas require active management due to higher human intervention.

The effects of climate mitigation actions on biodiversity

Climate mitigation measures can generate both benefits and risks for biodiversity. Renewable energy expansion, bioenergy, afforestation and carbon capture can negatively affect ecosystems if poorly sited or narrowly designed. Conversely, mitigation actions aligned with ecosystem protection can deliver co-benefits. The report highlights the importance of integrating biodiversity safeguards into mitigation planning to avoid undermining conservation objectives.

Biodiversity and adaptation to climate change

Biodiversity contributes to climate adaptation by enhancing ecosystem stability and nature’s contributions to people. However, there are limits to ecological and social adaptation, particularly where climate change is rapid or thresholds are crossed. Adaptation strategies that ignore biodiversity can exacerbate ecosystem degradation. Nature-based solutions are identified as effective where they are context-specific and inclusive of local knowledge.

The effects of biodiversity conservation actions on climate change

Actions to halt or reverse biodiversity loss often support climate mitigation by enhancing carbon storage and ecosystem functioning. Practices such as ecosystem restoration and integrated land management can provide co-benefits, although outcomes vary by biome and scale. Poorly designed conservation actions, including monoculture afforestation, may weaken biodiversity outcomes while delivering limited climate benefits.

Interactions, limits, and thresholds at the interface of biodiversity, climate, and society

The report introduces a framework categorising biodiversity–climate interactions as co-beneficial, trade-off or co-detrimental. Outcomes are context-dependent and influenced by social, economic and institutional factors. Policy interventions can shift systems towards more stable or less desirable equilibria. Social tipping interventions, including changes in governance and norms, can accelerate transitions towards positive biodiversity–climate outcomes.

Solutions at the climate-biodiversity-society nexus

Integrated solutions addressing climate, biodiversity and quality of life simultaneously are necessary to avoid lock-in to harmful pathways. Effective governance requires cross-sectoral coordination, inclusive decision-making and long-term planning. The report emphasises transformative change that combines technological, social and economic measures, and calls for policies that explicitly account for synergies and trade-offs across systems.