CDKN's EbA lead, Nadia Sitas, is a coordinating lead author and part of the negotiation team for IPBES, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. She reports on the latest global assessments, which were approved in December 2024. 

The interconnected challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, food and water insecurity, health risks, and social inequality demand urgent and integrated responses. In its landmark Nexus Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) provides a roadmap for tackling these crises, emphasising the transformative potential of many response options including ecosystem-based approaches supported by inclusive and innovative governance and financial mechanisms. Additionally, insights from the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment further underline the need for structural shifts to build equitable and sustainable futures. 

“The assessment found that current development, conservation and adaptation efforts have often failed to address interlinked crises because they are fragmented, do not acknowledge and account for underlying drivers of change and work in isolation. This has resulted in conflicting objectives, inefficiencies, perverse incentives and costs, with cascading impacts and unintended consequences- that's the bad news...but the good news is that the assessment also found evidence for multiple options for responding to these crises that already exist, many of which are cost effective, integrated and inclusive.” - Dr Nadia Sitas

Integrated and inclusive response options 

The report presents evidence on how over 70 response options can address these interconnected challenges holistically across biodiversity, food, water, health and climate domains in a variety of different social-ecological contexts. Key response options include those that conserve and restore ecosystems and manage ecosystem functions through ecosystem-based approaches, and those that also support sustainable consumption, reduce pollution, manage risk, integrate planning and governance, ensure rights and equity and align financing.  

Ecosystem-Based Approaches: One approach, multiple co-benefits 

The Nexus Assessment highlights the centrality of ecosystem-based approaches in addressing multiple global crises. By restoring and sustainably managing ecosystems, ecosystem-based approaches support biodiversity while enhancing climate resilience and ensuring the provision of essential services like clean water and food security. 

For example, rehabilitating coastal mangroves not only buffers communities against storm surges and rising seas but also provides critical habitats for marine biodiversity that supports fisheries and enhances carbon sequestration. Similarly, urban green spaces mitigate heat island effects, improve air quality, and promote physical and mental health. Such interventions exemplify how ecosystems can serve as natural allies in building resilience and providing options for a good quality of life. 

Gender Equity and Inclusion: supporting paths for resilience  

The Nexus Assessment emphasises that gender equity and social inclusion are foundational to transformative change. Women and marginalised groups such as Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by biodiversity loss and climate change but are often underrepresented in decision-making processes. Empowering these groups through rights-based approaches, acknowledging their knowledge and practices and addressing the differential burdens of resource access and use can reduce the barriers for inclusive governance and catalyse community-led solutions. For instance, studies show that women-led conservation initiatives often yield stronger environmental and social outcomes. 

Inclusive Finance: Closing the investment gap 

Economic and financial barriers remain a significant obstacle to implementing integrated and equitable solutions. The Nexus Assessment calls for innovative and inclusive economic and financial mechanisms to support ecosystem restoration and sustainable development. Inclusive finance models—such as green and blue bonds, microloans for smallholder agroecological farmers or payment for ecosystem services schemes—can ensure that populations in vulnerable contexts benefit from and contribute to resilience-building efforts. Eliminating, phasing out, or reforming subsidies that damage nexus elements, if implemented in accordance with international obligations, would contribute to shifting business models towards justice and sustainability. Moreover, aligning public and private investments with biodiversity and climate goals through enhanced global cooperation is essential to closing the estimated $10-$25 trillion annual cost of inaction. 

The costs of inaction 

Failing to act collectively and decisively exacerbates existing inequalities and heightens the risks of systemic collapse- the report found that it is twice as expensive to meet the biodiversity goals if we wait 10 years. The current economic model externalises the costs of biodiversity degradation, leading to unaccounted annual losses in the trillions.  These costs are borne disproportionately by vulnerable populations, further entrenching global inequalities. By contrast, integrated and ecosystem-based approaches can deliver significant economic, social, and environmental returns. 

"What the Nexus Assessment found is that despite nature contributing towards nearly 50% of global GDP, less than 1% is re-invested in activities that support nature- this needs to change if we want healthy ecosystems to continue to support the wellbeing of current and future generations.”  - Dr Nadia Sitas

Shifting systems and structures 

Insights from the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment underscore that incremental actions alone will not suffice to address the scope of these interlinked crises. Transformative change—defined as a fundamental, system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic, and social dimensions—is essential. This involves restructuring economic incentives by shifting subsidies and investments from unsustainable activities to practices that enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health, changing consumption patterns through promoting sustainable diets and reducing waste in food systems to decrease pressure on ecosystems, and empowering local communities by recognising Indigenous and local knowledge and granting greater autonomy in resource management. 

A call for transformative action 

The IPBES reports make it clear: addressing the nexus of biodiversity, climate, food, water, and health challenges requires transformative change. Policies must embrace integrated, cross-sectoral approaches that leverage ecosystem-based solutions, prioritise inclusivity, and promote equitable access to resources and decision-making. Transformative change is not merely an option; it is a necessity for securing a sustainable and equitable future. As governments, businesses, and communities rally around this vision, the IPBES assessments offer a powerful framework and evidence for action. 

For a comprehensive understanding of these findings and response options, explore the IPBES Nexus and Transformative Change Assessment Reports.