IPBES Nexus Assessment and Transformative Change report

General Studies Current affairs Geography and Environment

Context: Recently, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released the Nexus Report.

Report is also known as the Assessment Report on the Interlinkages Among Biodiversity, Water, Food and Health.
It offers a scientific assessment of complex interconnections among five nexus elements – biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change - and explores response options to maximize co-benefits.

Biodiversity loss threatens food, water, health, and climate systems: Over the last 30-50 years, biodiversity has declined by an average of 2-6% each decade
Trade-offs between food security and other nexus elements: Six nexus scenario archetypes are developed to assess how the five nexus elements – biodiversity, water, food, health and climate – will interact with each other.
Restoring nature for climate mitigation and adaptation: Techniques like reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable land management provide co-benefits for biodiversity restoration and climate action.
Reforming global financial systems: The report highlights a $300 billion to $1 trillion annual funding gap for biodiversity.
Current economic systems fail to account for externalities of biodiversity loss, imposing unaccounted costs of $10-25 trillion annually.
In last 50 years, global trends in indirect socio-economic drivers of biodiversity loss such as increasing waste, overconsumption and population growth intensify the direct drivers like land and sea-use change, pollution, invasive alien species etc.
Unsustainable freshwater withdrawal, wetland degradation and forest loss have decreased water quality and climate change resilience.
Around 50% of emerging infectious diseases are driven by interconnections between ecosystem, animal and human health.

Economic opportunities: Transitioning to sustainable approaches can create over $10 trillion in economic opportunities and generate 400 million jobs by 2030.
Harmonizing responses: Policies addressing food systems, climate action, and biodiversity conservation should maximize synergies and avoid trade-offs.
Reforming financial systems: Incentivizing nature-positive investments is crucial to close biodiversity funding gaps and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Adopting synergistic approaches restoring carbon-rich ecosystems forests, mangroves etc.
Management of biodiversity to reduce risks of diseases spreading from animals to humans.
Others: Reliance on urban nature-based solutions, knowledge of indigenous peoples, adopting sustainable agricultural practices, one health approach etc.

The IPBES Nexus Assessment highlights the need for integrated policymaking to address interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and food, water, and health security.
The report underscores the importance of restoring nature, transitioning to sustainable food systems, reforming economic structures, and bridging the biodiversity funding gap.

Established in 2012 to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, human well-being and sustainable development.
Independent intergovernmental body comprising 150 member Governments.
India is a founding member.
It is not a UN body but UN Environment Programme provides secretariat services to IPBES.
IPBES does not produce new scientific research but evaluates existing knowledge to provide consolidated assessments for policymakers.