Scientists urge world leaders for unified approach to tackle climate, biodiversity crises

New Delhi: Global scientists on Tuesday urged world leaders to develop a unified approach to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, warning that addressing these crises in isolation could hinder progress.

In a paper published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, they proposed a joint work programme between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The researchers from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) in the UK and York University, Canada, outlined the critical issues and offered recommendations for successful implementation.

“We urgently need a global approach that addresses the nature and climate crises together because they are intrinsically connected,” said Professor Nathalie Pettorelli, a researcher at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology.

The forthcoming Conferences of the Parties of the UNFCCC and CBD present an opportunity for world leaders to introduce a formal governance structure that integrates biodiversity and climate change agendas.

Professor Idil Boran, co-author, and researcher at York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, stressed the importance of a coordinated approach to avoid actions that could harm one crisis while addressing the other.

The paper calls for reallocating resources to address imbalances in funding and support for climate change and biodiversity loss, highlighting the need for nature-based solutions to tackle both crises simultaneously.

–IANS