Mainstreaming biodiversity across sectors: what does it really mean?
Biodiversity and ecosystem services are fundamental to human health. It underpins a vast range of ecosystem services as sources of food, medicines, shelter, energy, livelihoods and economic development and contributes to the regulation of multiple ecosystem functions and processes critical to nutrition and food security, clean air, the quantity and quality of fresh water, spiritual and cultural values, climate regulation, pest and disease regulation, and disaster risk reduction.
Mainstreaming Biodiversity, ecosystem, and nature-based solutions into policies and programmes at all levels is critical. Mainstreaming opportunities need to be tailored to specific needs and circumstances of each sector but, often, win-win solutions are available. This nonetheless requires improved coordination and policy coherence across various sectors, interest groups and other stakeholders. Looking back to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and their trajectory, it has become clear that collaboration among across governments and non-state actors – in a whole of society approach – will be key to deliver the upcoming Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Mainstreaming biodiversity is critical to help reduce the negative impacts that productive sectors, development investments, and other human activities exert on biodiversity by highlighting the contribution of biodiversity to socioeconomic development, human well-being and the planet. There are currently encouraging examples of successful collaboration among different sectors and actors that can support the implementation of the Post 2020 but scaling up these results will be central to the successful implementation.
The cooperation of business, finance and governments has never been so urgent or timely. There is growing momentum among the business community reflected in recent high-level discussions such as the UN Food Systems Summit, SDGs High Level Political Forum, IUCN World Conservation Congress, Davos, to name a few.
In the coming months, policy makers will intensify discussions in view of the COPs on climate and biodiversity, including the adoption, by all CBD governments and by UN agencies, of a new 10-year deal for nature and people and a long-term approach to mainstreaming: time for action is now, in preparation for the closing of COP 15 in May 2022, and this event will share information and opportunities for coordination of efforts.
Speakers
- Theresa Mundita Lim, Executive Director, ASEAN Center for Biodiversity
- Michael Torrance, Chair of the Cross-Sector Biodiveristy Initiative CSBi
- Matthew Reddy, Senior Private Sector Specialist, Global Environmental Facility GEF
- Takao Aiba, Chairman of Subcomittee on Planning, Keidanren’s Committee on Nature Conservation
- Moderator: Braulio Dias, Chairman, Birdlife International and former Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1547136423571183116
