Abstract
2020 was to be a landmark year for setting targets to stop biodiversity loss and prevent dangerous climate change. However, COVID-19 has caused delays to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the 26th COP of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Negotiations on the Global Biodiversity Framework and the second submission of Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement were due to take place at these COPs. There is uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 disruption will affect the negotiations, whether parties will pursue more ambitious actions or take a weaker stance on issues. Our policy analysis shows there are broad opportunities for climate and biodiversity frameworks to better respond to COVID-19, by viewing future pandemics, biodiversity loss, and climate change as interconnected problems. Importantly, there needs to be greater focus on agriculture and food systems in discussions, establishing safeguards for carbon markets, and implementing nature-based solutions in meeting the Paris Agreement goals. We can no longer delay action to address the biodiversity and climate emergencies, and accelerating sustainable recovery plans through virtual spaces may help keep discussions and momentum before the resumption of in-person negotiations.Non-technical summary:High ambition needed at UN biodiversity and climate conferences to address pandemics, biodiversity, climate change, and health.
Highlights
2020 was touted as a ‘super-year for the environment’ (The Lancet Planetary Health, 2020) for setting ambitious policies and targets for global conservation and greenhouse gases (GHG) for future decades
Using systems thinking (Figure 3), we show the interconnections among the seven drivers of zoonotic diseases, climate change, and biodiversity along with factors that influence the transmission of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases, such as urbanization (Connolly et al, 2020), population density (Simpson et al, 2020), and international trade, which has been linked to invasive species introductions (Gallardo et al, 2015)
We analyzed the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) frameworks to investigate how these integrate the drivers of zoonotic disease transmission, which are the same drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change
Summary
2020 was touted as a ‘super-year for the environment’ (The Lancet Planetary Health, 2020) for setting ambitious policies and targets for global conservation and greenhouse gases (GHG) for future decades. Developing countries may be affected, as budgets for climate and biodiversity programs are cut or realigned to COVID-19 response Despite these challenges and continued disruption, the delays in the international negotiations could still be providential and result in positive outcomes if they lead to transformative environmental policies that reflect the important connections between climate, biodiversity, health, and human communities. International trade has enabled the spatial decoupling of food consumption and production systems, with significant impacts on developing nations with high biodiversity (Fader et al, 2013; Lenzen et al, 2012; MacDonald et al, 2015; Meyfroidt et al, 2013) This makes it imperative to find ways to feed the global population and transform food systems to minimize harm to biodiversity, to prevent the COVID-19, and for food security (Baudron & Liégeois, 2020). Amid the limited resources and competing priorities of a post-COVID world, it is imperative to devote efforts to setting ambitious targets and monitoring progress comprehensively, to ensure that resources are strategically deployed
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