Climate change and biodiversity loss are two interconnected crises that have common roots in our economic, social and political systems that prioritize profit over sustainability. Addressing these crises requires deep systemic change that goes beyond incremental adjustments and requires a transformation of our fundamental values and the ways in which society functions.

---

🌍 Linked crises: Climate change and biodiversity loss

These two crises are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Climate change is causing extreme weather events that destroy habitats, while biodiversity loss is weakening the ability of ecosystems to absorb carbon and regulate climate. For example, the massive coral bleaching that has affected 84% of the world’s reefs is a consequence of climate change-induced ocean warming, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people.

---

🔄 The need for systemic change

Current approaches to addressing these crises are often fragmented and symptom-focused. However, as the article on Climate Change News, a real solution requires a systemic change that involves rethinking our economic models, our ways of producing and consuming, as well as our values and priorities. This means moving from an economy based on constant growth and consumption to one that respects ecological limits and promotes sustainability. It also means strengthening justice and equality so that all people have access to the resources and opportunities necessary for a dignified life.

---

🌱 Examples of positive changes

There are examples of communities and countries already taking steps towards systemic change. In El Salvador, for example, farming communities are improving their resilience to climate change through ecological practices such as tree planting and rainwater harvesting.

These initiatives show that it is possible to create sustainable and resilient societies that live in harmony with nature.

---

🧠 The role of technology and innovation

Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can play a significant role in protecting biodiversity and addressing climate change. AI is being used to monitor species, analyze big data, and predict environmental trends.

However, it is important that these technologies are used responsibly and ethically, considering their environmental impacts and potential risks.

---

⚠️ Risks of technocratic solutions

Some proposed solutions, such as geoengineering, which involves manipulating the climate through technology, are controversial. For example, the UK is planning small outdoor experiments to test technologies to temporarily cool the planet.

However, these approaches carry risks and can distract from the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect biodiversity through natural means.

---

🤝 Joint action and engagement

Addressing the climate and biodiversity crises requires concerted action at all levels of society. Individuals, communities, businesses and governments must work together to implement sustainable practices, protect nature and promote justice.

Each of us can contribute to systemic change through our everyday decisions, such as choosing green products, reducing waste, and supporting sustainability-focused policies.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are interconnected crises that require deep systemic change. Addressing these challenges is not just about technology or individual decisions, but about transforming our social systems towards sustainability, justice, and respect for nature.

It is time to act and together create a future in which people and nature thrive together. Spring

Active citizen engagement has a significant positive impact on the success and sustainability of initiatives aimed at increasing urban biodiversity and green infrastructure. Project BiodiverCities showed that when they are (more…)

Study  analyses the potential impact of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 (EUBDS) on the EU wood-based bioeconomy. The EUBDS aims to protect 30 % of EU land by 2030, with 10 % to be strictly managed (more…)

Economic operators are facing new obligations due to the implementation of the EU regulation on reducing deforestation. This follows from the draft law implementing the measures European Union (EU)) to mitigate global deforestation, from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, which was approved by the members of the National Council of the Slovak Republic on Thursday. The TASR news agency reports on the portal Teraz.sk.

This document presents a large-scale meta-analysis aimed at assessing the global impact of human activity on biodiversity. Authors analyzed 2,133 publications including 97,783 affected and referenced sites, creating an unprecedented dataset of 3,667 independent comparisons of impacts on biodiversity across all major groups of organisms, habitats and the five most significant human pressures. The study quantified three key measures of biodiversity to see how these pressures lead to homogenization, changes in community composition and changes in local diversity.

The authors emphasize that although human activities are known to cause a wide range of environmental pressures that have unprecedented effects on biodiversity, the knowledge to date about the extent and nature of these impacts has remained unclear. Previous attempts at synthesis have yielded mixed results regarding local diversity and, in particular, biotic homogenization. This study therefore aimed to systematically compare affected and reference communities with the aim of identifying global trends in homogenization and changes in community composition and local diversity.

To analyze the impact of human pressures on community diversity in space, the authors collected 3,667 individual comparisons from 2,133 published studies, which included 49,401 reference and 48,382 impacted communities. This global dataset covers all major groups of organisms (plants, tetrapods, fish, insects, microorganisms, and fungi) and represents the Earth's major biomes (marine, freshwater, and terrestrial). The study aimed to quantify changes associated with five dominant human pressures: land use changes, resource use, pollution, climate change and invasive speciesFor each comparison, the log-response ratio (LRR) for homogeneity (LRR homogenity), compositional shift (LRR shift), and local diversity (LRR local diversity) was calculated.

The study results showed that, contrary to long-standing expectations, there is no clear general homogenization of communities due to human pressures.The overall log-response ratio for homogeneity was close to zero but slightly negative, suggesting rather biotic differentiation. Critically, however, spatial scale was found to significantly influence the effects of human pressures on community homogeneity. Human pressures tend to homogenize communities at larger scales and differentiate them at smaller scales. Biotic differentiation was particularly significant in response to resource use and pollution.

On the contrary, the study found a clear shift in community composition in response to human pressuresThis shift varied depending on the type of biome, pressure, group of organisms, and spatial scale. All five types of human pressures analyzed significantly shifted the composition of biological communities, with The strongest influence on composition changes was due to habitat changes and especially pollutionSignificant differences in compositional shifts were also found between groups of organisms, with microorganisms and fungi showed the greatest changes.

Regarding local diversity, the study found clear evidence that sites affected by human pressures have lower local diversity. Similar to the composition changes, there were The strongest drivers of local diversity loss are pollution and habitat changes.Interestingly, unlike compositional changes, the largest organisms experienced the greatest negative effects on local diversity.

The study also revealed the link between changes in local diversity and shifts in the composition and homogenization of biological communities in spaceGreater species loss was associated with stronger shifts in composition and more differentiated communities.

Methodologically, the study performed a meta-analysis based on data extracted from ordination plots (PCoA and NMDS) of published studies. Using the Webplotdigitizer web tool, the coordinates of points representing individual biological communities were manually extracted. Subsequently, effect sizes for homogeneity, compositional shift, and local diversity change were calculated. Mixed linear models were used to test the influence of various factors (biome, pressure, organism group, spatial scale) on these effect sizes. The authors also tested for potential publication bias, which was not shown to be a significant factor influencing the results.

In conclusion, this extensive analysis provides a new and highly detailed picture of the state of knowledge of the impact of human pressures on biodiversity. It shows that although there is no general biotic homogenization, human pressures clearly lead to shifts in community composition and reduce local diversity. The relationships found between different aspects of biodiversity and their response to human pressures represent an important basis for the development and evaluation of future biodiversity conservation strategies. Spring

---

Glossary of key terms

• Biodiversity: The diversity of life on Earth at all its levels, including genetic diversity within species, species diversity between species, and ecosystem diversity.
• Homogenization (biotic): The process by which biological communities in different geographic areas become more similar in species composition due to the spread of common or invasive species and the decline of native or rare species.
• Differentiation (biotic): The process by which biological communities in different geographic areas become less similar in species composition.
• Local diversity (alpha diversity): Species richness or diversity within a particular site or habitat. In this study, it is often measured as taxonomic richness (number of species).
• Community composition: The identity and relative abundance of species that make up a particular biological community. Changes in composition mean changes in which species are present and in what quantities.
• Log response ratio (LRR): A standardized effect size metric used in meta-analyses. In this study, it is used to quantify changes in homogeneity, composition, and local diversity due to human pressures compared to reference sites.
• Meta-analysis: A statistical technique that combines the results of multiple independent studies on a given topic to obtain an overall estimate of the effect.
• Anthropocene: A proposed geological epoch characterized by a significant impact of human activities on the geology and ecosystems of the Earth.
• Reference communities: Biological communities that are considered to be little or not at all affected by specific human pressures, and serve as controls for comparison with affected communities.
• Ordination methods (e.g. PCoA, NMDS): Multivariate statistical techniques used to visualize and analyze the similarity or dissimilarity between biological communities based on their species composition.
• Taxonomic richness: The number of different species present in a given community or location.

The Miyawaki method is one of the most effective tree planting methods for rapidly reforesting degraded land that has been used for purposes other than agriculture or construction. It is effective because it is based on the principles of natural reforestation, i.e. using native trees that replicate the natural processes of forest regeneration. It has some significant advantages over more traditional forestry methods when used in smaller reforestation projects and is particularly effective in urban environments. Trees planted using this method grow much faster, jump-starting the forest-building process and sequestering more carbon. Miyawaki forests have been shown to have higher biodiversity than neighboring forests, making it an ideal method for rapidly reforesting diverse forest ecosystems. In the context of the current climate change emergency and stark warnings about global biodiversity loss, the ability to rapidly reforest diverse and healthy forests could be vital to meeting international goals and addressing these challenges. (Dr Simone Webber, more at creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk)

It is often assumed that older forest ecosystems can efficiently accumulate and sequester larger amounts of carbon over the long term. However, a new study by a research team from the University of Michigan Biological Station examined the carbon cycle over a period of two centuries and found that the process is much more complex than previously thought.

The study of community structure, which the interconnected effects of forest, tree establishment and fungi, as well as biogeochemical processes in the soil, affect the amount of carbon stored above and below ground more significantly than previously believed.

The research results were published in a professional journal and are the result of an ecological study of research activities that, over several decades, brought more than 100 scientists from various parts of the USA to the historic research station in Pellston, St.

(More at esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)

The document deals with the potential of Central European forests for carbon storage in a global context and highlights their important, but often underestimated, role in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. (more…)

Deforestation in Colombia rose by 35 percent in 2024 from a 23-year low the previous year, driven by an increase in the Amazon region, Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said on Thursday. The announcement comes days before the country chairs the UN's nature talks in Rome next week.

Deforestation reached 1,070 square kilometers (413 square miles) last year after falling to just over 792 square kilometers in 2023 from around 1,235 square kilometers in 2022.

"In 2024, we witnessed an increase in medium-sized areas of deforestation that involve operations paid for by big capital," Mohamed told reporters in Bogota, pointing to the involvement of organized crime more than rural communities. (Sebastian Rodriguez, more on climatechangenews.com)

At the COP15 biodiversity summit in December 2022, almost every country in the world committed to a new global agreement to “halt and reverse” biodiversity loss by 2030 and “restore harmony with nature” by 2050.

Within Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), countries have committed to releasing new national plans to achieve a range of goals and targets.

These plans are known as national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAP). (More at carbonbrief.org)

This document, “A Water Resilience Strategy”, is a position paper by Water Europe (WE) aimed at supporting innovation, research and development of water technologies in Europe. The document highlights the need (more…)

New study suggests that reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands could have a major impact on reducing carbon emissions and restoring native forestsThe research, published in the journal Ecological (more…)

The Mercedes Formula 1 team has joined forces with nature-based carbon developer Chestnut Carbon to support high-quality carbon removal projects in the southeastern United States.

The first initiative, aimed at delivering “effective climate projects that will increase the rejuvenation of degraded land,” will involve restoring 200 hectares of degraded agricultural land into living, biodiverse forests through the planting of more than 260,000 native trees. ( More on formula1.com)

Document is working to integrate biodiversity into urban planning in Europe, with the aim of reversing the decline of natureIt highlights the importance of binding targets for governments and the need for a comprehensive review of the spatial planning process. (more…)

Environmental crime causes significant damage to the environment, public health and the global economy. However, the number of successfully prosecuted cases remains low, sanctions are not deterrent and cross-border cooperation is insufficient. (more…)

The publication addresses the importance of biodiversity for forest resilience, particularly in the context of climate change and increasing disturbances. It highlights how the diversity of tree and plant species strengthens the forest's ability to (more…)

The world faces unprecedented loss of biodiversity and deterioration of nature, which has serious implications for the global economy and human well-being. Previous and current approaches to protect nature failed in stopping or reversing this negative trend. Therefore, it is transformational change urgently needed to achieve a vision in which biodiversity is valued, protected and used wisely, ensuring ecosystem services and a healthy planet for all.

What is transformational change?

Transformational change is fundamental and systemic reorganization within technical, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values. It is not only a change in strategies and activities, but also a change in the way people perceive the world, structures and practicesThis change focuses on deep causes of biodiversity loss, which are:

• disconnection from nature and dominance over it and over people,
• concentration of power and wealth,
• prioritizing short-term, individual, and material gains.

Principles of transformational change

Four key principles are essential for successful transformational change:

1. equality and justice,
2. pluralism and inclusion,
3. respectful and reciprocal relationships between people and nature,
4. adaptive learning and action.

These principles are important for addressing the root causes of biodiversity loss and for change process management in a way that is sensitive to unexpected or negative impacts.

Challenges and obstacles to transformational change

Transformational change is facing systemic, persistent and pervasive challengesThe main obstacles include:

• dominance relationships over nature and people,
• economic and political inequalities,
• inadequate policies and inappropriate institutions,
• unsustainable patterns of consumption and production,
• limited access to clean technologies and uncoordinated knowledge and innovation systems.

These challenges manifest as barriersthat hinder transformative change. In addition, powerful groups with personal interests they use resources to protect their interests, thereby slowing down transformational change.

Strategies and actions for transformational change

To accelerate transformational change, five key strategies and associated actions:

1. Urban protection and restoration valuable for nature and people.
2. Implementing system changes in the sectors that contribute most to biodiversity loss.
3. Transformation of economic systems for the benefit of nature and justice.
4. Transformation of management systems so that they are integrated, inclusive, responsible and adaptive.
5. Shifting social views and valuesto recognize and prioritize the fundamental interconnectedness between humans and nature.

Key steps for transformational change:

• Creating shared positive visions: It is important to create visions that recognize the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems. Visions should include diverse values and perspectives and should support indigenous knowledge.
• Cooperation and partnerships: Transformative change requires collaboration between diverse actors, including governments, businesses, civil society, indigenous peoples, and local communities.
• Political support: Governments have a key role in promoting policies and regulations that support nature conservation and sustainability.
• Changing economic paradigms: It is necessary to reorient economic systems to prioritize nature and social justice over private interests.
• Education and awareness: Education and communication are essential for changing societal views and values.

Examples of transformational change

There are many initiatives that have transformative potential. For example:

• Marine reserves, which are managed jointly by fishermen, scientists and government, are yielding positive results in terms of biodiversity conservation and local economies.
• Agroecological transitionsthat promote biodiversity and justice in food systems.
• Technological innovations using financial technologies for nature conservation and tree planting.
• Community conservation projects which are based on the values of coexistence, dignity and human rights.

Transformational change is urgent, necessary and challenging, but achievableTo save biodiversity and secure a sustainable future, it is essential to adopt a new way of thinking and acting. This requires joint efforts of all stakeholders in society a determination to make fundamental changes in our values, structures and practices. Despite the obstacles, there are many examples of transformational change which prove that positive results for nature and people are possible. The key to success is determination, cooperation, and faith into a better future for our planet. Spring

Scientific study, which deals with the impact of different climate change mitigation strategies on biodiversitySpecifically, it examines impact of forest and bioenergy strategies on the ranges of 14,234 vertebrate speciesThe study uses extensive datasets on habitat, climate and species occurrence to model how these strategies affect available habitat and climatic conditions for different species.

Methodology

1. Data collection and preparation:
   • Obtaining data on biodiversity, climate, land use and other supporting data.
   • Using species occurrence data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and IUCN.
   • Data cleaning and processing, including removing records outside the expected range and filtering fossil records.
   • Creating two sets of occurrence records for birds: "breeding" and "non-breeding".
   • Obtaining global climate variables from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMPIP6) and IPCC.
   • Using the IUCN Global Habitat Map, which modifies the 2015 Copernicus landcover data using biodiversity records.
   • Projection of changes in habitat composition by 2050 based on fractional covers of 32 plant functional types.
   • Obtaining maps of current carbon stocks in plant biomass and soil.
   • Using maps of maximum tree cover percentage, global biomes, and sedimentary basins.
2. Creating range maps (AOH) for each species:
   • Modeling the bioclimatic envelope of each species using MaxEnt species distribution models (SDMs).
   • Combining bioclimatic envelope with habitat data and species affinities to habitats to create AOH maps.
   • Consideration of different species spread scenarios, including zero, limited and ideal spread.
3. Modeling the impacts of habitat conversion caused by LBMS:
   • Assessing the impacts of reforestation and afforestation and bioenergy crops.
   • Identifying pixels that are biophysically capable of supporting trees through natural growth.
   • Excluding pixels where carbon gains would be offset by changes in albedo.
   • Distinguishing between reforestation and afforestation based on historical habitats.
   • Modeling the impacts of bioenergy crops with an emphasis on grasslands.
   • Updating AOH maps for each species after applying afforestation and bioenergy strategies.
4. Calculating the impacts of LBMS on climate mitigation:
   • Calculating the amount of atmospheric carbon removed by afforestation and carbon sequestration from bioenergy crops.
   • Taking into account carbon emissions associated with fertilizing bioenergy crops.
   • Calculation of the carbon benefit of replacing fossil fuels with bioenergy.
   • Modeling carbon sequestration through carbon capture and storage (CCS) in geological reservoirs.
   • Converting carbon stocks into changes in average global warming levels and regional changes in bioclimatic variables.
   • Calculation of changes in AOH of each species depending on changes in bioclimatic variables.
5. Aggregation of results:
   • Presenting results at the species level, including logarithmic ratio of AOH changes.
   • Calculation of spatially specific changes in AOH, averaged across all species.
   • Identifying which LBMS is better for biodiversity in a given pixel.

Main findings

• Afforestation it has a positive impact for some species, while it has a negative impact for others.
• Bioenergy crops they have the potential to mitigate climate change, but can have a negative impact on biodiversity.
• The impact of forestry and bioenergy strategies varies by species and region.
• Climate change can significantly affect species ranges regardless of LBMS implementation.
• The study highlights the importance taking into account the various influences of LBMS (habitat conversion and climate mitigation) and their mutual influence.

Sources of uncertainty

• Using a single SDM model (MaxEnt) and the same predictor variables for all species.
• Uncertainty in maps of global forest growth potential, carbon sequestration, and albedo.
• Simplified modeling of climate impact on species.
• Uncertainty arising from modelling species distribution and adaptation.
• Lack of details about how species use different habitats.

Conclusion

The study provides a comprehensive overview of the impacts of forest and bioenergy strategies on biodiversityThe results show that it is important take into account complex influences LBMS for different species and regions, rather than focusing only on global indicators. It is necessary carefully consider trade-offs between climate mitigation and biodiversity protection when deciding on the implementation of LBMS. Further research should focus on improving models and taking into account other factors influencing the impact of LBMS on biodiversity. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• AOH (Area of Habitat): Habitat area represents the area that is suitable for a given species in terms of climate and habitat types.
• Bioclimatic envelope: The range of climatic conditions that a given species is able to tolerate, expressed as the relative degree of suitability of individual sites.
• LBMS (Land-Based Mitigation Strategy): A land-based mitigation strategy, method, or procedure for using land to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere.
• Reforestation: Forest restoration in places where forests historically existed.
• Aforestation: Planting forests in places that were historically non-forested.
• MaxEnt: A species distribution model based on the principle of maximum entropy, used to model the distribution of species based on their occurrence and environmental variables.
• GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility, a global database of species occurrence data.
• SDM (Species Distribution Model): Species distribution model, makes predictions about the spatial distribution of species.
• Bilinear interpolation: A method for estimating values between two known data, used to resample data.
• Kriging: An interpolation method for estimating spatial values based on the position and value of surrounding points.
• Pseudo-absences: Data on locations where a given species is not expected to occur, which is used to train species distribution models.
• Sedimentary basins: Geological structures suitable for long-term carbon storage.
• Biome: A large ecosystem with characteristic vegetation and climate.
• Albedo: The rate at which the Earth's surface reflects sunlight, can affect warming and cooling.
• SSP2-RCP4.5: Common Socio-Economic Pathway 2 (SSP2) combined with Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5), one of the reference scenarios for future climate development.
• Lignocellulosic plants: Plants whose main components are cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. They are used for bioenergy production.

Biodiversity is crucial for the balance of ecosystems. Animal and plant habitats, as well as humans, depend on it. However, predictions are alarming: up to three million species could become extinct by the end of this century. This is according to the conclusions of an international studies published in 2022, which for the first time surveyed a significant number of experts from the Global South. (More on swissinfo.ch)