Climate-Biodiversity Nexus: Scientific and Policy Perspectives on Ocean Conservation

Biodiversity loss and climate change: the two major environmental challenges of our time. To help address these challenges, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) were created, with a mandate to strengthen the science-policy interface on climate and biodiversity, helping ensure these issues are better considered in public and private decision-making. Biodiversity loss and climate change are inextricably linked. This interdependence, which may have been overlooked in the past, has now been established in scientific and, increasingly, political circles. 

The ocean is at the crossroads of climate change and biodiversity loss. IPCC and IPBES assessments have demonstrated the impact of climate change on oceans, leading to a decrease in marine biodiversity. However, the biodiversity-climate-ocean nexus remains underexplored. These assessments have highlighted key solutions, such as marine spatial planning, the establishment of marine protected areas, and the adoption of ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management. For these solutions to be effective and inclusive, close collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and civil society stakeholders is essential. 

In this context, an event was organized in September 2024 by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB), in partnership with the national IPBES and IPCC focal points and Towards IPOS (International Panel for Ocean Sustainability). This event brought together French IPBES and IPCC communities to focus on ocean issues, facilitating a deeper understanding of biodiversity-climate links and initiating discussions around the upcoming ocean science conference’s priorities. The exchanges focused on integrating diverse knowledge systems (scientific, Indigenous, and local) to create a more inclusive and equitable approach to ocean management. Discussions explored how ocean-based climate solutions can align with both mitigation and adaptation goals, advocating for solutions that consider social equity alongside environmental outcomes. This event therefore highlighted the critical role of collaborative, dynamic science in shaping policies that protect marine ecosystems while upholding the rights and wellbeing of human communities. Achieving sustainable ocean governance will depend on inclusive, transformative actions that work across scales, bridging local and global priorities.