A new global report assesses the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, as well as the options and obstacles for transformative change. The summary report is published today by the IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services).
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Today’s release summarises the main findings, which have been three years in the making, with contributions from 101 authors and co-authors across 42 countries, including key contributions from IDS researchers and collaborators.
The IPBES Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, published in 2019, concluded that there are pathways for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity in conjunction with key human development goals. However, the strategies and actions that are pursued need to be considered carefully, with attention to justice, addressing root causes and a plurality of pathways informed by diverse visions and values. To address biodiversity loss, systemic changes across technology, economy and society may be required.
The new ‘Transformative Change Report’ assesses the determinants for transformative change, the biggest obstacles it faces and how it occurs. It also identifies options to foster, accelerate and maintain transformative change towards a sustainable world, and the steps to achieve it.
Embracing insights and evidence from diverse knowledge systems, disciplines and approaches, the Transformative Change Report highlights five key strategies and associated actions that have complementary and synergistic effects, and which countries and people can pursue to advance deliberate transformative change for global sustainability.
These five strategies are to: (i) Conserve, restore and regenerate places of value to people and nature that exemplify biocultural diversity; (ii) Drive systematic change and mainstreaming biodiversity in the sectors most responsible for nature’s decline; (iii) Transform economic systems for nature and equity; (iv) Transform governance systems to be inclusive, accountable and adaptive; and (v) Shift views and values to recognize human-nature interconnectedness.
The report comprises five chapters:
- Introducing transformative change, exploring consequences of inaction, and strategies to reverse biodiversity loss within production and consumption systems
- Integrating science and indigenous knowledge with ethics and diverse worldviews to envision a sustainable world
- Analysing theories, frameworks, historical cases, research and actions that lead to transformative change
- Overcoming the challenges of achieving transformative change towards a sustainable world
- Synthesising strategies, methods, instruments, options and actions for realizing a sustainable world for nature and people
IDS Professorial Fellow Lyla Mehta was one of the lead authors of the assessment and has been working with and alongside about 100 other authors from all over the world since 2022. Activities have included synthesising the theories and approaches, working on several drafts of the report, responding to peer review and government comments, and attending annual in person meetings and monthly online meetings.
Prof Mehta was lead author of Chapter 3 (How does transformative change take place) and a contributing author to Chapter 1. IDS Research Fellow Shilpi Srivastava and long-term collaborator Shibaji Bose were also contributing authors to Chapter 3. Among other sources, they draw on research from the IDS-led TAPESTRY project, which explored possibilities for transformative change in so-called ‘marginal’ environments in India and Bangladesh.
The Summary for Policy Makers is available to download. To find out more, visit IPBES.
The full five-chapter report titled the ‘Assessment Report on the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity’ – also known as the ‘Transformative Change Report’ – (including all data) will be published early next year.
