from Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity:<\/p>\n
We are calling for policymakers worldwide to take in the scientific knowledge synthesized in the 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science (10MustKnows<\/i>) to inform much needed policies. At the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montr\u00e9al in December, your decisive action is needed to halt the man-made extinction of species and to strengthen biodiversity. The 10MustDos<\/i> <\/i>are intended to support you in taking such action by proposing solutions that can be implemented with immediate effect.<\/p>\n
The<\/span> report<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Intergovernmental<\/span> Panel<\/span> on<\/span> Biodiversity <\/span>and Ecosystem Services2<\/span>, the Global Biodiversity Outlook3<\/span>, the first joint workshop report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the Intergovernmental<\/span> Panel<\/span> on<\/span> Climate<\/span> Change<\/span>4<\/span> as<\/span> well<\/span> as<\/span> the <\/span>10 New Insights in Climate Science5<\/span> all emphasise that \u201csolving<\/span> the<\/span> dual<\/span> crises<\/span> of<\/span> climate<\/span> change<\/span> and<\/span> biodiversity <\/span>loss [is] essential to support human well-being\u201d6<\/span>. Climate change determines how<\/i> <\/i>we live on this earth, biodiversity whether<\/i> <\/i>we live on this earth. Climate and biodiversity protection are inseparable from each other7<\/span>. Finding ways to protect both climate and biodiversity generates benefits for all and is crucial for a successful path towards global social justice.<\/p>\n In putting forward the 10MustDos<\/b><\/span>, we would like to strongly encourage all political actors to take measures to conserve and restore biodiversity and to address the pressures that threaten it. We would further like to encourage all concerned to take the step that leads to a great transformation towards a biodiversity-friendly and climate-compatible civilisation. Biodiversity is a powerful<\/b> <\/b>lever<\/b> <\/b>to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals<\/b> <\/b>(SDGs)<\/b>8 <\/b><\/span>of<\/b> <\/b>the<\/b> <\/b>Agenda<\/b> <\/b>2030<\/b>. We have therefore identified for each MustDo which SDGs will be strengthened by implementing our recommendations.<\/p>\n It is important to highlight that strengthening SDGs 14 (Life under water) and 15 (Life on land) has a strong positive impact and an added <\/span>value<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> achievement<\/span> of<\/span> other<\/span> goals<\/span> (SCNAT,<\/span> 2021)<\/span>9<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n The 10MustDos<\/b><\/span> <\/b>point out ways that can be pursued in a short-term and targeted manner. The outlined approaches suggest precise actions that halt the loss of habitats, species and genetic resources and thus contribute to achieving the internationally agreed targets of species and ecosystem recovery by 203010,11,12<\/span> and the restoration of nature by 205012<\/span>. Our approaches also contribute to achieving the goals of the UN Decade on ecosystem res- toration (2021-2030)13<\/span>.<\/p>\n We are dependent on biodiversity in its breathtaking and vital abundance, on functioning terrestrial and marine ecosystems as well as on species-rich streams, rivers, lakes, peatlands, and groundwater. Biodiversity<\/b> <\/b>is<\/b> <\/b>the foundation<\/b> <\/b>of<\/b> <\/b>our<\/b> <\/b>life,<\/b> <\/b>our<\/b> <\/b>health,<\/b> <\/b>our<\/b> <\/b>well-being<\/b> <\/b>and our<\/b> <\/b>future.<\/b> <\/b>It<\/b> <\/b>must<\/b> <\/b>therefore<\/b> <\/b>be<\/b> <\/b>protected<\/b> <\/b>by<\/b> <\/b>society as<\/b> <\/b>a<\/b> <\/b>whole<\/b> <\/b>and<\/b> <\/b>must<\/b> <\/b>be<\/b> <\/b>considered<\/b> <\/b>and<\/b> <\/b>anchored<\/b> <\/b>in<\/b> <\/b>all policy<\/b> <\/b>areas<\/b> <\/b>and<\/b> <\/b>sectors.<\/b><\/p>\n The significance of a cooperatively negotiated, well-funded and durable framework agreement on new global nature conservation goals (Post-2020 Global Bio- diversity Framework, 2022)14<\/span> was recently underlined at the Climate Change Conference in Egypt (COP27, 2022)15<\/span>. The 10MustDos <\/b><\/span>can be a valuable resource for the negotiations at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montr\u00e9al (COP15, 2022)16<\/span>. But not only there! Let\u2019s<\/b> <\/b>solve<\/b> <\/b>the<\/b> <\/b>biodi<\/b>versity, climate, and justice crisis, and build a life-sustain<\/b><\/span>ing<\/b> <\/b>civilisation.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/b> <\/b>MustDo<\/span> <\/strong>1:<\/b><\/span> <\/b>Did you<\/b> <\/b>know<\/b> <\/b>that<\/b> <\/b>in<\/b> <\/b>the<\/b> <\/b>past<\/b> <\/b>10<\/b> <\/b>years,<\/b> <\/b>about<\/b> <\/b>55%<\/b> <\/b>of<\/b> <\/b>the<\/b> <\/b>anthropogenic<\/b> <\/b>green<\/b><\/span>house gas carbon dioxide has been absorbed by all terrestrial ecosystems and the oceans<\/b><\/span>1<\/b><\/span>? <\/b><\/span>We support the<\/b> <\/b>demand<\/b> <\/b>to protect 30% of land and sea areas by 20302<\/span>, to designate a further 20% as climate stabilisa- tion areas3<\/span> (where protection does not necessarily preclude sustainable management), and to restore a billion hectares of degraded ecosystems worldwide. These measures could correspond to 1<\/span>\/<\/span>3<\/span> of the activities required <\/span>to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 de- grees Celcius by 2100 and to conserve 2<\/span>\/3<\/span> of the species that are severely threatened with extinction4<\/span>.<\/p>\n MustDo <\/span>2: <\/span>Did<\/b> <\/b>you<\/b> <\/b>know<\/b> <\/b>that<\/b> <\/b>spending<\/b> <\/b>2<\/b> <\/b>hours<\/b> <\/b>a<\/b> <\/b>week<\/b> <\/b>in<\/b> <\/b>nature<\/b> <\/b>increases<\/b> <\/b>your<\/b> <\/b>health<\/b> <\/b>and<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>well-being<\/b><\/span>1<\/b><\/span>?<\/b><\/span> <\/b>We<\/b> <\/b>call<\/b> <\/b>for<\/b> <\/b>the consistent promotion and integration of biodiversity in urban areas, where already more than half of the world\u2018s population is living today. This strengthens the health of humans, animals, and the environment2<\/span>. Nature-based solutions such as the unsealing of soils, planting of trees (green infrastructures), the renaturalisation or creation of new water bodies (blue infrastructures) improve local air quality, climate and water regulation3,4<\/span>. The rule of thumb 3-30-300 is a suitable target: 3 trees per house, 30% tree canopy in the neighbourhood, 300 metres to the nearest green space5<\/span>.<\/p>\n MustDo <\/span><\/strong>3:<\/b><\/span> <\/b>Did<\/b> <\/b>you<\/b> <\/b>know<\/b> <\/b>that<\/b> <\/b>artificial<\/b> <\/b>light<\/b> <\/b>is<\/b> <\/b>one<\/b> <\/b>of<\/b> <\/b>the<\/b> <\/b>most<\/b> <\/b>important<\/b> <\/b>drivers<\/b> <\/b>of<\/b> <\/b>global <\/b><\/span>change,<\/b><\/span> <\/b>making<\/b><\/span> <\/b>nights<\/b><\/span> <\/b>2<\/b><\/span> <\/b>to<\/b><\/span> <\/b>6%<\/b><\/span> <\/b>brighter<\/b><\/span> <\/b>every<\/b><\/span> <\/b>year<\/b><\/span>1<\/b><\/span>?<\/b><\/span> <\/b>