Overcoming the coupled climate and biodiversity crises and their societal impacts

Pörtner HO, Scholes RJ, Arneth A, Barnes DK, Burrows MT, Diamond SE, Duarte CM, Kießling W, Leadley P, Managi S, McElwee P, Midgley G, Ngo HT, Obura D, Pascual U, Sankaran M, Shin YJ, Val AL (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Science American Association for the Advancement of Science

Book Volume: 380

Pages Range: eabl4881-

Journal Issue: 6642

DOI: 10.1126/science.abl4881

Abstract

Earth's biodiversity and human societies face pollution, overconsumption of natural resources, urbanization, demographic shifts, social and economic inequalities, and habitat loss, many of which are exacerbated by climate change. Here, we review links among climate, biodiversity, and society and develop a roadmap toward sustainability. These include limiting warming to 1.5°C and effectively conserving and restoring functional ecosystems on 30 to 50% of land, freshwater, and ocean "scapes." We envision a mosaic of interconnected protected and shared spaces, including intensively used spaces, to strengthen self-sustaining biodiversity, the capacity of people and nature to adapt to and mitigate climate change, and nature's contributions to people. Fostering interlinked human, ecosystem, and planetary health for a livable future urgently requires bold implementation of transformative policy interventions through interconnected institutions, governance, and social systems from local to global levels.

Authors with CRIS profile

Wolfgang Kießling Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt

Involved external institutions

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI) DE Germany (DE) University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) ZA South Africa (ZA) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) DE Germany (DE) University of Cambridge GB United Kingdom (GB) Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) GB United Kingdom (GB) Case Western Reserve University US United States (USA) (US) King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) / جامعة الملك عبد الله للعلوم و التقنية SA Saudi Arabia (SA) Écologie, Systématique et Évolution (ESE) FR France (FR) Kyushu University / 九州大学 JP Japan (JP) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey US United States (USA) (US) University of Stellenbosch / Universiteit van Stellenbosch ZA South Africa (ZA) Zwischenstaatliche Plattform für Biodiversität und Ökosystem-Dienstleistungen / Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) DE Germany (DE) Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) / Basque Excellence Research Centre (BERC) ES Spain (ES) University of Montpellier / Université Montpellier FR France (FR) National Institute for Amazonian Research / Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) BR Brazil (BR)

How to cite

APA:

Pörtner, H.O., Scholes, R.J., Arneth, A., Barnes, D.K., Burrows, M.T., Diamond, S.E.,... Val, A.L. (2023). Overcoming the coupled climate and biodiversity crises and their societal impacts. Science, 380(6642), eabl4881-. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abl4881

MLA:

Pörtner, H. O., et al. "Overcoming the coupled climate and biodiversity crises and their societal impacts." Science 380.6642 (2023): eabl4881-.

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