From as yet undiscovered biodiversity to resilient forests and the impact of food consumption on nature, 64 experts from a total of 52 German and international research institutions, including the IAMO, have now published their knowledge and recommendations in the form of "10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science" for 2024. The Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity's new report provides policymakers and society with concrete ways to effectively conserve and sustainably use biodiversity at the local, national, and European levels and thereby also mitigate climate change. With this publication, the researchers contribute current scientific facts to the debate on the German National Biodiversity Strategy, which is to be adopted before the next United Nations Biodiversity Conference in autumn 2024.
To implement the 23 global biodiversity targets agreed by United Nations member states at the UN Biodiversity Conference in December 2022 (COP 15), the German National Biodiversity Strategy 2030 is currently being developed. The strategy aims to preserve and protect biodiversity in Germany. In order to provide up-to-date facts from the scientific community, the first version of the "10 Must Knows" from 2022 was expanded to include numerous aspects and brought up to date with the help of current literature. The new report addresses, among other things, how the impact of food consumption on biodiversity can be reduced in concrete terms.
The "10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2024" are:
1. Achieving climate and biodiversity protection together
2. Enabling a healthy life on a healthy planet
3. Considering undiscovered biodiversity
4. Linking linguistic, cultural and biological diversity
5. Harmonising the diverse use of forest ecosystems and biodiversity conservation
6. Transforming agricultural and food systems
7. Protecting land and resources
8. Releasing transformative change through international collaboration and Education for Sustainable Development
9. Ensuring free access and open use of biodiversity-related data
10. Reducing biodiversity impacts from food consumption
The BMBF Research Initiative for the Conservation of Biodiversity (FEdA) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig collaborated on the project. The "10 Must Knows" were commented on by experts from politics, administration, science and associations before publication.
The Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity (Leibniz Biodiversity) combines the expertise of 18 Leibniz institutions in the environmental, social, life, spatial, and economic sciences as well as the humanities to develop sustainable solutions. IAMO is a member of this network and was responsible for the development of the "10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science" for 2024.
The report "10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2024" can be viewed here.
