The Lima Declaration on Biodiversity and Climate Change: Contributions from Science to Policy for Sustainable Development
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Secretariat of the CBD Technical Series No. 89 Convention on Biological Diversity THE89 LIMA DECLARATION ON BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: Contributions from Science to Policy for Sustainable Development CBD Technical Series No. 89 The Lima Declaration on Biodiversity and Climate Change: Contributions from Science to Policy for Sustainable Development February 2017 Published by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity ISBN: 978-9292256531 (Print version) ISBN: 978-9292256548 (Web version) Copyright © 2017, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views reported in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Convention on Biological Diversity. This publication may be reproduced for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holders, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The Secretariat of the Convention would appreciate receiving a copy of any publications that use this document as a source. Citation Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2017) The Lima Declaration on Biodiversity and Climate Change: Contributions from Science to Policy for Sustainable Development. Technical Series No.89. (Eds L. Rodríguez & I. Anderson) Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, 156 pages. For further information, please contact: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity 413 St. Jacques Street, Suite 800 Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 1N9 Phone: 1(514) 288 2220 Fax: 1(514) 288 6588 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.cbd.int Typesetting: Em Dash Design Cover photos courtesy of : Franz Dejon, centre photo courtesy of CIMA-Cordillera Azul FOREWORD Addressing climate change and the loss of biodiversity are key challenges for humanity in the 21st Century. They are also closely interlinked. Climate change is already impacting biodiversity, and is projected to become a major cause of biodiversity loss, causing shifts in the distribution of species and ecosystems, and increased risk of extinctions. But biodiversity is not simply a victim of climate change; it must also be part of the solution: biodiversity enhances ecosystem resilience, contributing to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. This calls for mutually supportive implementation of the nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the national biodiversity strategies and action plans under the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The scientific basis of these linkages, and their policy implications, are considered in this volume. The various contributions are based on the presentations at the Symposium on Biodiversity and Climate Change, contributions from science to policy, held in Lima, Peru in November 2014. The CBD Secretariat expresses its appreciation to the IAI and Contributions to the environmental objectives of Peru (ProAmbiente)" from the German Cooperation, implemented by the deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), co-organizers of the Symposium, to all participants and authors, and to our host, Peru. As President of the 20th session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, Peru played a pivotal role not only in supporting negotiations towards the Paris Agreement, but also in highlighting the crucial role of biodiversity in efforts to combat climate change. David Cooper Deputy Executive Secretary Convention on Biological Diversity 3 PREFACE It is evident that the worsening of climate change and its impact on all forms of life on earth demand for both, science and policy, boosting cooperation mechanisms and fluid and timely communication. This will allow society to address the negative effects, adapt to the changes that will inevitably affect our life quality, and to weigh the benefits that may result from such changes. Cooperation between science and policy should take place both in the design of measures to promote science, in the design of regulatory frameworks and economic, social and environmental policy, seeking to change the behavior of individuals. The Symposium “Biodiversity and Climate Change, Contributions from Science to Policy”, organized prior to the 20th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP 20), held in Lima, offered an extraordinary opportunity to share different perspectives about the implications of climate change on biodiversity. It not only discussed the nature of the threat, but also identified common challenges, alternative solutions and potential partnerships which can contribute to developing joint measures of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, as well as the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Symposium was attended by prominent scientists from Europe, the Americas and Peru, who had the opportunity to exchange information and disseminate their latest findings on biodiversity and climate change. The event was particularly helpful to share the results of prominent research on the characteristics, vulnerability and potential for resilience found in Amazonian Rainforest, Andean Mountains and marine ecosystems with the international scientific community and Peruvian government representatives. The German Cooperation, implemented by GIZ, through its programme “Contribution to the Environmental Objectives of Peru (ProAmbiente)”, found in this meeting an enabling environment for a dialogue between scientists and policy makers, and to improve the general conditions for the application of research results in the sustainable use and future conservation of forest, mountain, marine ecosystems and environmental gradients, in face of climate change. As an output of this fruitful meeting, organized in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), this document offers the contributions from the scientific community to the understanding of biodiversity and carbon flux in tropical ecosystems; the impact of climate change on biodiversity and the local populations, the methodologies to understand them, as well as some ecosystem-based solutions and other approaches to cope with climate change. Silke Spohn, GIZ – Pro Ambiente Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GmbH, ProAmbiente 4 Global changes are impacting societies in ways that are largely unknown and may have irreversible consequences for the survival of many species in the wild and the health and well-being of human communities. The timeliness of this publication, which presents new insights on the mechanisms aligning science to policy for sustainable development, should not be underestimated. National policy grounded in science provides for effective regulatory frameworks, the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources and more security for local communities and indigenous peoples whose livelihoods most depend on biological resources. Discussions held at the Symposium on Biodiversity and Climate Change, Contributions from Science to Policy, which took place on the margins of the 20th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 27 to 28 November 2014 in Lima, Peru, focused on how science can provide the information needed to understand the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and how biodiversity can influence the vulnerability or resilience of ecosystems to those changes. TheSymposium , organized by the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), the National Council for Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (CONCYTEC) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the programme “Contributions to the environmental objectives of Peru (ProAmbiente)” from the German Cooperation, implemented by the deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), brought together an international group of scientists who provided insights into possible solutions posed by these global changes, especially in the design and implementation of national regulatory frameworks which take into account the need to reduce vulnerability and understand the need to adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts, particularly on biodiversity and ecosystems. The results of discussions presented in this volume are an invaluable resource in information and data urgently needed for actions at the national, regional and international levels to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change on ecosystems and their services and ensure that the richness of biological resources are conserved for future generations to come. The IAI is grateful to its Peruvian partners, the CBD Secretariat, the GIZ, all Symposium participants and contributing authors of this CBD Technical Series publication. Such collaboration among many academic researchers and environmental organizations is uniquely beneficial and offers the scientific and policy making communities the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of