Karina Custódio*
Carlos Durigan, a geographer and researcher at IPAM (Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia), has been working on socio-environmental projects for over 30 years. He discusses how humanity has become the main cause of the biodiversity crisis, indicates possible ways forward and comments on international efforts to reduce damage to species, including humans.
What are the main causes of the biodiversity crisis?
There are several aspects related to the generation of this crisis, but the main cause is the combination of the destruction of natural landscapes and the pressure of massive and uncontrolled use of natural resources , which are factors mentioned by IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services).
The destruction and degradation of these landscapes and the use of natural resources without proper management are a major threat, as they are home not only to humans, but also to many species. This is leading to an erosion of the existing set of species, an imbalance between them. This is leading to an increase in the population of more resilient species and the reduction and extinction of many other species.
IPBES itself estimates that around one million species are currently under some degree of threat.
As with the climate crisis, which is basically caused by human beings, this is the first time that a single species, humans, has been responsible for a crisis that threatens the survival of thousands of other species.
How is the climate crisis related to the biodiversity crisis?
There is a process of anthropization of the planet. With the increase in population and the way we live and produce since the industrial revolution, large-scale impacts have been generated. This is the source of all the environmental crises we are currently experiencing.
At first glance, the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis are happening in parallel. The increase in actions that degrade the planet has affected populations of various organisms, whether through overexploitation of certain species, hunting, fishing, habitat destruction or contamination. Until now, these causes were common to both the climate and biodiversity crises.
In recent decades, we have begun to suffer the consequences of the climate crisis, the warming of the planet, the reduction of rainfall in some places, the melting of ice caps, all of which has also begun to interfere with the life and survival of some species.
Can you name some examples?
It’s what’s happening to coral reefs with bleaching in various parts of the planet, which is related to a chemical and temperature change in the waters. This is already a consequence of global warming.
There are also issues related to the deformation of cycles, of more or less rainfall, of atmospheric water circulation, of regions that are turning into more arid areas. This is also beginning to affect the survival of many species, as it creates a very challenging scenario for the species that live in these areas.
Some of the processes caused by the climate crisis are not yet well understood. But there are hypotheses that these changes, such as rising temperatures, reduced rainfall and water stress, are causing plant species, for example, to flower at different times than in the past, or not to flower at all, or to lack pollinators.
Is it possible to reverse the biodiversity crisis?
This is a very big challenge facing us. Through the Biodiversity Convention, ways have been sought to establish some criteria that could mitigate the loss of biodiversity.
An agreement was reached at the Biodiversity COP in Montreal in 2022, where the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework was built. Just as the Paris Agreement was a milestone for the Climate Conventions, the Kunming-Montreal Agreement was a milestone for the Biodiversity Conventions.
A number of targets were set to reduce the impacts that are jeopardizing the survival of many species. From this, the idea is that we can, if not reverse, at least mitigate the mass extinction that is underway.
What points do you highlight from this agreement?
One of the goals states that we need to protect at least 30% of the planet’s natural environments, a figure to be achieved by 2030.
In addition to reducing the influence of the agents that cause the most problems for biodiversity, such as the use of pesticides or agrochemicals, reducing pollution and preventing and controlling invasive alien species. At the same time, the aim is to set up financial funds to support conservation actions.
It is important to maintain the highest percentage of intact natural areas on the planet, because this is an element that is part of the cause and effect relationship: the more living and healthy forests, the more the climate crisis is reduced. This improves the quality of life, the quality of ecosystem services and, obviously, the chances of survival of many species that live in these natural landscapes, reducing the biodiversity crisis.
Is the Kunming-Montreal Agreement being fulfilled?
There are almost 200 countries that have signed the agreement and made commitments to establish this agenda. Brazil itself has sought to strengthen several of the agendas related to these targets. For example, the process of allocating public land to conservation and management areas.
But I believe we still have a lot to do, because although some fronts are moving forward, progress is always stalled. It’s as if the car was moving with the handbrake on.
There are sectors of society that have yet to be convinced of the importance of developing actions to reduce our ecological footprint on the planet. There is still a lot of resistance and this ends up having an impact on potential public policies that could be moving more smoothly.
Are there any specific discussions on biodiversity planned for COP30?
At the COP in Cali, the idea emerged that the conventions should become more integrated, the idea being that there should be room for discussion in order to seek convergence.
The issue of adaptation needs to be an agenda that works with the aggregation of concepts and goals established in other agendas too, such as the goal of conserving 30% of natural landscapes. There will probably be forums for conversations that involve bringing in the agenda established in Montreal, so that some elements can begin to be incorporated into the climate agenda.
Mainly, in my opinion, this issue related to the protection of natural environments. The TFF (Tropical Forests Forever Fund) agenda itself is directly related to the issue of biodiversity, involving the protection of territories. As well as promoting actions aimed at involving low-impact productive actions, i.e. using biodiversity without causing it to die out.
Communications Analyst*