On 13 March 2024, Alexandra M. Goossens-Ishii of SGI was invited to speak during the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development Roundtable on SDG13, which took place at the United Nations in Geneva. The discussion was attended by about 100 in-person participants. The recording of the event is accessible online via the UN Web TV.
Goossens-Ishii contributed to the second half of the discussion that focused on exploring the ways in which climate change and biodiversity loss can and should be addressed together, with policies having largely tackled these challenges independently. Her remarks focused on the opportunities offered by adopting a human rights based approach to these challenges, highlighting that “it clarifies the roles and responsibilities of states and businesses; it focuses our attention on those people who are currently left furthest behind; it provides institutions and processes for accountability, it catalyzes accelerated action and ensures the mobilization of maximum available resources.”
Climate change and biodiversity loss can and should be addressed together
A keynote presentation was delivered by Thomas Crowther, Professor in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, former Co-chair of the Advisory Board for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and Founder of Restor (a platform for the global restoration movement).
Other speakers included:
Verónica Tomei, Commissioner for Sustainable Development, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, Germany
Teodora Grncarovska, State Counsellor on Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, North Macedonia, and Adjunct Assistant Professor, South East European University
Dan Cronan, Assistant Professor, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York
The roundtable discussion highlighted that the interconnectedness of climate change and biodiversity loss demands integrated policy solutions, including budgeting. Holistic policies require science-based understanding and effective communication on the role of nature. Turning policies into practice calls for integrated planning, nature-based solutions and consensus building.
Participatory approaches foster ownership and knowledge co-production. Collaboration between communities, academia and the private sector builds sustainable, evidence-based policy solutions grounded in social justice and human rights.
Transparency, accountability and inclusive decision-making are essential for successful climate and biodiversity financing. We must increase investment in education on climate resilience and biodiversity action.
