Page - v - in Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

v Foreword I The biosphere underlies the whole sustainable development concept, as the layer on which society and the economy rely. Nature and biodiversity fuel the natural cycles and life-support systems of the planet, on which humanity ultimately depends. Crucially, human health and well-being depend on functional ecosystems and the services they provide. That is why the Convention on Biological Diversity sets out the vision that biodiversity is to be valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet, and delivering benefits essential for all people, including good health. Indeed, managing, restoring and pro- tecting nature in both rural and urban areas provide multiple benefits to human societies. Ecosystem-based approaches to climate change, nature-based solutions for food production, and green infrastructure in cities and elsewhere all contribute to several societal objectives and have a great potential to positively affect human health. However, it is well known that the world is facing a steady and dramatic rate of biodiversity loss from human causes, which may have severe consequences to human health and put in question a range of the Sustainable Development Goals. Further, we live in a context of climate change, which, on the one hand, impacts both health and biodiversity and, on the other, requires thriving ecosystems deliver- ing for mitigation and adaptation. It is thus timely and important to stress the link- ages and interdependencies of the climate-biodiversity-health nexus. Recognizing our fundamental reliance on nature and the value of the services it provides to human health offers increased opportunities for the biodiversity agenda, be it in urban spaces, rural areas, or protected areas. In essence, we need innovative ways to tackle the biodiversity crisis and the societal challenges it contributes to, including exploring nature-based solutions that foster public health and biodiversity conservation. The alignment of the health and biodiversity agendas presents an opportunity to transcend institutional and sectoral siloes and to allow different com- munities to join forces. A coalition of partners from sectors such as public health, nature conservation, urban planning, tourism, climate adaptation and others would be a promising avenue to help pave the way for the transition to sustainability.