Page - 325 - in Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

325 14.6 Conclusions Within the last decade much emphasis has been placed on the individual linkages between (1) biodiversity and climate change, (2) biodiversity and health, and (3) health and climate. But so far addressing the three issues together is rare even though they are closely inter-related. Ultimately joint indicators and metrics need to be found to be slotted into sectoral policies. Integrative research is urgently needed to better understand the triangular rela- tionship between biodiversity in all its forms, levels and inter-relations, climate change effects (temperature and precipitation) and health, taking into account the ‘One Health Approach’ that goes beyond considering only human health by looking at the entire system. As evidenced in this volume, there are many opportunities for synergies to tackle public health, biodiversity and climate change adaptation. International and regional conventions as well as international organisations and government programmes are increasingly addressing these issues jointly. They should be encouraged to go fur- ther in order to benefit from possible synergies and to avoid detrimental outcomes for society by either no action or by not taking into account aspects beyond a single sector. The World Health Organization already liaises with the global conventions  – CBD, Ramsar as well as UNFCCC  – and this cooperation could be strengthened. Synergies between the conventions on the issue of climate change, its possible impact on health and how well managed biodiversity could help human societies to better cope with the expected changes need to be further explored and developed. Alignment with the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development will further foster joint working. A specific IPBES assessment on biodiversity and health, with associated sce- nario development under a changing climate, would be very helpful to provide a single up-to-date, policy-relevant document on the issue that could guide further policy development and the international research agenda. Acknowledgements This work was supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU) through the research project “Conferences on Climate Change and Biodiversity” (BIOCLIM, project duration from 2014 to 2017, funding code: 3514 80 020A). References Bellard C, Bertelsmeier C, Leadley P, Thuiller W, Courchamp F (2012) Impacts of climate change on the future of biodiversity. Ecol Lett 15(4):365–377 Brundtland Commission (1987) World commission on environment and development: our com- mon future. Oxford University Press, New  York 14 Global Developments: Policy Support for  Linking Biodiversity, Health and  Climate…