We live in times of multiple entwined crises – but our policy responses aren’t keeping up

Thu, 6 Feb 2025 05:33:37 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/we-live-in-times-of-multiple-entwined-crises-but-our-policy-responses-arent-keeping-up-247180>

"Existing policies to tackle environmental challenges fail to take into account
that biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution are intertwined crises and
produce compounding and intensifying impacts.

Policy measures taken in isolation are likely to result in unintended
consequences.

These are key findings of two major assessment reports by the Intergovernmental
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released
late last year.

One report lays out a framework for transformative change. The other, known as
the Nexus assessment, highlights links between biodiversity loss, water
quality, food security, health risks and climate change.

Both assessments focus on feedbacks and cascading issues which collectively
lead to a polycrisis. The Nexus assessment encapsulates this:

Biodiversity loss and climate change are interdependent and produce
compounding impacts that threaten human health and human wellbeing.

The reports argue that transformative change is urgent and necessary, but also
feasible, to achieve a just and sustainable world. They encourage weaving
Indigenous knowledge with science to promote a more comprehensive and connected
approach and to limit unintended consequences."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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