For decades, the Amazon River has defined the life, economy, and borders of the “Triple Frontier” (Colombia, Brazil, Peru). However, new hydrological measurements reveal a geomorphological shift: the Amazon’s main channel is actively migrating south, leaving the Colombian bank high and dry.

According to recent data from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNAL), the deviation is no longer a slow geological process—it is an accelerated crisis. What before was a 30 %, today is only 16.9% of the Amazon River’s water flows through the Colombian channel, while the vast majority (over 83%) has diverted toward the Peruvian coast.

This is not just a story of climate change. It is a story of 20 years of overlooked science and a sudden diplomatic crisis over a new island that has literally redrawn the map: Isla Santa Rosa. 

Why is it happening? A Tale of Three Islands

To understand why this city is losing its access to the Amazon, we must look at three specific geological formations that are acting as the architects of this tragedy.

1. Isla Ronda (The Diverter): Upstream at the Nazareth Bifurcation, this massive island is the root cause. It has grown to a point where it is physically pushing the river’s main current into the southern (Peruvian) channel.
2. Isla de la Fantasía (The Wall): Located directly in front of Leticia’s port, this sediment trap has stabilized into a permanent barrier, blocking the city from the river and turning the harbor into a stagnant backwater.
3. Isla Santa Rosa (The Dispute): This is the new geopolitical dilemma. A massive formation that emerged in the river, it is now the center of a diplomatic difference between Colombia and Peru. While Colombia historically accessed the river here, the shifting channel has led Peru to claim jurisdiction over the island, increasing the isolation of Leticia.

The result is that the “port” of Leticia is increasingly becoming a stagnant backwater lagoon, accessible only by small boats during high water and completely cut off during the dry season.

The Accelerator: Climate Change and the Super-Droughts

While river meandering is a natural process, the speed of this shift is intensified by the global climate crisis. The historic droughts of 2023 and 2024, driven by intense El Niño events and Atlantic warming, lowered river levels to record minimums.

During these low-water periods, the weak current in the Colombian channel lost the hydraulic power needed to “flush” out the sediment. Sandbars that usually wash away in the rainy season have instead calcified and vegetated, turning temporary obstacles into permanent landmasses.

Implications: Beyond the Water Line

The deviation of the Amazon is not merely a logistical inconvenience; it is a systemic shock to the region’s hydrology and biology.

1. Ecological Collapse of Wetlands (The Yahuarcaca System)

The most urgent ecological threat is to the Yahuarcaca Lakes, a complex wetland system just upstream from Leticia. These lakes are not fed by rain, but by the “pulse” of the Amazon River, which recharges them via underground channels and seasonal overflow.

• The Risk: As the main channel moves to Peru, the hydraulic pressure required to fill these lakes diminishes, affecting the primary production for the local ecosystem and serving as a model for how floodplain lakes sustain the wider basin. 
• The Impact: If these lakes disconnect permanently, the primary nursery for the region’s fish populations and the hunting grounds for the endemic Pink River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) is lost. For indigenous communities like the Tikuna and Cocama, this is not just an environmental loss; it is the erasure of their “amphibious culture” and food security.

2. The Geopolitical Dilemma (The Moving Talweg)

The border between Colombia and Peru was fixed by the 1922 Salomón-Lozano Treaty, based on the river’s Talweg—the line of deepest flow. But rivers are dynamic, and treaties are static.

• The Question: If the deep channel permanently shifts kilometers into Peruvian territory, does the border move with it? Or does Colombia retain sovereignty over a dry riverbed?
• The Flashpoint: The emergence of Isla Santa Rosa is a symptom of this ambiguity. Peru claims it is an island in their river; Colombia claims it is part of the historic channel. This geological confusion has now escalated into a diplomatic stalemate.

Conclusion: The Point of No Return?

The tragedy of Leticia is that this hydrological change was a chronicle of a shift foretold.

Since the early 2000s, researchers from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia warned that the Amazon was behaving as an anastomosing river—a multi-channel system prone to rapid switching. They prescribed specific engineering interventions, such as submerged spurs (espolones) and strategic dredging at the Nazareth Strait, to guide the flow back to Colombia.

Those plans were ignored. Now, the region faces an unavoidable choice between two difficult paths:

1. The “Hard” Path (Geo-engineering): Attempting to reverse nature. This would require a massive, binational dredging operation and the construction of river training structures. However, the “tipping point” may have already been reached, where the sediment consolidation at Isla Ronda is so advanced that the river no longer has the energy to be redirected, making this an uphill battle.
2. The “Soft” Path (Adaptation): Accepting that Leticia is no longer a river port. This implies a radical transformation of the city’s economy, shifting away from river commerce and potentially relocating the port facilities kilometers away to a point where the channel is stable—effectively acknowledging that the river has left.

Ultimately, the Amazon teaches a humbling lesson: water does not respect political borders or human infrastructure. Whether through immediate, high-cost engineering or painful adaptation, Colombia must act. If the sediments settle, Leticia will not just be a city without a river—it will be a monument to the cost of ignoring science.

References:

• Periódico UNAL (2024). “El río Amazonas se sigue desviando hacia Perú: nueva medición muestra que hoy Colombia solo tiene el 16,9 % de sus aguas.” Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
• El País (2025). “El problema ambiental que amenaza con dejar al puerto colombiano de Leticia sin conexión al río Amazonas.” El País América Colombia.
• InfoAmazonia (2025). “La advertencia científica de hace décadas sobre el río Amazonas y Leticia que fue ignorada.”InfoAmazonia.
• La Silla Vacía (2025). “Colombia se quedó atrasado en corregir la dinámica del río Amazonas.” La Silla Vacía.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2002). “Amazon River, Leticia – Image ISS004-E-12730.” NASA Gateway to Astronaut Photography.
• BBC Future (2025). “The photos showing why pink dolphins are the Amazon’s great thieves.” (Image Credit: Thomas Peschak).
• Historia y Región (2016). “La ocupación peruana de Puerto Leticia.” (Map Reference).
• Facebook Archive. “Historical Press Release on Amazon Deviation.” (Image Reference).
• Wikimedia Commons. “Map of the Salomon-Lozano Treaty.” (Public Domain).

The post The River That Left: Geomorphological Shift and the Drying of Colombia’s Amazon Port appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

With an academic with a background in Environmental Sciences and currently pursuing my Master’s in Global Change Ecology – where I study the complex interactions between climate, ecosystems, and policy – I used to think that simply providing more information would help everyone agree on pressing issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability. Yet, despite overwhelming research and facts, many people still aren’t aware of—or can’t access—this knowledge. So, how do we bridge the gap between research and real-world impact?

First, let us look at the ones who are not aware. It wasn’t until recently, when I attended a science communication course, that I realized how often we academics are stuck in our bubble, thinking things like “Ah, everyone knows what climate change is!” But is that true? According to a climate opinion survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication in 31 countries, four out of ten people had never heard of climate change before. In many parts of the Global South, people are unaware of climate change and do not understand it is human-caused. As a result, there isn’t enough public demand to pressure political parties to take action.

So, how do you do that? As with most things, there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” solution, but here are a few pointers that can help if you aim to build a bridge between science and society:

1. Target the right audience – Who do you want to communicate with? Do you have a specific age group or working group in mind? The more specific you can be about your audience, the more strategic—and relatable—your content can become. Remember: when you try to target everyone, you end up reaching no one.
2. Don’t just preach—listen! – We often assume that simply presenting all the information we have will solve the problem. But would you believe a friend who says, “Starbucks makes the best coffee in the world”? Probably not. However, if that friend said, “I’ve heard Starbucks might have the best coffee—do you want to try it with me and see if that’s true?” then you’d be more open to giving it a shot. This kind of relationship-building is important when communicating about topics like climate change. Stay humble, and don’t try to change someone’s entire worldview in one go. Would you like it if someone imposed their beliefs on you without understanding your perspective?
3. Make it personal – We all relate to things better when there is a personal experience involved. This approach is also helpful when you’re creating content that you want to have a meaningful impact on the people it’s intended for.
4. Be realistic, focused, and engaging – I’ve often found myself starting with one topic in mind, then realizing halfway through that it’s morphing into something completely different by the end. Don’t do this! Have a clear structure from the start. Stay realistic, remain focused, and sprinkle in anecdotes that your audience can relate to.
5. Everyone loves visuals – “A picture is worth a thousand words,” and we all know the power of visuals, whether it’s a graph or a scientific cartoon.

For me, it wasn’t easy as an academic to bridge this gap, and it certainly takes time. But nobody is perfect and you have got to start somewhere. With practice you will get better! Picture a specific person you’d like to talk to about your topic, and keep them in mind while writing. Don’t give up—play around with these tips and tricks to see what works best for you!

This Blog entry was Edited by: Dr. Laura Sommer

Source to header image: https://sites.rutgers.edu/scipolru/resources/science-communication/

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Although economic and social impacts are more apparent, the effects the pandemic has had on the environment and biodiversity are substantial. The Global Risks Report 2022 shows that, since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, risks such as human environmental damage, biodiversity loss, extreme weather, and climate action failure, have worsened by 7.8%, 8.4%, 22.7%, and 25.4%, respectively. Furthermore, climate change failure and extreme weather will soon become a critical threat to the world, followed by biodiversity loss, natural resources crises, and human environmental damage. These five represent 50% of the top ten most severe risks on a global scale.

Nonetheless, the risks are not isolated in themselves, generating repercussions to other risks and vice-versa. For instance, biodiversity losses impact not only their environment and habitats, but also have effects on livelihood crises, infectious diseases spread, and pollution harms to health, to mention a few. International cooperation is essential on directing efforts and resources to mitigate the current reality and potentially change future scenarios before those risks become irreversible or self-reinforcing.

For further insights, you can read the Global Risks Report 2022 clicking here, and watch below the Press Conference of The Global Risks Report 2022, where the speakers discuss key findings from the report:

The post The Global Risks Report 2022: A call for awakening appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

BiodiverCities by 2030(1) is an initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute with the Government of Colombia. Together, the organizations gathered a large group of world-renowned experts and professionals from many sectors to use the latest research to improve and have a more inclusive nature-positive urban development. Although there has always been a dichotomy between cities and nature, it is now time to understand and apply nature-positive technologies to urban environments. World statistics show that, by 2030, 60% of the global population will be living in cities (2; 3). The consequences of increasing rural exodus can be positive and negative, ranging from improving lives to exacerbating inequalities and nature degradation. As the world still deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change, it has become increasingly clear how unsustainable our ways of urbanization have been.

In this context, the BiodiverCities by 2030 report states that we must rethink and restructure our cities in a way that rescues nature’s value by bringing harmony and synergy to this dichotomy, and ensuring conservation, sustainability, and health as well as scientific and economic development. In fact, the report finds that investing in nature-based solutions could generate over 59 million jobs in cities around the world and achieve more than $1.5 trillion in annual business value by 2030. One of their key-findings was that the adoption of nature-based solutions is an opportunity that will lead to more resilient and competitive cities.

The report is structured in three main chapters. The first addresses cities’ relationship with nature, covering how the fast expansion of the urban environment has proven to be destructive for the natural environment. They also discuss the importance of cities for the global GDP and  how cities’ impact on nature can also be a critical economic problem, before concluding with a brighter perspective of how the cities of tomorrow can bring healing through nature-positive infrastructure alternatives for urban development. The second covers the economic case for BiodiverCities, advocating further for nature-based urban transformation, showing examples of investment and job opportunities by sector, and how their relevance differs by region. And the third chapter discusses three fundamental systemic shifts towards a nature-positive urban development: urban governance, spatial (re)integration, and investment mobilization. In the end, they conclude with a call for multistakeholder action.

To bring nature forward, respect it, and live in harmony with it should be at the core of our lives and our cities. There, it can only have benefits and growth for the planet, for us, and for future generations. BiodiverCities by 2030 is an incredible initiative with ties to SDG11. Hopefully their message will spread to many nations, improving people’s health and the economy while recognizing planetary boundaries.

The BiodiverCities by 2030 report can be found clicking here. Something to note is that GCE Alumna María Mejía was involved with the BiodiverCities by 2030 Initiative at the National Research Institute of Biodiversity of Colombia. You can read her GCE Alumni interview here.

References

1 BiodiverCities by 2030

2 Destatis – Statistisches Bundesamt (2022)

3 UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs Population Dynamics – World Urbanization Prospects 2018

The post Bringing Nature Forward: The BiodiverCities by 2030 report appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

Ecosystem degradation

Human-induced ecosystem degradation has been going on for a long time. It does not only harm nature and wildlife, but also us humans, as our wellbeing is closely linked to ecosystem health. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s population is affected by ecosystem degradation in one form or another, with the greatest impact falling on poor and vulnerable people [2]. Ecosystem degradation takes on many forms, including land use change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species [2]. The exploitation of natural resources and degradation of ecosystems is happening under ever-accelerating rates – and we are now at risk of reaching tipping points in some ecosystems [2]. Past these points, our ecosystems cannot recover to their natural state anymore. Degraded ecosystems cannot provide us with the same essential ecosystem services any longer and lose their biodiversity and integrity [2].

The degradation of ecosystems has gone so far that simply protecting what is left is not enough. As the UN puts it, “we need more nature” [2]. This can be achieved by restoring the ecosystems that we have destroyed. Ecosystem restoration is defined by the UN as “the process of halting and reversing degradation, resulting in improved ecosystem services and recovered biodiversity” [2]. Engaging with this process looks different around the world, as the action needed depends on local conditions [2].

What the UN does about it

To raise awareness of this issue and combat ecosystem degradation as well as biodiversity loss, the UN initiated the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This was decided on in a resolution by the UN General Assembly in March 2019 [2]. Its aim is to “prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide” [3], while contributing to combat poverty, climate change, and the current mass extinction. The UN emphasizes that large-scale ecosystem restoration worldwide is needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 [3]. Ecosystem restoration can also have direct economic benefits. By the numbers: it is estimated that for every dollar spent on ecosystem restoration, between three and 75$ are returned in form of ecosystem goods and services [3]. Furthermore, ecosystem restoration can contribute immensely to climate change mitigation and future resilience against climate change, reduce the risk of future pandemics, increase food security, and halt biodiversity loss [2].

One of the main goals of this UN Decade is to enhance the understanding of these benefits of successful ecosystem restoration and to include this knowledge in education as well as public and private sector decision-making [3]. Besides this, a goal is to strengthen the commitments and actions on ecosystem restorations at various levels world-wide [3]. The vision of the UN Decade is “a world where – for the health and wellbeing of all life on Earth and that of future generations – the relationship between humans and nature has been restored, where the area of healthy ecosystems is increasing, and where ecosystem loss, fragmentation and degradation has been ended” [3].

Yet, there is currently too little political support and technical capacity to achieve the necessary large-scale changes worldwide. Therefore, the UN Decade works to support governments, NGOs and stakeholders to achieve the vision [3]. They do this, for example, by raising awareness, furthering research and monitoring of global restoration progress, building technical capacity, and creating a platform for actions to take place [3]. UN members are encouraged to integrate ecosystem restoration into national policies and plans, enhance implementation of ecosystem protection and restoration by mobilising resources, and enable scientific research on the impacts of restoration [3]. The UN Decade can also be seen as a catalyser for a decentralized global movement to protect and restore nature [3]. For this, we need people that participate and do the actual work of restoring ecosystems locally – not only during the UN Decade, but also well after 2030.

Taking action

Ecosystem restoration can take on many forms and depends on the ecosystem and its status. Approaches can include repairing the damage that was done to the ecosystem or removing the drivers of ecosystem degradation, thereby inducing the ecosystem to repair itself [2]. All these approaches require time and resources, enabling policies, and knowledge [2]. Ten principals are meant to guide the restoration actions of the UN Decade:

The UN has also published an “Ecosystem Restoration Playbook”, in which it outlines how you can get involved. Examples are creating, joining, or donating to a restoration project, cleaning up your local ecosystem, greening your home, or buying sustainable products. You can also spread the word and raise awareness about ecosystem degradation and restoration. If you take action and become part of the #GenerationRestoration movement, you can make a pledge online. On the UN Decade’s website you can also take an interactive journey through various ecosystems and find upcoming events. Some of them take place online and are free to join!

References:

[1] https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-decades , last accessed 10.10.2021

[2] UNEP (2021). Becoming #GenerationRestoration: Ecosystem restoration for people, nature and climate. Nairobi. Available online: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/publications/becoming-generationrestoration-ecosystem-restoration-people-nature-and-climate  

[3] UNEP and FAO (2020). Strategy for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Available online: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/strategy  

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Various Events at COP26

The COP conference is divided into Blue Zone and Green Zone. While the Blue Zone is only accessible for accredited participants, the Green Zone is open to the public. Within the Blue Zone, several negotiations and side events are taking place. They’re designated into either open or closed meetings. The closed meetings are not open to the observers, but this group can participate in open meetings with the compliance of the Covid-19 Code of Conduct. On the 1st and 2nd of November, UNFCCC launched a ticket system for NGO badge holders in light of the capacity limit in different negotiation rooms. The ticket collection process was very chaotic and confusing in the beginning, given that no one had experience with this pandemic-specific rule before and the organizers did not communicate instructions adequately. The ticket system was lifted after the World Leaders Summit; however, every negotiation room allows only for one representative from nine different NGO constituencies. The University of Bayreuth belongs to RINGO (Research and Independent NGOs), and it is highly recommended to attend the RINGO coordination meetings every morning for scheduling, as well as added information for any special events that take place and need to adopt the ticket system again.  

Apart from the negotiation and consultation for the technical details in the Agreements, there is a broad range of events organized by the UNFCCC secretariat and different pavilions. Some parties and organizations have their own pavilion, while some share with others. The pavilions provide a space for networking, experience sharing, panel discussions, and open dialogue between participants and experts. It’s very interesting to wander around different pavilions and see various projects and initiatives coming from the bottom-up. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that some of the host organizations are trying to promote certain ideas, so the messages that they deliver can be quite one-sided. On the other hand, the official side events from UNFCCC include different voices from various groups. It was more interesting for us to attend different side events and listen to both affirmative and negative sides.

Achievements in the first week

COP26 was kick-started by the World Leaders Summit on Monday. After the first week of negotiations, four main commitments were made in COP26:

1. 134 countries, covering 91% of the world’s forests, agreed to halt deforestation and land degradation by 2030.
2. 103 countries signed up for the Global Methane Pledge to cut 30% of methane emissions by 2030.
3. 40 countries have signed up for the Glasgow Breakthroughs, aiming to make green technologies affordable, accessible, and attractive globally by 2030. It focuses on five polluted sectors, including power, road transport, steel, hydrogen, and agriculture.
4. Over 450 of the world’s largest banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and many more finance-related institutions have committed to the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ). Signatories have committed to reporting on the annual carbon emissions related to their investments. The alliance does not include requirements to divest from fossil fuels, for example. In total, a sum of $ 130 trillion is covered under GFANZ, an equivalent of 40% of global GDP.

In addition to that, individual countries also ramped up their ambitions and made new commitments to curb carbon emission and mobilize climate finance. For example, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi pledged to net zero by 2070. Additionally, new commitments came from the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, Australia, Norway, Ireland, and Luxembourg related to climate finance, contributing to closing the gap and probably delivering the promised $100 billion to developing countries every year by 2023.

Making progress but still not enough

We are witnessing progress at COP26. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted that temperature will rise 1.8 degrees if all the updated targets and pledges on the table are met. Before COP26, the climate action tracker projected that we are on a warming trajectory of  2.7 ℃. From 2.7  ℃ to 1.8  ℃ is great progress, but it’s still not enough. The latest IPCC report clearly stated anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have largely changed the climate system and are directly linked to extreme weather hazards. Each additional degree of warming will no doubt increase and magnify natural disasters and might induce some devasting compound extreme events. It’s the code red for humanity. For many geographically vulnerable and least economically developed countries, 1.5 ℃ does not represent a choice but  a right to survival.

Moreover, most climate finance flows into projects that reduce carbon emissions instead of helping people adapt to the new climate. Adaptation accounts for less than 10 % of the global landscape of climate finance. Wealthy countries favor mitigation projects because success is easier and measurable. Another reason is that mitigation projects can be loan-based and the return is foreseen. If the world leaders can’t fix the disproportionate difference between mitigation and adaptation, it’s clear that climate justice still takes a distant back seat. Another uncertainty we must keep in mind is how the leaders bring their commitments back home and implement them in policies and laws. How to keep countries accountable would rely on the various mechanisms in the Paris Agreement, such as the ratchet mechanism and global stocktake. Much more technical details must be discussed in the second week. Thus, we should not be satisfied with the current outcomes. The more we get comfort from our achievement, the closer we get to failure. 

The post COP26 Summary of Week 1 appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

Human influence on the climate is “unequivocal” and “unprecedented”
The science is clear: human activities have caused significant changes across the atmosphere, ocean, and land at a scale that is largely unparalleled in Earth’s history. Since 1750, anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have continued to rise. Currently, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are higher than any time in the last 2 million years, and other greenhouse gases like methane are at concentrations higher than any time in the last 800,000 years. These gases have – at the fastest rate in at least the last 2000 years – driven a 1.1°C increase in global surface temperature (relative to 1850-1900). This has impacted global patterns of precipitation, glacial retreat, and sea level rise, for example.

The effects are felt now, and they are pervasive. Across every inhabited region of the world, human-induced climate change has already impacted the frequency and intensity of extreme events, including heatwaves, droughts, heavy precipitation and flooding. The chance of compound extreme events, where two hazards co-occur, has also increased.

The future climate
The report explores five scenarios (or shared socio-economic pathways, SSPs), varying GHG emissions from “very high” to “very low” levels. All scenarios show continued global surface temperature increase through at least 2050. Thus, historical GHG emissions have committed us to a certain level of warming. Because of this, some changes, such as ice loss and sea level rise, will be effectively irreversible for centuries or even millennia. However, changes in the climate system, particularly extremes, are expected to become more pronounced and increase in intensity and/or frequency with each increment of global warming – so each additional degree counts. A key finding is that while the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C warming goal is surpassed by mid-century in every SSP, the global surface temperature falls back below the aforementioned threshold by 2100 under the lowest emissions scenario.

What can we do about it?
There is a near-linear relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and global warming. Therefore, the primary way to limit human-induced global warming is through reducing carbon dioxide emissions to net-zero, as well as restricting cumulative carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide removal technologies could play a role in this transition, and might even allow us to reach net negative emissions – though there are also risks involved (see our CDR blog post!). Other GHG emissions reductions will not only help to curb warming, but also reduce air pollution.

This report comes directly before the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, set to take place in Glasgow from late October through mid-November. Though we are already locked into some changes in the climate system, we do still have the chance to limit further exacerbation of the climate crisis. However, this only occur with definitive, transformative – and immediate – action from governments, businesses, and society at large to support rapid and far-reaching transitions across sectors like energy, infrastructure, and finance. UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlights the urgency when he states: “If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as [the IPCC] report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses. [We] count on Government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure COP26 is a success” [2].

The Summary for Policymakers of the Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report, along with additional information and materials, is available here. Explore the interactive atlas to see potential climate futures across the globe at different levels of warming.

References
[1] IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S. L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M. I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T. K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press. In Press.

[2] “Secretary-General Calls Latest IPCC Climate Report ‘Code Red for Humanity’, Stressing ‘Irrefutable’ Evidence of Human Influence”. 9 August 2021. Access here.

The post “Code Red for Humanity”: Insights from Newest IPCC Report appeared first on Global Change Ecology.

The Convention on Biological Diversity and Biodiversity Day

In the late 1980’s, the United Nations convened a series of working groups and negotiating committees to develop an international treaty to guide sustainable use of and address threats to the Earth’s biological resources. Through this process came the Convention on Biological Diversity, which the United Nations adopted on May 22, 1992, in Nairobi, Kenya [4]. The main objectives of this document are 1) the conservation of biological diversity, 2) the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity, and 3) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources [5]. The Convention opened for signature on June 5, 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit and entered into force with 168 signatures December 29, 1993 [4]. There are 196 Parties to the Convention, which meet regularly as the Conference of the Parties to review and make decisions about the fulfillment of the Convention. [5, 6]. Since 2001, the United Nations has celebrated Biodiversity Day on May 22 to commemorate the anniversary of the date that the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted [1].

We’re part of the solution, in 2021 and beyond

In 2021, Biodiversity Day is organized with the slogan: “We’re part of the solution” [2, 8, 15]. This connects to the 2020 slogan, “Our solutions are in nature” and recognizes the role we have in crafting sustainable and just solutions to environmental, ecological, and social challenges [2, 15].

This year’s Biodiversity Day generates momentum and support in advance of the meeting of the Conference of the Parties in October 2021 [2, 6, 14]. During this meeting, Parties will make decisions about a post-2020 global biodiversity framework towards the fulfillment of the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity, where the world is “living in harmony with nature” [2, 7, 14, 15].

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Day for Biological Diversity has been moved online. In this context, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity asks you to join governments, organizations, and individuals in raising awareness via messages about the importance of biodiversity and how you can be the solution [8, 9]. Be sure to tag @UNBiodiversity and use the hashtags #BiodiversityDay and #ForNature on social media. Also check out different online events, such as the Global Biodiversity Festival.

There are also other ways for you to contribute to international biodiversity goals, even after May 22. Educate yourself and learn how to raise awareness about the value of biodiversity in nature for fostering sustainable human development on a healthy and functioning planet [3, 10, 11, 12, 15]. Make a concrete commitment in line with the reversal of biodiversity loss on the Convention’s Action Agenda tracker, then share your pledge to inspire others and increase ambition [13]!

For the most up-to-date materials on Biodiversity Day and information about biodiversity issues and opportunities, follow @UNBiodiversity on facebook, twitter, instagram, youtube, and linkedin.

References

[1] United Nations General Assembly. 2001. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on the report of the Second Committee. Convention on Biological Diversity. Fifty-fifth session. A/55/582/Add.2. Access here.

[2] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. Overview of the Campaign. Access here.

[3] IPBES. 2019. Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. S. Díaz, J. Settele, E. S. Brondízio E.S., H. T. Ngo, M. Guèze, J. Agard, A. Arneth, P. Balvanera, K. A. Brauman, S. H. M. Butchart, K. M. A. Chan, L. A. Garibaldi, K. Ichii, J. Liu, S. M. Subramanian, G. F. Midgley, P. Miloslavich, Z. Molnár, D. Obura, A. Pfaff, S. Polasky, A. Purvis, J. Razzaque, B. Reyers, R. Roy Chowdhury, Y. J. Shin, I. J. Visseren-Hamakers, K. J. Willis, and C. N. Zayas (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. Access here.

[4] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. History of the Convention. Access here.

[5] United Nations. 1992. 8. Convention on Biological Diversity. Rio de Janeiro, 5 June 1992. Chapter XXVII Environment. Access here.

[6] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. Conference of the Parties (COP). Access here.

[7] United Nations Environment Programme. 2020. Update of the Zero Draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. Convention on Biological Diversity. CBD/POST3030/PREP/2/1. Access here.

[8] Mrema, E.M. 2021. Notification: International Day for Biological Diversity 2021. Convention on Biological Diversity. Ref.: SCBD/OES/DAIN/MB/FD/89492. Access here.

[9] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. Messages for the International Day for Biological Diversity, 22 May 2021: “We’re part of the solution”. Access here.

[10] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. Biodiversity Day 2021: Activities. Access here.

[11] United Nations Development Program, NBSAP Forum, the Convention on Biological Diversity, Rare. 2021. Course on Biodiversity Valuation: Communicating the Value of Biodiversity. Access here.

[12] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. Biodiversity and Nature, close but not quite the same. Access here.

[13] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. An agenda for action: Reversing Biodiversity Loss and Promoting Positive Gains to 2030. Sharm El-Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People. Access here.

[14] The Convention on Biological Diversity. 2021. Preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. Access here.

[15] United Nations. 2021. International Day for Biological Diversity 22 May. Access here.

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Among other vital roles in ecosystem functioning, blue carbon ecosystems are named as they are because they serve an important function in sequestering and storing carbon from both the atmosphere and oceans. As atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations continue to increase, and anthropogenic climate change descends upon the planet, more focus is being made on the carbon sequestration capacities of ecosystems. Blue carbon ecosystems “sequester and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests and are now being recognized for their role in mitigating climate change.”¹ An example of this increased attention is the 2021 UNESCO World Heritage assessment of the blue carbon assets across their sites. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes sites recognized as reflective of humans’ common heritage, “a legacy to pass on to future generations”.²

Included in the UNESCO World Heritage list are 50 marine sites found across 37 nations. UNESCO’s Marine World Heritage report, Guardians of the globe’s blue carbon assets (2021), shares that while only representing 0.57% of global ocean area, World Heritage marine sites and their immediate surrounding area account for at least 21% of the global area of blue carbon ecosystems, and the carbon stores here are equivalent to about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018.

Of the 50 sites, 21 have been recognized for their blue carbon ecosystems. Examples of World Heritage Sites that received this distinction include the world’s largest unbroken area of mangroves in Everglades National Park (USA); Seagrass beds in Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture (Spain), added in part for the presence of Posidonia oceanica, the oldest and largest known living organism on the planet; and the Wadden Sea, spanning Denmark, Germany, and Netherlands, which includes the world’s largest tidal flats composed of seagrass and tidal marshes.

Mangroves in Everglades National Park, USA. Photograph by Phil Degginger. Source: https://fineartamerica.com

Blue carbon ecosystems have stored carbon for millennia and, if functional, are expected to increase their capacity as carbon sinks. Protecting these ecosystems is not simple, however, even for UNESCO World Heritage sites. Local pressures from competing land-use priorities and pollution, in tandem with non-localized degradation from climate change impacts and plastic litter circulating in the world’s oceans, make protection of these areas a ceaseless challenge. And just as they store carbon when functional, they release carbon when degraded or destroyed, making the protection even more critical in the response to mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

One aspect of UNESCO’s approach to protecting blue carbon World Heritage sites is to fund conservation through emerging opportunities in blue carbon markets. This could include the sites qualifying for carbon financing through the United Nations carbon offset program (https://offset.climateneutralnow.org). UNESCO’s recent report quantifying current and potential carbon stocks of World Heritage blue carbon ecosystems is an early step in this approach. Success in protecting these sites not only will support the World Heritage aim of recognizing the common heritage of humankind at specific sites: Protecting these ecosystems and restoring them so that they naturally continue to sequester carbon, will contribute to offsetting global carbon emissions, and can support meeting international goals in carbon emission reductions.

1. Herr, D. and E. Landis (2016). Coastal blue carbon ecosystems: Opportunities for Nationally Determined Contributions. Policy Brief. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN and Washington, DC, USA: TNC.
2. UNESCO. 2020. UNESCO Marine World Heritage: Custodians of the globe’s blue carbon assets. Paris, France.

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Get to know the Pantanal of Mato Grosso

With an area of 160,000 km², Pantanal is considered the largest wetland on the planet. It is mainly located in the Brazilian territory in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, having 15,000 km² of its area situated also in Bolivia and 5,000 km² in Paraguay. To the North of Pantanal, we find the Amazon rainforest, and to the west, the Andes Mountain Range. The climate in this biome is characterised as hot with a dry season that extends from May to September and a rainy season in the rest of the year¹. According to Junk et al. (2005)¹, Pantanal was established in a circumglobal belt of climatic instability and this weather conformation drives extreme events of flooding and droughts combined with extensive wildfires that threatens the fauna and the flora of the biome.

Concerning to the biodiversity in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, records list a total 2,241 plant species, 816 aquatic invertebrates, 263 fish species, 96 species of reptiles, 40 amphibian species, 390 bird species and 130 species of mammals¹. Among these, the Jabiru stork is highlighted for being the largest flying bird in this biome and it is considered the symbol of the Pantanal in Brazil. This biome is also considered a sanctuary for the hyacinth macaw, the capybara, the jaguar and the giant river otter – top predators of the ecosystem –, which are all well adapted to the changing environmental conditions of this big wetland.

The 2020 Pantanal Fire Event

Aiming for a better management and environmental protection, in 1998, the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE²) started a monitoring program to verify and record fires in the country. Last year (2019), in the Pantanal region, the INPE recorded 3,165 hotspots between January and August, corresponding almost entirely to dry season of the biome. As alarming this number might be to you, the scenario this year was not any better. The records of the same period for year 2020 showed that over 10,000 hotspots were recorded in Pantanal, which has led to the biggest fire event ever recorded for this area.

So far, the fire has burned over 15% of Pantanal’s total area. Even though natural fire events are common in the region during its dry season, increasing deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest and in Pantanal has been affecting the movement of the flying rivers and, hence, the rain patterns in seasonality and magnitude. Lower precipitation rates impact the water level in the wetland – as the biome faces the worst drought in 47 years –, leading to exposure of areas and vegetation that typically would be underwater, even during the dry season. As temperatures are high and the vegetation becomes exposed and dry, even small fires can thrive and ultimately develop into major fire events that are difficult to control and predict, e.g. peat fires.

According to the Integrated Multiagency of Operational Coordination Centre of Mato Grosso (CIMAN-MT), the fires of this year were caused by the anthropogenic interferences to prepare pasture lands for livestock, burning trees to acquire honey, and one accidental fire caused by an agricultural equipment. Nevertheless, even though the causes were discovered, the fire remains bringing destruction to the biome, great loss of biodiversity and seed banks, burning plants and trees, killing the animals and summing up to the global carbon emissions. Every action against the environment is a step closer to 1.5°C higher of the global warming.

Red List Assessment for notable species in the area

Pantanal has the largest concentration of jaguars in the world. Having a look at the UCN Red List assessments (2020) for some animal species that have the wetland as a sanctuary, it is noted that the jaguar is classified as “Near threatened” and its population trend is decreasing, according to the assessment dated in 2016. In regards to the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), assessed in 2014, the report categorizes it as an endangered species. Concerning the hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), that was last assessed in the Red List in 2016, the status is as a vulnerable species, with a number of 4,300 of mature individuals worldwide, presenting a decreasing trend on its population. On the other hand, the Jabiru stork (Jabiru mycteria) is classified as of least concern, having a range of 6,700 to 17,000 mature individuals; and the same classification goes for the rodent capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris).

Click here to go the UCN Red List so you can check the status of other species too!

Know how to help

The NGO WWF-Brasil is one of the many organisations that are fighting to revert this tragedy in Pantanal. If you want to know how to HELP, click HERE!

Get to know more about the Pantanal and check the biodiversity photo gallery here!

References

¹ Junk et al. (2005)

² INPE (2020)

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