“Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are currently among the top threats facing humanity." This is how last year's UN Summit on Biodiversity describes the urgency of stopping biodiversity loss, noting the detrimental impact on food security, water supplies and also human health. The causes for the rapid loss of biodiversity are diverse, including agricultural expansion, industrial expansion, climate change and unsustainable consumption patterns and production. Yet, unsustainable food systems are widely considered to be the major reason behind biodiversity loss. The agricultural sector is also a major emitter of Greenhouse Gases, which drive climate change, another “top threat facing humanity”. In fact, biodiversity loss and climate change are two sides of the same coin. The upcoming COPs on biodiversity and climate change will be decisive for years ahead in providing the political framework to accelerate climate and biodiversity protection. They must ensure continuous and sustainable international cooperation, close financing gaps and provide leadership at the global level that can enable implementation at national and local levels. The G20 has an important role in providing the high-level political impetus.
