Change urgently needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, says global report

A new global report highlighting the urgent action required to prevent further loss of animal and plant life reveals a need to connect more with nature.  

The Transformative Change Report led and published by Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) focuses on the underlying causes of the world’s biodiversity crisis, explaining what transformative change is, how it occurs and how to accelerate it for a sustainable world.  

It features research and recommendations by more than 100 leading experts from 42 countries from all regions of the world on how to safeguard the planet. 

The report, which has taken three years to complete, includes advice from the University of Derby’s Professor Miles Richardson, who is one of the UK Government’s-nominated lead authors on the report. 

The key message is stark; transformative change is urgent, necessary and challenging. However, fundamental shifts in how people view and interact with the natural world can help accelerate the system-wide changes needed for a more sustainable world. 

Miles Richardson, Professor of Human Factors and Nature Connectedness, said:

“I have always believed nature connectedness is an essential and powerful strategy for the transformative change needed to address the environmental crises. 

“Experts involved in the report have suggested policy measures to mainstream nature connection, such as integrating nature connectedness into education, health, urban planning. We have also considered visions, narratives and stories that provide people with a positive future with nature, rather than a life without things such as cars, gas boilers and air travel.” 

The report identifies five key strategies and associated actions which countries and people can pursue to advance deliberate transformative change for global sustainability. They include conserving, restoring and regenerating places of value to people and nature that exemplify biocultural diversity, and shifting dominant societal views and values to recognise and prioritise human-nature connectedness.  

Professor Richardson added:

“Shifting dominant societal views and values to recognise and prioritise human-nature connectedness is a massive undertaking. 

“With the disconnection of people from nature identified as a central issue and nature connectedness as a solution, there might be more awareness and willingness to engage. 

“Environmental policy tends to focus on addressing the symptoms of the environmental crises, for example restoring habitat and cutting carbon. Although important, this can miss the root cause, so it is great to have our relationship with the rest of nature clearly identified as an underlying cause and solution.” 

The report’s recommendations contain ideas which have been pioneered by the University of Derby’s Nature Connectedness Research Group.  

Led by Professor Richardson, David Sheffield and Kirsten McEwan, the Group aims to understand people’s sense of their relationship with the natural world by creating everyday interventions in order to improve this relationship for the wellbeing of humans and nature. 

Their award-winning application of research to make a difference to biodiversity loss will be further amplified following the conclusion of this report. 

Find out more about the Nature Connectedness Research Group