Bapon (SHM) Fakhruddin, PhD

The IPBES Nexus Assessment reminds us of a sobering reality on World Biodiversity Day: five interlinked crises—biodiversity loss, climate change, water scarcity, food insecurity, and health pandemics are interconnected. But we view and solutions remain fragmented. 80% of the world’s wastewater flows untreated into ecosystems, poisoning species and communities. Meanwhile, freshwater species populations have declined by 84% since 1970, a rate faster than in oceans or forests. Water plays a critical role in biodiversity.

Water binds the Rio Conventions—climate, biodiversity, and desertification—into a single mission (see my article in the International Science Council https://lnkd.in/gXZeJMAk). Healthy wetlands store carbon, feed millions, and buffer against droughts. Mangroves, covering less than 1% of Earth’s surface, support 30% of tropical fish stocks and protect coasts for 15 million people. Still, we’ve drained 87% of global wetlands since 1700. This creates environmental failure and economic and humanitarian crisis. Investing in water ecosystems is simultaneously investing in the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming-Montreal Framework.

The good news? Solutions exist. Agroecology can reduce water use by 50% while boosting crop resilience. Restoring peatlands could cut global emissions by 5%. Urban green spaces—like those in Singapore—cool cities, filter water, and halve species extinction risks. But these require a radical shift: integrating policies, financing, and governance. For instance, aligning just 1% of global subsidies—$700 billion annually—away from harmful practices could close the biodiversity funding gap.

On this Biodiversity Day, let us remember that every drop of water is a thread in the web of life. By protecting water, we protect all conventions, all species, and all futures. Transformative change is challenging but possible. Let us be the generation that chooses nexus action over siloed failure.

#nexusapproach #waterforbiodiversity #sustainabledevelopment #biodiversityday2025 #climateresilience #sdgsaction #rioconventions
#investinnature #transformativechange #climatefinance
Green Climate Fund, United Nations United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre UNESCO, ISLA – International Smart LAb
Global Water Operators’​ Partnerships Alliance/UN-Habitat (GWOPA)
NatureFinance, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Geneva Science-Policy Interface (GSPI), CODATA, The World Bank, World Resources Institute, Global Water Intelligence (GWI) Asian Development Bank (ADB), Global Environment Facility