Biodiversity and Climate Change Assessment
Understanding the interplay between biodiversity and climate change is critical for the implementation of effective and lasting solutions to climate change and for maintaining biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. The USGS was charged by the US Congress in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget with conducting an assessment that characterizes the state of understanding concerning linkages between biodiversity and climate change for the United States. Drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change impacts cross national boundaries, and accordingly the geographic scope of assessment will include neighboring nations, particularly Canada and Mexico.
Additional Information
Overview
Biodiversity underlies nature's contributions to people (also known as ecosystem services), including food, water, health, hazard protection, and cultural values. Climate change is among the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, and well-managed biodiversity conservation can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Understanding the interplay between biodiversity and climate change is critical for the implementation of effective and lasting solutions to climate change and for maintaining biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. The US Geological Survey (USGS), the nation’s largest water, earth, and biological science agency, was charged by the US Congress in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget with conducting an assessment that characterizes the state of understanding concerning linkages between biodiversity and climate change for the United States. Drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change impacts cross national boundaries, and accordingly the geographic scope of assessment will include neighboring nations, particularly Canada and Mexico.
The assessment process and report production will be led by USGS, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad - CONABIO), and will be conducted by scientists, knowledge holders, practitioners, and policy experts from all three countries. Participation will be invited from governments at all levels, universities, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The assessment will characterize the state of understanding concerning key linkages between biodiversity and climate change, identify critical knowledge gaps, and summarize implications for biodiversity and climate change policy. The assessment will build on the recently completed Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services and represents a continental contribution to upcoming IPBES (and other) knowledge products. The primary product will comprise of an assessment report, planned for release in early 2025, evaluating the relationships between biodiversity and climate in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and adjacent regions as appropriate, and identifying policy options to conserve biodiversity in the face of climate change.
Drafting Timeline
Release and online publication of the assessment report is anticipated at the end of 2025/early 2026. View a detailed timeline of the assessment phases below.
Timing | Accomplishment |
---|---|
2022 | Draft Prospectus development |
July 2023 | Call for comments and authors: Federal Register Notice |
July 2023 - October 2024 | Revision of Draft Prospectus and development of first draft of chapters |
Spring 2024 | First Author Meeting |
Summer 2024 | Summer 2024 First Review of Draft Chapters · Content development · Public engagement events and dialogues · First public review of draft · Public engagement events and dialogues |
Fall 2024/Winter 2025 | Revision and continuous development of draft chapters |
Winter 2025 | Second Author Meeting (leadership team) |
Spring/Summer 2025 | Chapter revisions Review of Draft Summary of Policymakers (SPM) · Review of draft SPM and 100% complete Chapters · Engagement events and dialogues · Revision and finalization of the SPM |
2025/2026 | Finalization and Launch · Preparation of launch of final report · Implement communications and outreach rollout |
The assessment process and report production will be led by USGS, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO). The Udall Foundation’s National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution (NCECR) will independently appoint, convene, and facilitate the Assessment Guidance Committee.
ECCC
Christie Spence
Director, Landscape Science & Technology Division
christie.spence@ec.gc.ca
Anne Munier
Physical Sciences Specialist, Landscape Science & Technology Division
anne.munier@ec.gc.ca
CONABIO
Dra. Patricia Koleff Osorio
Directora General de Análisis y Prioridades
patricia.koleff@conabio.gob.mx
Biól. Hesiquio Benítez Díaz
Director de Cooperación e Implementación en Biodiversidad
hbenitez@conabio.gob.mx
M.A.P. Sofía Treviño Heres
Departamento de Asuntos Bilaterales y Regionales en Biodiversidad
strevino@conabio.gob.mx
Udall Foundation
Stephanie Lucero
Senior Program Manager
lucero@udall.gov
Rachel Hammelman
Program Associate
hammelman@udall.gov
Understanding the interplay between biodiversity and climate change is critical for the implementation of effective and lasting solutions to climate change and for maintaining biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. The USGS was charged by the US Congress in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget with conducting an assessment that characterizes the state of understanding concerning linkages between biodiversity and climate change for the United States. Drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change impacts cross national boundaries, and accordingly the geographic scope of assessment will include neighboring nations, particularly Canada and Mexico.
Additional Information
Overview
Biodiversity underlies nature's contributions to people (also known as ecosystem services), including food, water, health, hazard protection, and cultural values. Climate change is among the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, and well-managed biodiversity conservation can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Understanding the interplay between biodiversity and climate change is critical for the implementation of effective and lasting solutions to climate change and for maintaining biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. The US Geological Survey (USGS), the nation’s largest water, earth, and biological science agency, was charged by the US Congress in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget with conducting an assessment that characterizes the state of understanding concerning linkages between biodiversity and climate change for the United States. Drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change impacts cross national boundaries, and accordingly the geographic scope of assessment will include neighboring nations, particularly Canada and Mexico.
The assessment process and report production will be led by USGS, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad - CONABIO), and will be conducted by scientists, knowledge holders, practitioners, and policy experts from all three countries. Participation will be invited from governments at all levels, universities, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The assessment will characterize the state of understanding concerning key linkages between biodiversity and climate change, identify critical knowledge gaps, and summarize implications for biodiversity and climate change policy. The assessment will build on the recently completed Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services and represents a continental contribution to upcoming IPBES (and other) knowledge products. The primary product will comprise of an assessment report, planned for release in early 2025, evaluating the relationships between biodiversity and climate in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and adjacent regions as appropriate, and identifying policy options to conserve biodiversity in the face of climate change.
Drafting Timeline
Release and online publication of the assessment report is anticipated at the end of 2025/early 2026. View a detailed timeline of the assessment phases below.
Timing | Accomplishment |
---|---|
2022 | Draft Prospectus development |
July 2023 | Call for comments and authors: Federal Register Notice |
July 2023 - October 2024 | Revision of Draft Prospectus and development of first draft of chapters |
Spring 2024 | First Author Meeting |
Summer 2024 | Summer 2024 First Review of Draft Chapters · Content development · Public engagement events and dialogues · First public review of draft · Public engagement events and dialogues |
Fall 2024/Winter 2025 | Revision and continuous development of draft chapters |
Winter 2025 | Second Author Meeting (leadership team) |
Spring/Summer 2025 | Chapter revisions Review of Draft Summary of Policymakers (SPM) · Review of draft SPM and 100% complete Chapters · Engagement events and dialogues · Revision and finalization of the SPM |
2025/2026 | Finalization and Launch · Preparation of launch of final report · Implement communications and outreach rollout |
The assessment process and report production will be led by USGS, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO). The Udall Foundation’s National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution (NCECR) will independently appoint, convene, and facilitate the Assessment Guidance Committee.
ECCC
Christie Spence
Director, Landscape Science & Technology Division
christie.spence@ec.gc.ca
Anne Munier
Physical Sciences Specialist, Landscape Science & Technology Division
anne.munier@ec.gc.ca
CONABIO
Dra. Patricia Koleff Osorio
Directora General de Análisis y Prioridades
patricia.koleff@conabio.gob.mx
Biól. Hesiquio Benítez Díaz
Director de Cooperación e Implementación en Biodiversidad
hbenitez@conabio.gob.mx
M.A.P. Sofía Treviño Heres
Departamento de Asuntos Bilaterales y Regionales en Biodiversidad
strevino@conabio.gob.mx
Udall Foundation
Stephanie Lucero
Senior Program Manager
lucero@udall.gov
Rachel Hammelman
Program Associate
hammelman@udall.gov