A ‘Global Safety Net’ To Reverse Biodiversity Loss and Stabilize the Earth’s Climate
Abstract
Global strategies to halt the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change are often formulated separately, even though they are interdependent and risk failure if pursued in isolation. The Global Safety Net (GSN) offers a spatially explicit pathway in which nature conservation addresses both overarching threats. We identify 53.4% of the terrestrial realm that, if protected, would reverse further biodiversity loss, enhance natural carbon removal, and prevent CO2 emissions associated with land-use change beyond 2030. This framework shows that, in addition to the 15.0% land area currently protected, 38.4% of land area is needed to conserve biodiversity, stabilize the climate, and connect intact habitats. The GSN aligns with a recent climate model that shows nature-based solutions are essential to maintain a chance of staying below the 1.5˚C limit in average global temperature rise. Fifty ecoregions and 21 countries contribute disproportionately to proposed targets. Indigenous lands overlap extensively with the GSN.
