An overview of the science-policy interface among climate change, biodiversity, and terrestrial land use for production landscapes

Global progress in addressing climate change through mitigation and adaptation has been slow, although policy tools are available and most countries now have some climate change policies. Climate change represents a tragedy of the commons caused by all humans, but one for which the damage is slow to accumulate and cannot be readily identified as coming from a single source. As a result, politicians are slow to act. The UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) has had minor achievements over 21 years, although the recent mitigation decision on REDD+ (reducing emissions from forest degradation and deforestation) recognizes the roles that eliminating deforestation and forest degradation and improving agriculture can play in mitigating climate change. The Cancun Agreement also states that, for mitigation to be effective, adaptation is needed. There is a strong body of literature linking biodiversity to ecosystem resilience and goods and services. Any policies dealing with mitigation and adaptation must consider the important role of biodiversity in terrestrial system recovery and management, including forests, agro-forests, and agricultural systems. In production landscapes, policies need to consider the large landscape scale and be cross-sectoral in application, including among forest, agriculture, transportation, energy, and human health sectors. Finally, local ecological knowledge and scientific information should form the basis for such policies.