Nature for Life Hub Features UNU-IAS Research on Biodiversity, Health, and Sustainability

On 28 November 2022, UNU-IAS contributed to the 2022 Nature for Life Hub organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the lead-up to the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). Bringing together governments, non-profit organisations, civil society, businesses, indigenous peoples, and youth, the three-day virtual event highlighted transformative actions for a nature-positive future. UNU-IAS contributed a video featuring its recent publication Biodiversity-Health-Sustainability Nexus in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS).

The book examines the links between biodiversity, health, and sustainability, focusing on how local and traditional knowledge can contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity conservation and restoration, and good health for all.

“This topic was chosen considering the global call for integrated solutions for sustainability and the rising health concerns,” said co-editor Maiko Nishi (Research Fellow, UNU-IAS). “Under the recent COVID-19 pandemic, One Health has re-gained global attention as an integrated approach to address increasing threats interlinked to humans, animals, and ecosystems.”

In the video co-authors Patrick Maundu (Honorary Research Fellow, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT) and María Elena Méndez-López (Researcher, CONACYT-CentroGEO) share insights and lessons from their research in Kenya and in Mexico, respectively.

The book is part of the series Satoyama Initiative Thematic Review, which compiles case studies from around the world by members of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI). IPSI is a partnership of 283 member organisations dedicated to realising societies in harmony with nature. UNU-IAS hosts the secretariat of IPSI, providing a unique global platform for exchanging views and experiences between these organisations and fostering synergies in implementation of their respective activities.

The video is available on the UNU-IAS YouTube channel. The publication is available to download from UNU Collections.