Ideas from the Speakers
The session focused on the urgent need for integrated, cross-sectoral responses to global environmental and social crises. Drawing from the IPBES Nexus Assessment, speakers presented a vision that challenges traditional siloed approaches to policymaking. The Assessment emphasizes how climate change, biodiversity loss, water and food insecurity, and public health risks are not isolated issues but are all interconnected. One key idea is that current governance systems and economic structures fail to account for the externalities of their actions, costing the global economy up to $25 trillion annually.
A fundamental shift is needed towards “nexus governments”—governments that recognize how closely linked sectors like agriculture, energy, and fisheries really are. Governments ultimately possess the capacity to stretch beyond their national interests to the greater international goals of sustainability. A key takeaway is the need to find balance, rather than pushing every system to its limit, as illustrated by the nexus model. This approach acts as a scaled-down version of the Sustainable Development Goals, providing 15 real-world “response options” that showcase the potential for coordinated and sustainable development.
Another recurring theme was the belief that governments can look beyond short-term national interests, especially when motivated by a shared vision of the common good. Achieving real transformation within this decade will require governments to collaborate across sectors and borders. However, the lack of clear political direction continues to make unified action difficult to achieve.
A key component of this transformation is inclusive governance, such as integrating youth, women, and Indigenous voices into the policymaking process. Strong focus was placed on the power of legal frameworks and civil society to drive accountability. Change must be driven by accessible storytelling, especially as science faces increasing attacks and misinformation grows.
The speakers called for a reevaluation of how we communicate about science—not watering it down but making it relevant and connecting it to other subjects. In doing so, environmental solutions can become not just technically sound but also socially and politically resilient. Transformation is not just about changing policy but also about breaking through silos and moving forward with people’s shared purpose.
Insights from the Audience
The session aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the scale, urgency, and interconnectedness of today’s global issues—and how important it is to address them outside their traditional silos. Using the Nexus Assessment as a framework, participants saw how climate change, biodiversity loss, water and food insecurity, and health risks are all linked. Tackling one without considering the others risks repeating past mistakes. The message is simple: we need joined-up thinking and action.
Besides identifying problems, the session also paved a path for hope and optimism. A participant asked what gives people hope in the face of overwhelming challenges; the answers focused on people themselves. Young people, in particular, are central to the future. They are already thinking about the kind of world they want to live in and are taking action. International cooperation, like the collective fundraising effort during the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai and new technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, are helping to discover new ways to approach old problems.
Still, the most powerful reminder was that hope comes through doing. Hope is found in action—you feel it when you’re active. Science-based response options are already working in different parts of the world. The concept of “nexus governments,” institutions that reflect the complexity of our shared challenges, offer a compelling way to imagine future governance. The African perspective adds an important reminder: Africa is home to over a billion people, and climate solutions must take equity seriously. It is not just about deals or targets but about designing systems that work for everyone. Climate finance must be fair and access to resources must be part of any global plan. The audience also reflected on the role of law, noting that courts are increasingly influential in holding actors accountable for climate action. However, they are under pressure, and legal strategies must be supported by public engagement and broader grassroots organizing.
