The diversity of life is valuable: It guarantees people goods and services such as clean water, food and raw materials. Biodiversity is the basis for health and a stable environment. Diverse habitats mitigate the effects of climate change, secure yields in agriculture, and increase the attractiveness of locations. One of the key challenges is to reconcile the goals of national and international biodiversity agreements with the often competing objectives of climate, energy, agricultural and economic policies.
The Leibniz Research Network Biodiversity (Leibniz Biodiversity) combines the expertise of 18 Leibniz institutions in the environmental, social, life, spatial, and economic sciences as well as the humanities to develop sustainable solutions.

10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2024


In the 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2024, 64 scientists have further developed their well-founded and diverse analyses of the 10MustKnows22. The content of the ten selected key areas of the Earth-human system is supplemented by relevant publications from 2022 and 2023 and linked to the 23 global goals of the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted in December 2022. The authors are aware that the next six years until 2030 are essential for achieving an ecologically sustainable and socially just life on our planet in the medium and long term. With the 10MustKnows24, they want to make an active contribution to accelerating the socio-ecological transformation by providing scientifically sound recommendations for politics and society. Click here if you would like to learn more about the 10MustKnows24. You can reach the press release here.

10 Must Dos from Biodiversity Science 2022

The authors of the 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science (2022, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6257527, 10MustKnows) have developed their scientific findings further into 10 Must Dos from Biodiversity Science (10MustDos). The 10MustDos correspond with ten concrete recommendations for political actions that can be implemented in the short term. They are intended to serve as a guide for negotiations at the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 15, 7-19 December 2022 in Montréal). In addition, they also aim at supporting practical policy-making in Germany, Europe and worldwide through well-founded scientific knowledge with the overarching goal to protect global biodiversity and to stop the man-made extinction of species. The proposed solutions open up possibilities for action which are in alignment with the goals of the UN Decade for the Restoration of Ecosystems (2021-2030) and contribute to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are to be implemented by all states by 2030 in order to tackle the biodiversity, climate, and equity crisis collectively. Find further information on the 10MustDos here.

10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2022

In the 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2022 45 scientists present facts about biodiversity in a well-founded and generally intelligible way. They analyse the complex systems of the earth by highlighting ten key areas, each of which, in turn, is inextricably linked to all the others. And they show ways to stop the continued loss of species diversity and ecosystems, and to promote biodiversity. The underlying aim is to provide policy-makers and society with scientifically validated assessments of the latest knowledge to facilitate improved policy decisions and action at local, regional, national and global levels, in order to conserve the diversity of life – biodiversity. Find further information on the 10MustKnows22 here.
PD Dr. Kisten Thonicke initially presented the 10 Must Knows from Biodiversity Science 2022 at the event "Auf dem Weg zur Weltnaturkonferenz" on 15 March 2022. Along with representatives from the economic, scientific and political spheres the new goals for the protection of nature and the german biodiversity strategy, especially with regard to the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP15), were discussed.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke presents the 10MustKnows 2022 together with Leibniz Biodiversity Spokesperson PD Dr Kirsten Thonicke
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke presents the 10MustKnows22 together with Leibniz Biodiversity spokesperson PD Dr Kirsten Thonicke
PD Dr Kirsten Thonicke presents the 10MustKnows 2022 to a broad public for the first time
PD Dr Kirsten Thonicke presents the 10MustKnows22 to a broad public for the first time
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke presents her ministry's current agenda for the protection of biodiversity in her keynote speech
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke presents her ministry's current agenda for the protection of biodiversity in her keynote speech