An IUCN Issues Paper that advocates for a more integrated approach to nature, its definition, and the wide benefit that this brings. It comes from a geodiversity (abiotic) perspective but is very relevant to discussions within the WH sector and sets out quite succinctly why now, more than ever, the sector needs to join up the way we all think.
“Nature” is a widely used but rarely defined term amongst scientists, policy makers, business
leaders and the public. It is at the heart of many important international frameworks and conventions
that, in turn, shape national policy and regulation towards the natural environment. Not only is
nature often freely used interchangeably with the term “biodiversity”, but the abiotic component is
also often poorly understood and frequently overlooked.
In a world facing widespread ecosystem degradation, shifting baseline syndrome and unsustainable
resource use, overlaid by a changing climate and rising sea levels, stakeholders share a common
interest in ensuring that environmental initiatives apply to the whole of nature. The current situation
of focusing on the biotic component without consideration of the all-important abiotic features and
functions, such as the soil and water and the resulting dynamism and productivity of natural
systems, is no longer tenable. The key resources required by biotic systems come directly from
abiotic features and processes. Pursuit of aligned biotic and abiotic management and protection,
informed by systems thinking and wider temporal insights, can promote stronger ecosystems,
building a robust and evolving platform on which all facets of nature can fully function and thrive. As
a result, more effective management and protection of the whole of the natural environment will
result, alongside a just and sustainable future, in which humans are an integral player. It is therefore
recommended that the IUCN definition of nature, as used in the 2024 draft IUCN 20-year Strategic
Vision to 2045 (IUCN, 2024), is broadened and strengthened such that nature is defined as
“encompassing both the non-living components (i.e. geodiversity) and the living components (i.e.
biodiversity) of the natural world”. Additionally, it is recommended that the long-standing IUCN
definition of nature should be amended to read as follows: “nature refers to biodiversity at genetic,
species and ecosystem level, to all the dynamic processes and features of geodiversity, and to all
their interactions”.
Click here to download the full report.