Disentangling the Interlinkages Between Humans, Biodiversity Loss, and Climate Change in the Tropical Region

Biodiversity loss and climate change have reached critical levels, and the tropical region, with its enormous biodiversity and carbon sequestration potential, holds the key to addressing these global challenges. However, this region is under immense anthropogenic pressure, mainly from its natural resource-based economies. While existing studies have examined the relationships between climate change and biodiversity, the comprehensive interplay underlying this issue remain insufficiently understood. This study aims to unravel the complex interlinkages between human activities, biodiversity loss, and climate change through an extensive literature review and the construction of a causal loop diagram (CLD) to provide initial insights for potential interventions. The analysis reveals that tropical deforestation drives both biodiversity loss and climate change, creating a reinforcing loop that has the potential to impede socio-economic development in the region. To break this vicious cycle, it is crucial to embrace climate change and biodiversity conservation measures with co-benefit while steering clear of actions that may introduce undesirable trade-offs.