The current coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on all of our work and personal lives this year. We at the IPSI Secretariat extend our best wishes to all of our readers in this difficult time. It is our greatest hope that you have not been too deeply affected personally. For those have been, please know you are in our minds, and that we will do anything in our power to offer support.

We are now well into our second month of working remotely here in Tokyo, with no definite end in sight. The good news is that we were early to this “social distancing” situation and it seems to be paying off, as so far none of our staff are known to have contracted the virus. We urge all of you to do the same and follow public guidance as much as is possible in your own situation. Maintain distance, wash your hands, stay home, wear a mask as appropriate – it works! Together we can “flatten the curve” and keep our loved ones safe!

That said, we are also looking towards the time beyond the pandemic. Our planned schedule for contributions to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework has been delayed as the world is on an enforced pause, so what better time to think deeply about what kind of world we want post-2020 and post-pandemic? It has already been pointed out many times that a “business as usual” approach to biodiversity cannot achieve ambitious targets, and that “transformative change” is needed post-2020. So, can we expect that a “business as usual” approach to recovery will prevent future pandemics and keep our planet safe, sustainable and resilient? Or can the world work together to learn our lessons from this pandemic, and emerge stronger than before?

The idea of transformative change means, in part, bringing in wider societal, cultural, economic, and other elements to mainstream biodiversity across all sectors of society. Mirroring this, the COVID-19 pandemic stems not only from a simple biological exchange, but from a global societal, cultural, and economic system that results in unsustainable use of biodiversity, destruction of functioning ecosystems at an unprecedented rate, and increasing reliance on unsustainable production practices and supply chains. The lack of resilience in such a system is brought into focus by the current crisis. The question is what we can do to improve it.

As readers and those familiar with IPSI’s work know, a landscape approach is based on bringing together all stakeholders across society to create social-ecological systems that are sustainable and resilient in the long term. IPSI case studies demonstrate that where landscapes and seascapes are responsibly managed and true “socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes” are achieved, the natural environment, human communities, and ecosystem services are more resilient and “in harmony with nature” – with all the benefits for humans and nature that entails. This is exactly the kind of transformative change that is needed for the world to emerge better from this pandemic, and it could be one key element for global recovery.

In the short term, all of us need to focus on emergency measures to keep us safe. But in the longer term, we at the IPSI Secretariat will continue our efforts in working towards sustainable landscapes and seascapes, and we ask for your continued support and cooperation. IPSI has always been a strong community, and the need for community is greater now than ever. Likewise, the importance of IPSI’s vision – “societies in harmony with nature” – has never been more obvious.

Please keep yourselve safe, and keep in touch – with us and with all of the important people in your life. We will get through this together.

IPSI Secretariat