A strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. An ecosystem approach helps create a balance between conservation, sustainable use, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits. It applies appropriate scientific methodologies focused on levels of biological organization, which encompass the essential structure, processes, functions and interactions among organisms and their environment. It recognizes that humans, with their cultural diversity, are an integral component of many ecosystems.
Source: IPBES (2019), Global Assessment Report, Glossary; Convention on Biological Diversity, COP 5 Decision V/6, 2020.
