Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2025: from poly-crisis to poly-solutions

Abstract. Accelerating changes across various Earth system compartments, coupled with intensifying geopolitical and socio-economic turbulences, have increased the interdependence of global crises, resulting in a complex polycrisis. This review summarises recent advances in biosphere research, focusing on ten topics selected for their thematic relevance to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, socio-economic interactions and anthropogenic threats to the biosphere. An interdisciplinary expert panel identified these themes from a public survey, based on scientific relevance and evidence. The aim is to inspire future research and provide decision-makers with actionable solutions. The themes highlight innovative opportunities to enhance resilience, advance the understanding of dryland dynamics, promote a sustainable bioeconomy, foster greener urban planning, regulate disease dynamics, support nature-based solutions, mitigate the impact of conflict on the biosphere, address demographic challenges to ecosystem stewardship, integrate indigenous knowledge and embed biosphere valuation in decision-making processes. Finally, we emphasise the importance of polysolutions that address the target issue, while simultaneously generating positive outcomes in neighbouring economic, social and ecological domains. To ensure planetary stability, this review highlights the urgent need for policies and investments that prioritise the protection, restoration and sustainable management of the biosphere.