This article outlines the fundamental connections between geodiversity and biodiversity by providing a geoconservation perspective on the concept of “conserving nature’s stage” as a basis for safeguarding both geodiversity and biodiversity in the face of environmental and climate change. Conserving nature’s stage—the physical environment in which species exist—provides a means of developing more integrated approaches to nature conservation, delivering benefits for both geodiversity and biodiversity conservation, and incorporating key principles of geoconservation in the management of protected and conserved areas.

Climate change presents challenges for the management of geoheritage in protected and conserved areas at all scales from individual geosites to whole landscapes, affecting all areas of the planet. Direct impacts will principally arise through the effects of climate changes on geomorphological processes and vegetation cover, while indirect impacts will result from hard structures engineered to mitigate risks from natural hazards. Options for mitigation and adaptation should as far as possible work with nature.