Biodiversity loss is a great danger for humanity and planetary wellbeing on Earth. The root causes of biodiversity loss are connected to human production and consumption practices which create pressure to increasing the exploitation of natural resources. According to Richardson et al. (2023) six of nine planetary boundaries have been crossed due to the impacts of human activity and extensive resource use. These overshoots are driven by unsustainable consumption of energy, water and materials.
This session explores the complex interdependencies between economic systems and ecological integrity, addressing how choices in agriculture, manufacturing, and consumer behaviour directly affect biodiversity outcomes. In line with the conference theme ‘Leading Transformation Together’, we highlight the urgency of confronting the systemic drivers of biodiversity loss by rethinking production and consumption within planetary boundaries, and by co-developing biodiversity-positive futures grounded in justice and equity. We invite papers that foster discussion and share insights on how biodiversity is interconnected with consumption, production, markets and marketing systems. We bring together researchers to explore how consumption and production patterns—across sectors and scales—can either undermine or support biodiversity.
Through interdisciplinary perspectives, we examine both drivers of biodiversity loss and opportunities for transformative practices that align production and consumption with planetary boundaries. We welcome presenters from a variety of backgrounds, for example ecologist or biodiversity researchers, environmental economists, researchers of sustainable business, consumer researchers, policy experts on biodiversity and trade, or indigenous community researchers.