Aesthetics play a key role in how urban biodiversity is imagined, communicated, and governed. In turn, biodiversity shapes civic identity, place iconography, and human–nature relationships. Its significance is often negotiated through design choices, visual conventions, and culturally shaped standards of beauty.
Conservationists have long used visual strategies—such as charismatic species and iconic landscapes—to build public support, as seen in European rewilding or the branding of animals like pandas. While effective, such approaches can oversimplify ecological complexity. Urban contexts intensify these dynamics. Non-native species, introduced via the pet trade or ornamental horticulture, gain appeal through exoticized aesthetics shaped by consumer trends. Curated spaces like zoos, parks, and gardens often priviledge spectacle over local ecology. Nature-based solutions combine ecological and aesthetic aims, while vernacular practices—like UK allotments or Tokyo’s improvised planters—are often excluded from formal biodiversity frameworks.
This session invites interdisciplinary dialogue on how urban aesthetics shape biodiversity policy and public understanding. We welcome case studies exploring how aesthetic norms influence which species and habitats are preserved, altered, or erased—and how such choices are justified through visual and cultural frameworks.
As urban biodiversity becomes central to GBF 2030 targets, we aim to identify culturally grounded, ecologically just, and ethically aware approaches to implementation by examining the aesthetic politics of biodiversity in cities.
Convenors
Ewa Machotka, Professor, Art History, University of Zurich
Takehiro Watanabe, Associate Professor, Environmental Anthropology, Sophia University, Tokyo

“Biodiversity” is a term which is understood by professionals, but not by citizens or the politicians that must effectuate it.
The benefits that the average person receives from biodiversity are even less comprehended.
Yet public support for the elements that promote biodiversity is essential, as those elements are so nebulous. And it’s almost impossible to explain with words.

Art, however, can tell that story. Humans are visual, dialog rarely changes minds. Opinions change with personal contact/emotion/impact. We respond to emotional appeal, and that is how art engages. And once engaged, people desire more: knowledge understanding, grasp.

And thus “art” can explain science. It makes people interested, and then they want to know more.

Scientific literature has grown over time, covering an increasing number of topics. Literature databases, search engines, artificial intelligence and natural language processing-based approaches to text analysis have evolved, allowing increasingly complex queries of large volumes of information. A rising number of literature reviews and meta-analyses synthesizing the state of research in specific fields have been published.
Despite methodological progress, the extraction, synthesis, and assessment of biodiversity information is often biased and seldom transparent, comprehensive, systematic, nor reproducible. Reasons range from the fact that biodiversity literature is widely distributed and inconsistently structured to difficulties with vocabularies and definitions. Collaborations between biodiversity, social, and computer scientists are needed to achieve progress in literature-based biodiversity knowledge extraction.
Digitization and AI offer ways to enhance access and usability, but major challenges remain.
The Disentis Roadmap, a decadal initiative supported by over 100 scientists and organizations, addresses these by making literature data machine-accessible and actionable. Practical steps include discovering and gathering publications via the Biodiversity Literature Repository and the Biodiversity Heritage Library, converting them for structured reuse, and integrating outputs into infrastructures such as GBIF and Biodiversity PMC.
This 2×90-minute is divided in two parts: 1) Provides an overview of current applications, methods and approaches highlighting the diversity of questions that can be tackled via evidence synthesis. Contributions from searching/reviewing the grey and scientific literature to knowledge synthesis are invited. 2) Presents and critically assesses the Disentis Roadmap’s approach to creating a reusable biodiversity literature corpus, explore pathways to scale it for researchers, policy-makers, and the public, and invite community involvement.
This session is part of the “Biodiversity Evidence” series.

Co-convener: Mark Snethlage, Patrick Ruch, Rainer Krug, Rob Waterhouse

Biodiversity literacy is a prerequisite for biodiversity research, the design and implementation of biodiversity management schemes as much as for effective communication on biodiversity. Yet, reports increasingly show a decline in the ability to recognize and identify species, habitats and ecological processes. At the same time, the slow and often invisible process of biodiversity loss is difficult to communicate in ways that mobilize broad societal support. Keywords and concepts that have been coined are e.g. the “erosion of taxonomists”, “plant blindness”, “nature (dis-)connectedness” and “extinction of experience”.
Promoting biodiversity competence is therefore a central challenge. Since biodiversity literacy is context-dependent within and across cultures, mainstreaming efforts must draw on diverse approaches. In this session, divided in two 90-min slots, we highlight challenges and showcase best-practice examples from a) education and b) citizens science projects that train and foster biodiversity literacy in formal and informal settings. The goal is to share knowledge and ideas about didactic approaches to biodiversity teaching, the potential of digital tools for mentored or self-organized learning, and current trends that combine modern digital formats with traditional field-based experiences. Further aspects include building blocks for life-long learning, the design and management of citizens science projects, strategies for fostering long-term engagement of biodiversity stewards, and the requirements for educating the next generation of teachers and facilitators.

Citizen science – a form of research where lay people contribute to scientific projects – has become increasingly important in the field of biodiversity research by helping to plug both temporal and spatial gaps in scientific projects as well as for scalability. Attractive projects are able to leverage public interest to collect vast amounts of data that would otherwise have been impossible with a limited budget and team size. Recent advances in AI and broad appeal via smartphone apps allow for even broader and more complex analyses. Not only researchers, but also the citizen scientists themselves benefit from the engagement, as such activities have been shown to promote a sense of connection to nature, improve mental health, and strengthen collective action for environmental conservation. Because of these mutual benefits, co-creation – whereby nonacademic partners are involved in scientific projects from the beginning – is often considered the gold standard for designing programs intended to produce actionable results. Besides exploring citizen science, co-creation, and other participative strategies for designing and carrying out collaborative and transdisciplinary research projects, the goals of this session include exemplifying the success of citizen science approaches, extrapolating the success factors and probing the limits of upscaling citizen science through the use of AI. We invite participants to share their approaches, methods, and results, focusing on their collaborations with nonacademic partners on the ground.

Digital twins (DTs) are an emerging tool in ecology and biodiversity conservation, offering real-time, evidence-based insights into natural systems. These dynamic models evolve with their real-world counterparts, providing decision-makers and practitioners with up-to-date information on environmental states and trends. By integrating cutting-edge science, real-time monitoring data, AI, and predictive modelling, DTs create lifelike virtual representations of ecosystems. This enables users to test conservation interventions and receive immediate feedback, supporting more informed decision-making.
This session welcomes all submissions presenting DTs or prototype DTs, irrespective of their development stage or maturity level. Presenters are invited to emphasise how their DTs are or can be used by practitioners and decision makers for better informed conservation decision-making. This session also welcomes concepts and ideas about how DTs can foster stronger connection between science, society and practice. Lastly, this session invites ideas or examples of DTs that nurture interaction and engagement of people with the natural environment.

Forests cover 31% of the world’s land-area, harbour immense levels of biodiversity, and provide highly valuable ecosystem services (ES). In 2020, half of the world’s forests had a management plan, mostly for wood products. Yet, forest management is still mostly focused on maximizing for a single objective (e.g. timber) and protecting it from a single disturbance (e.g. fire). Consequently, forest biodiversity continues to decline globally and forests and their ES are threatened by current and future environmental changes. Scientists, practitioners, and decision-makers have called for better knowledge exchange, co-production of research, and co-management with communities, and for a shift towards management of multiple ES and disturbances. Also, Indigenous and local knowledge has been grossly underrepresented in forest management globally despite its relevance to guide management actions. These challenges existing in the science, policy and action interface are well-identified. We now need to identify and learn from existing and potential solutions that can shift societies towards more holistic forest management. We will feature a panel of leaders at bridging science and management, complemented by presentations of useful tools and case studies for those seeking more effective solutions that promote biodiversity. This hybrid format will stimulate debate between presenters and the audience, and a discussion of how and which biodiversity indicators can be used by practitioners and how to manage biodiversity values along with economic and socio-cultural values, community safety and Indigenous-led forest management. We will strive to have a diverse and inclusive set of speakers representing the Indigenous, local community, scientific, managerial, and decision/policy spheres.

Non-material Nature’s Contributions to People (NCPs) play a crucial role in shaping how societies value and interact with biodiversity. Yet these contributions are often difficult to assess and underrepresented in science-policy and decision-making contexts.
This session brings together researchers from the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security, the Leibniz Peace Research Institute Frankfurt and the Institute for Social-Ecological Research, who are engaged in collaborative efforts to better integrate non-material NCPs into biodiversity science, policy and practice.
Building on a recent cross-institutional dialogue, the session will explore stakeholder values, trade-offs, conflicts, and scale-related challenges in assessing non-material NCPs and their implications for policy making. Participants will share approaches and identify synergies across disciplines and institutions, with the goal of informing more inclusive and policy-relevant biodiversity research.
The session is open to researchers, practitioners and societal actors working at the science-policy interface on NCPs, ecosystem services, biodiversity governance and transformative change, including representatives of science-policy platforms, MEAs, Indigenous and local knowledge holders and biodiversity decision-makers. Contributors will share conceptual insights and applied approaches, highlighting synergies between different disciplines and institutions. The emphasis will be on how these contributions can inform more inclusive, value-sensitive and policy-relevant biodiversity planning and decision-making. The aim is to contribute to bridging the gap between conceptual work and actionable insights for addressing biodiversity challenges.

This session explores the potential of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in effectively supporting transformative change. Coined as a term for the protection, restoration or sustainable use of ecosystems to address several societal challenges simultaneously, NbS can tackle related underlying problems or root causes for a fundamental and system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors. This especially applies when their implementation challenges existing mindsets, value systems, human-non-human-nature relationships and institutional barriers, and creates space(s) for new, collaborative governance approaches. Many current environmental and planning decisions are, however, shaped by long-standing perspectives, habits, power structures, and institutional rules that often reinforce an unsustainable status quo. These path dependencies and lock-ins can hinder innovation, limit inclusion, affect viability, and delay needed systemic changes, esp. for a more nature-positive economy. According to our recently collected insights, this refers to a combination of entrenched structural and cultural barriers, incl. rigid regulations and slow policy processes, conflicting mandates and poor coordination across governance levels, chronic underinvestment in maintenance, low awareness, and competing framings of NbS success that privilege short-term economic returns over ecological goals. These are further compounded by tensions between the urban-rural divide, locally adapted interventions that strengthen community engagement and large-scale approaches that promise a wide reach and impact, and by the lack of consistent mechanisms, whether regulatory or incentive-based, that can sustain NbS over time and maintain fairness in who benefits and who bears the costs.

Strategic spatial planning is a key tool to align land use with biodiversity conservation and restoration and create transformative change. In current policy trajectories, spatial planning must address scientific imperatives alongside multi-sectoral policy goals (e.g. housing, mobility) while opening spaces for democracy and participation. Questions of justice and equity must be front and centre because groups most affected by environmental change have often been marginalised in decision-making.

In this session, we welcome abstracts that investigate how spatial planning (as a practice and research topic) is transforming to deliver transformative change for biodiversity. This topic could include how, and with what qualities, planning systems, land governance, and participatory processes contribute to biodiversity outcomes across diverse geographical, cultural, and sectoral contexts. Contributions could address (for example) integrative planning approaches that mainstream biodiversity, policy coherence and cross-sectoral governance, the role of participatory and inclusive planning processes, and empirical case studies of transformative planning. This session is hosted by the PLUS Change project (Planning Land Use Strategies in a Changing World). Due to the focus of the project, we are looking for submissions that consider questions of justice, democracy and participation in planning.

This session aims to contribute actionable knowledge on the role of land use planning in biodiversity-positive land use transformations. We intend to collate lessons learned for broader dissemination into current science-policy considerations, including for example the IPBES assessment on spatial planning and the IPCC report on Cities and Climate Change.

Many countries have committed to addressing two global challenges - the transition to a carbon-neutral energy production and the halt and reversal of biodiversity loss. Consequently, much research has been devoted at the interface of these topics, such as the consequences of renewable energy infrastructure and operation on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, solutions to minimize or mitigate negative impacts, and the underlying drivers of public opinion about renewable energy generation and biodiversity stewardship.
The goal of this session is to review the current state of knowledge at the interface of biodiversity and renewable energies, to identify persisting knowledge gaps, and to spark discussions about pathways towards a biodiversity-friendly energy transition. We welcome contributions covering any of the renewable energy sources, namely solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, biogas, tidal- and wave energy, geothermal energy and biofuels and from all levels of biodiversity consequences, e.g., food webs, ecosystems, habitats, and ecosystem services. We further appreciate contributions on societal aspects of biodiversity stewardship and the energy transition.

The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set a clear mission: halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on a path to recovery. Achieving this requires more than ecological knowledge; it calls for transformative change and for futures where biodiversity is enhanced, not only conserved (IPBES 2019). Agriculture and forestry, as major drivers of biodiversity loss, present both urgent challenges and opportunities to combine mitigation of impacts with proactive conservation and restoration. This session examines how social innovation, participatory governance, and collective action can foster biodiversity recovery in agri-forest and mountain socio-ecological systems. It highlights how communities, researchers, policymakers, businesses, and civil society collaborate to design and implement transformative pathways. Living Labs, long-term socio-ecological research sites, and commons-based institutions are emphasized as arenas for co-production and experimentation, where knowledge exchange and inclusive participation strengthen resilience, equity, and trust. Special attention is given to improving communication, empowering communities, and enhancing the role of biodiversity science in policy and practice. We welcome contributions that: Explore governance innovations for biodiversity recovery; Present empirical cases of collective action in agriculture, forestry, and mountain landscapes; Analyse Living Lab approaches as infrastructures for transformative change; Reflect on cross-generational collaboration and integration of local, Indigenous, and scientific knowledge; Discuss scaling pathways and transfer of lessons, including in post-crisis contexts.

In recent years, the ongoing climate crisis has powerfully shaped public discourse, activism, and policy priorities worldwide. However, the equally urgent biodiversity crisis receives less attention, despite its relevance for our planet’s future. How can we ensure that addressing climate change does not come at the expense of awareness and action on biodiversity loss? What role do shared narratives play in making biodiversity issues more salient and actionable, and how can these narratives be designed to resonate with diverse audiences?
This participatory workshop aims to foster dialogue and creativity among researchers, practitioners, and communicators from across disciplines. After a brief input on the power of narratives in science communication, participants will divide into small groups to collaboratively develop innovative, integrative narratives on biodiversity communication. Through guided discussion, groups will identify strengths and weaknesses in climate and biodiversity discourses – such as the climate movement’s strong public visibility versus the often overlooked importance of biodiversity – and experiment with ways to use the strengths of one to address the weaknesses of the other.
The 90 min. workshop will also engage participants in critical reflection on the role of emotionality in science communication: What kinds and degrees of emotions are both appropriate and effective in the current situation? How can we strike a balance between mobilizing concern and fostering constructive engagement?
The session will conclude with a plenary exchange of developed narratives and a discussion on how these can be applied in practice to spark new collaborations and strategies for communicating the urgency and relevance of biodiversity change in a warming world.

Rapid climate change and increasing human activity (industry, tourism) are impacting Arctic biodiversity, putting the uniquely cold-adapted ecosystems of the region under threat. The consequences of changes to and losses in Arctic biodiversity have wide-reaching impacts themselves, from the subsistence of Indigenous and local livelihoods to global climate feedbacks. Looking into the future, we therefore need sustainable and lasting approaches that will enable Arctic biodiversity to adapt to these pressures. For this session, we invite submissions from all backgrounds that help us better understand and care for Arctic biodiversity and its future - locally, regionally and across the North. This includes submissions on marine and terrestrial biodiversity, Indigenous approaches, policy-making, social and natural sciences. We welcome abstracts providing perspectives from individual disciplines (for example, a research report or a story), as well as those that combine multiple ways of understanding the Arctic, including knowledge co-creation (for example, Two-Eyed Seeing) and interdisciplinary approaches. Talks may take any format in the allocated time slot (e.g., slides, storytelling, etc.) and we intend to close the session with a short discussion allowing for a group-based reflection. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

While addressing biodiversity loss and climate change requires robust scientific knowledge, it also requires effective pathways to ensure that this knowledge is understood, trusted, and acted upon. Yet, the flow of biodiversity and climate knowledge between providers and users remains uneven and fragmented, limiting the potential for transformative change.

This session, convened by the EU-funded RESPIN project (Reinforcing Science-Policy Interfaces for integrated biodiversity and climate knowledge and policies), explores how knowledge circulates between holders (scientists, institutions, IPBES/IPCC experts) and users (policy makers, societal organisations, practitioners). Drawing on social network analysis in seven countries, as well as surveys and interviews with over 700 knowledge holders and users, RESPIN identifies both barriers and opportunities for more inclusive and impactful knowledge uptake.

The session will share comparative insights into how different national and regional contexts shape knowledge networks, including who is central, who is marginalised, and what formats (policy briefs, online data, direct exchange) best support uptake. It will also use the recent IPBES Nexus and Transformative Change Assessments as examples of where knowledge input and uptake are critical for policy impact.

To ensure active engagement, we propose a 90-minute workshop-format session. Short presentations will introduce RESPIN findings, followed by structured discussion in small groups (World Café format).

SIGN-UP LINK: https://tinyurl.com/WBF-CON20

Accelerating growth of biodiversity knowledge, spanning peer-reviewed publications and grey literature, poses challenges for seeking timely and trustworthy evidence for policy, practice, and research. This full-day, invitation-only workshop (with limited seats) will bring together experts to map what exists, what is needed, and how to move forward to improve and develop literature workflows.
The morning will feature short talks offering a snapshot of the state of the art: insights from initiatives, overviews of tools and techniques, and case studies demonstrating applications, providing a shared understanding of strengths, gaps, and persistent challenges in literature identification, screening, and preparation for synthesis.
In the afternoon, participants will work in breakout groups to discuss the needs of different user communities, from science–policy bodies to independent projects, and outline ways forward. Afterwards, we will design the foundations of a new Community of Practice (CoPLit) to streamline and innovate workflows, and explore opportunities for collaboration and funding.
We aim to have established a CoPLit with core members and leaders, identified needs to guide user-focused research and development in biodiversity literature workflows, and defined next steps for joint projects, proposals, and tool development.
We aim to set the stage for coordinated, open, and practical approaches to make literature more accessible, relevant, and available for evidence-based biodiversity research, practice, and policy.
This workshop is part of a curated series of workshops and sessions focusing on biodiversity evidence, which can be identified in the programme by titles beginning with “Biodiversity Evidence:”.

How can diverse perceptions of the term ‘biodiversity’ be reconciled to successfully engage in dialogue? How can scientists, stakeholders, and policymakers effectively collaborate to protect biodiversity? Biodiversity loss remains challenging to communicate, as its complexity allows for multiple interpretations and approaches to mitigation. This often leads to ambiguity in policymaker-stakeholder discussions, highlighting the need for an ongoing adaptation of biodiversity to specific contexts.
In this 90-minute interactive workshop, participants navigate adapting the term ‘biodiversity’ in real-world conservation scenarios. The conveners bring their rich experience as ecologists co-producing research, advocating through NGOs, engaging in policy discussions, and leading previous workshops, to guide fruitful discussions.
Goals: We aim to provide a time and place for reflection, fostering a diverse discussion through sharing personal views, experiences and tools for tackling the challenges of communicating biodiversity topics at the policy level. Participants will reflect upon unique and shared perceptions, and how each may advocate for effective policies. We’ll discuss opportunities and challenges encountered when communicating environmental issues in policy settings.
Outcomes:
Reflection upon the unique perceptions of biodiversity in policy settings, facilitating a starting point for communication based upon mutual understanding and trust.
Increased awareness of challenges professionals face when communicating about biodiversity in policy settings, enabling participants to anticipate and prepare accordingly.
Imbue participants with a sense of agency regarding their ability to overcome communication challenges when communicating in policy settings.

Description:
Multiple research projects have been funded and implemented, resulting in numerous knowledge and results: more than ten thousand peer-reviewed articles have been published, mentioning ‘biodiversity’ as a key word since the start of 2025. How can we optimally transfer these knowledge and resources into the everyday life of businesses? Policies are being built, as well as academia-business partnerships, and many other vehicles for knowledge transfer. What are the best practices for improving the transfer of information, adoption, and exploitation of research results by business stakeholders?

Format:
• 55 minutes roundtable with 4 to 5 speakers, both from academic and business background, ideally one with double experience
• 30 minutes Q&A with the attendance (on site)
• 5 minutes wrap up and conclusion
The workshop will be animated by an experienced facilitator and include live sketching.

Goals:
• Highlight good practices of knowledge transfer
• Show a panorama of successful exploitation of research results
• Foster connections between academia and business

Expected Outcomes:
• Increased awareness of scientists towards exploitation potential of their results
• Increased awareness of business stakeholders of the value of scientific results
• Networking between scientists and businesses

SIGN-UP LINK: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-Ih0OJT7FTnGJQuE6ak8vCPBEQABN4LBkDhYrEQzfQl5AkQ/viewform?usp=preview

As environmental crises intensify, conservation must integrate not only ecosystems and disciplines but also cultures, institutions, and epistemologies. Conservation social science plays a pivotal role in navigating the complex intersections of science, policy, and society. Over the past two decades—alongside the rise of the Society for Conservation Biology’s Social Science Working Group (SSWG)—this field has grown into a robust, interdisciplinary community shaping global conservation thought and practice.

This workshop builds on that legacy to explore how conservation social science informs the governance of nature, people, and place across scales and cultures. Presentations will examine stakeholder engagement, co-production of knowledge, social impact assessment, Indigenous knowledge systems, and the integration of equity and well-being into conservation policy. Drawing from the 2025 Trends and Future Directions in Social Science special issue in Conservation Biology, the session will assess the mainstreaming of social science in conservation institutions while addressing persistent challenges: power asymmetries, epistemological tensions, colonial legacies, underrepresentation from the Global South, and unequal access to knowledge.

Looking ahead, we emphasize training and empowering new generations of conservation social scientists who can translate across scientific, policy, and societal domains with cultural competence and ethical sensitivity. Through dialogue on participatory methods, transparency, and collaboration, this symposium invites reflection on how to institutionalize inclusive and reflexive standards. We ask: What could conservation social science look like in 20 years if guided by justice, integrity, and global inclusion?

This 90-minute workshop will explore how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can link science, policy, and practice to address disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, while safeguarding biodiversity and strengthening societal resilience. Drawing on evidence and practical experience from national and regional initiatives, the session will highlight innovative approaches that harness ecosystem services for risk reduction and sustainable development. Case studies from the EU-funded NBSINFRA and ALBATROSS projects will illustrate NbS as living laboratories where scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and communities co-produce knowledge and test solutions in urban and rural contexts. These examples demonstrate how NbS can be adapted to diverse settings while generating transferable lessons for scaling.

The workshop emphasizes co-production of actionable knowledge across rights holders and stakeholders to ensure NbS are inclusive, credible, and effective. Key enabling conditions such as robust scientific frameworks, evidence-based policy design, innovative financing mechanisms, and cross-sectoral partnerships will be discussed to strengthen trust in science and biodiversity-informed decision-making. Goals include sharing science-based insights, comparing rural and urban applications, exploring enabling conditions for scaling NbS, and capturing stakeholder perspectives. Expected outcomes include a synthesis of evidence and lessons, identification of capacity-building priorities, and strengthened science–policy–society dialogue to advance resilient, inclusive societies.

SIGN-UP LINK: https://link.webropol.com/s/wbf2026-con25

Biodiversity loss has entered mainstream awareness, yet meaningful action continues to lag. Since the IPBES (2019) and Dasgupta (2020) reports, biodiversity has gained recognition alongside climate change in business, policy, and public discourse. However, the transition from awareness to action remains slow.

This workshop builds on insights from a transdisciplinary research project BIODIFUL (2021–2025) focused on fostering biodiversity-respectful leadership across society. We define leadership not only through formal roles in business, politics, and beyond, but also as the ability to inspire and mobilize others within personal networks, from communities to workplaces.

We propose that exponential change begins with individuals acting as biodiversity agents in their own spheres of influence. By equipping participants with tools and strategies to educate and activate their networks, we aim to catalyze chain reactions of biodiversity-positive behavior.

In this 180 minute-session we will share practical insights from our project on enabling biodiversity leadership, facilitate co-creation of strategies to empower participants as change agents, and explore how communication can make biodiversity relevant to business, policy, and individual choices. Participants will leave with actionable tools to influence biodiversity-respectful behavior in their networks, and practical ways to communicate biodiversity knowledge into everyday practice.

The session explores the concept of biocultural diversity (BCD), which recognizes the interweaving of cultural and natural processes in landscapes shaped by long- or short-term human–more-than-human interactions, can be translated into actionable practices connecting science, society, and practice. Drawing on real-world cases, we examine how co-creative approaches can strengthen feedback loops between human, non-human actors, & ecology, fostering both BD and cultural vitality. Cases include governance structures, local practices, and innovations. Through the session, we illustrate and envision future pathways where BCD principles guide inclusive planning, decision-making, and stewardship. Our goal is to deepen mutual understanding of interdependence among stakeholders, thereby strengthening trust in science as a partner.
Form: Case presentations (15 min): Five scholars and practitioners from diverse regions present cases demonstrating how BCD frameworks have been implemented, adapted, or envisioned for BD action. Co-creation (45 min): Participants join small groups to co-develop ideas, identify barriers, and propose solutions. Each group works with a large systems map of a case, visualizing actors, relationships, and dynamics to support exploration of complexity and situating ideas within broader systems. Insights (30 min): A plenary discussion synthesizes key takeaways, recommendations, and opportunities for scaling BCD approaches, offering a roadmap for trust, dialogue, and co-produced knowledge in BD governance.
Outcomes: Participants will gain insights into BCD in practice, identify barriers and enablers, co-create solutions, formulate recommendations for policy and planning, and strengthen networks that foster collaboration around biocultural heritage and BD

We need to improve Science-Policy-Practice interfaces for better biodiversity outcomes. The EU has committed to establishing a Science Service for Biodiversity aiming to connect research on biodiversity to policy in a targeted dialogue between scientists, other knowledge holders and policy. Answering knowledge requests from policy forms a core of the Science Service. The goals of this workshop are to introduce the Science Service and the model of answering requests, build capacity for participants to use the step- by- step protocol developed for handling knowledge requests from policy, discuss the challenges of the process and consider scaling possibilities to other than EU contexts. Innovative interaction methods will illustrate the real-world policy challenges and enable participants to reflect on the roles of policy officers, knowledge brokers, practitioners and researchers.

Duration:
• Introduction to EU Science Service for Biodiversity
• Presentation of “Model for answering urgent policy requests to support biodiversity policies”
• Capacity-building in small groups on how science can answer policy requests within short time frames. Group work will consist of going through the steps of the protocol on answering requests including forming thematic expert groups, managing the process and interacting with policy officers within a dialogic model. Groups will be working with real world examples.
• Facilitated summing up, interactive dialogue and reflection on scaling the model for other than EU contexts.

Expected outcomes will include an increased understanding of knowledge for policy support, hands-on experience on handling knowledge requests from policy and conclusion on scaling up possibilities of the model for different contexts.

SIGN-UP LINK: https://forms.gle/yJ2ZxnemcTXCGZds8

Modern societies face a range of complex problems and continuous crises, such as climate change, social inequalities, and – notably – biodiversity loss. The urgency of biodiversity protection calls for greater ambition—in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework’s call for transformative change—which requires strengthened efforts and enhanced collaboration. Over the last decade, the landscape of biodiversity actors has become more diverse, extending beyond national platforms to include civil society groups e.g. from business, finance, citizen science, the arts, and even the World Biodiversity Forum itself. In this workshop, we bring together a diversity of biodiversity platforms and science-policy interfaces to share their experiences in creating and maintaining processes for knowledge synthesis, knowledge assessment and decision support. Using a systematic approach to understanding and categorising exchange formats at the science-policy interface, we explore intervention points, opportunities, and critical windows of action as well as the demands of emerging actors and emphasizes creating spaces for reflection, experimentation, and bridge-building across communities. Furthermore, it examines new forms of collaboration, including heterogeneous or non-traditional coalitions that may open novel pathways for integrating biodiversity research and policy.
The workshop will be structured in three sections:
(1) Creating a Community of Practice (CoP), diverse platforms are invited to shortly present themselves in a speed dating type session.
(2) Establishing a typology of biodiversity platforms and SPIs according to key criteria, including their target groups within policy and society, their roles at various stages of the policy making process, and their specific functions within these processes.
(3) Exploring approaches how to move from “grand challenges” to implementation in practice, focusing on inspiring formats addressing the demands of emerging actors and emphasizing creating spaces for reflection, experimentation, and bridge-building across communities.
This workshop offers a much-needed review and in-depth understanding of science–policy interaction mechanisms, providing practical insights for improving evidence-based collaboration in biodiversity contexts. Outcomes of the workshop will be prepared as a white paper and peer-reviewed publication.

SIGN-UP LINK: https://forms.gle/JFdQhP9zhRRTxQn18

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Switzerland, in collaboration with LEAF Inspiring Change (an ETH Zurich spin-off) and the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH), has developed an innovative immersive strategy game that teaches sustainable forest and timber management principles.
WaldWege simulates the complex interplay between forestry interests and habitat protection, making these relationships tangible for players. The game demonstrates how decisions in forest management and along the value chain impact ecosystems across multiple timescales, showing tangible changes resulting from these decisions while fostering new ideas for responsible resource use.
The game addresses critical needs in sustainability education:
Climate Urgency: Sustainable forest management is central to addressing the climate crisis
Systems Thinking: Develop holistic understanding of complex systems and long-term consequences
Multi-stakeholder Perspectives: Gain insights into various viewpoints, fostering empathy and critical thinking
Decision-making Under Uncertainty: Simulate real-world scenarios with incomplete information
Educational Innovation: A pioneering method for experiential learning that promotes behavioral change and is adaptable to other complex topics
WaldWege is an innovative program that redefines sustainability education. With your collaboration, we can elevate this initiative even further, unlocking its full potential through strategic support and networking opportunities for funding. Choosing WaldWege means advancing a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens—and seizing the opportunity to showcase leadership in biodiversity transformation through innovation in education.
More Info: https://leafic.ch/waldwege/
Duration: 2 consecutive 90-minute slots

This workshop examines how land tenure—customary and formal—shapes social relationships and biodiversity outcomes in mountain and upland regions. Despite its central role in sustaining ecosystems, tenure is often overlooked in biodiversity policy and practice. Drawing on cases from the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, the Sinai, East Africa, and the European Alps, we explore how secure rights support conservation, ecosystem regeneration, and sustainable livelihoods.

The session will highlight governance systems such as community forest management, collective water management, and incentive-based schemes reversing deforestation in South Asia; customary tribal tenure in arid mountain landscapes, where informal agreements underpin conservation in protected areas; and cadastral systems in the Alps, where historical boundaries shape biodiversity management. Perspectives from land systems research will connect these place-based cases, spanning different scales and timeframes, to broader debates on sustainability transitions. The workshop will also link these experiences to the international science-policy arena, examining how tenure security can be embedded in global frameworks and adaptation strategies.

Duration: 90 mins
Goals: (a) Show how secure land tenure enables biodiversity management; (b) Share cross-regional lessons from diverse upland contexts; (c) Co-develop strategies for integrating tenure into policy and practice.
Expected Outcomes: Participants will deepen understanding of tenure’s role in biodiversity, contribute to a synthesis brief with cross-regional insights, and co-create actionable recommendations for policy and program design. The workshop will also foster connections among researchers, community leaders, and policy actors for future collaboration.

At On the Edge, we’re committed to reconnecting the public with the value and importance of biodiversity — as well as bringing about lasting, large-scale change to protect and re-establish species populations and ecosystems across the world. We believe entertainment-led storytelling is a crucial ally in the movement to reconnect people with nature and underdog species. Specifically, Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species, which represent the most unique, and threatened lineages on the planet. It has the capacity to make the natural world accessible and emotionally engaging, helping people see nature and change their perceptions of it.

Over the past 2 years, On the Edge has developed and delivered capacity building training and mentorship to over 3,000 conservationists & storytellers, teaching our approach to nature communication. Utilising our in-house expertise, this workshop will introduce the audience to the science of communicating nature, the role of storytelling in behaviour change, and how to challenge traditional approaches to science communication.

Duration: 90 mins. Optional session - Content creation challenge (teaching the tips to making engaging and impactful content) = 180 mins

Goals: Increase capacity of attendees to better communicate biodiversity, its threats and solutions; increase knowledge of science communication and behaviour change; challenge traditional approaches to conservation communication.

Outcomes: Increased awareness of the importance and influence of storytelling, its role in conservation, and how it can be utilised to influence behaviour change; practical skills that allow attendees to encourage them to think outside the box when communicating nature and its threats in their organisations.

This session will explore the latest developments in nature-related scenario design, including insights from the NGFS Network Greening Financial Services (supported by major Central banks) and the five Swiss Re Foundation–WWF–AXA Research Fund-EY scenario projects (focus global mountains/islands/deltas; european agri-ecological landscapes, nature-based solutions in Brazil, Peru, and Belize, incl. local livelihood and indigenous community work for the case studies). The following questions are planned to be covered:
• How can nature risk scenarios inform micro and macro-economic risk assessment (the latter being important for supervisors and central banks)?
• What are practical challenges and opportunities in integrating biodiversity and ecosystem risk into risk assessment and decision-making (micro level: local and regional authorities; macro level: focus for financial institutions, for central banks and financial supervisors)?
• How can we scale regional blueprints to international collaboration to accelerate the adoption of science-based, forward-looking tools to address the financial implications of biodiversity loss?
• Does biodiversity science struggle: what is still needed to mainstream the use and implementation of nature related scenarios?

SIGN-UP LINK: https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/GnQR1twW

Globally, there is a growing interest from the younger or present future generation, commonly known as the early-career researchers (ECRs), in engaging in SPPIs. This is driven by several factors, including but not limited to the need to contribute to positive societal change, understand policy processes, and career development, among others (Filyushkina et al., 2022). In most regions, such as Africa, the barriers among the Next Gen of Leaders to effectively contribute to and strengthen SPPI include a lack of adequate understanding about involvement channels, limited knowledge of engagement platforms and opportunities, funding constraints, inadequate and/or sometimes inappropriate training, and, many times, low credibility perceptions of emerging capacity by other actors across the SPPI.

Despite the ongoing efforts to address the drivers of change and achieve the biodiversity-climate-society connectivity goal, little attention is placed on bringing together inter-generational think-tanks, policy-actors, and grassroots players from various disciplines and spaces. Africa is experiencing a deficit or lack of deliberate programs that are designed to leverage the inter-generational SPPI research talents and skills, expertise, innovation, and lived experiences to help upend the curves of change and achieve biodiversity-climate-society connectivity. The NextGen of SPPI Leaders on Biodiversity, Climate, and Society seeks to consolidate and transfer, through a regional stock-take, inter-generational SPPI capacity and leadership in Africa. It will co-create, implement, and evaluate SPPI initiatives that seek to address, through fostering partnerships and collaborations, the triple-challenge of biodiversity loss, climate crisis, and the need to meet socio-economic needs.  

The IPBES Transformative Change Assessment (2024) advances an actionable framework for assessing strategies and interventions to achieve the sustainable development goals. Its emphasis on transformative change as integral changes in views, structures, and practices can be applied to interventions for advancing the SDGs and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity. Thus the TCA proposes a novel reconceptualization of the means to achieve and advance targets associated with the 17 SDGs and with the 2050 Vision of the Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention of Biological Diversity.
A systematic understanding of TC is critical to achieve the SDGs and the 2050 Vision because the SDGs and the 2050 Vision envisages a complete transformation of global economies and natural systems. To achieve the SDGs and the Global Vision, we must reconceptualize strategies and mechanisms that build on the insights of the TCA to advance these global goals. The TCA’s framework for transformative change pinpoints the key elements missing from current efforts by governments, non-profits, and business organizations to advance the SDGs. It highlights how attention to integral shifts in views, structures and practices can be incorporated into SDG and biodiversity focused efforts for more systematic advance for a better world for biodiversity and people. The proposed panel session will focus on the sustainable development goals closely related to biodiversity and nature: Life below water, Life on land, Climate action, and Responsible consumption and production. The papers will analyze opportunities for common interventions related to these goals to assess how they can lead to transformative change for sustainable development through integral shifts in views, structures and practices.

As a complementary format to the World Biodiversity Forum, the #Krautschau invites citizens, conference participants and passers-by to (re)discover the often-overlooked plants of urban spaces. Using chalk, the names of wild plants growing between paving stones, in wall crevices or along sidewalks are written directly on the ground – in the local language, in English or with their botanical names.
This low-threshold, interactive activity creates a bridge between environmental education, artistic intervention (street art in the best sense of the word), and biodiversity research. It makes urban plant diversity visible, sparks conversations, and invites people to explore ecological connections right in their everyday surroundings. By combining science communication with creative expression, it engages a wide audience – from curious children to casual passers-by to the Forum participants.
During the Forum, #Krautschau will be organised as a public and participatory event that brings the Forum into the town of Davos and creates walking routes through the city, highlighting the beauty and resilience of spontaneous urban vegetation. The action draws attention to the value of urban biodiversity and encourages dialogue on the relationship between humans and nature in urban contexts.
This format has been carried out in numerous cities and several countries in recent years. It is also documented and shared via social media under the hashtag #Krautschau and #MoreThanWeeds etc, connecting local observations to a global conversation on biodiversity in everyday life.
In doing so, #Krautschau adds a tangible, sensory dimension to the scientific discussions of the Forum and carries the message of biodiversity visibly into public space – both on the streets and online.

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are among the top five threats to global biodiversity. To bring this urgent issue onto the global agenda, we must not only inform but visibly demonstrate the impact invasive species have on ecosystems and communities.

In collaboration with Fauna & Flora International, the Villars Institute, and the Woven Foundation, this project introduces an immersive art installation that brings the science of IAS to life. The work physically inflates within the space, gradually expanding and displacing the audience pushing them out of their ‘habitat’, just as invasive species do to native flora and fauna.

This performative sculpture is accompanied by a series of panels that narrate the collective effort of the partners to agendize IAS, and develop educational tools to make both the science and societal impact accessible to the public.

By merging factual precision with emotional experience, this piece is a demonstration of next-generation science communication—using art and culture as active tools to shift public understanding and inspire informed action on one of biodiversity’s most pressing challenges.

This session explores how art sparks transformative change by reconnecting people with nature, communities, and the spiritual world. Rooted in Indigenous philosophies and holistic worldviews – often misunderstood as separate from Western perspectives – our methods engage participants of all ages through interactive exhibitions, creative workshops, artist interviews, and storytelling. By reaching people emotionally, art makes complex ideas about biodiversity and environmental stewardship accessible and meaningful. These experiences invite reflection on the interconnectedness of all life – humans, animals, plants, and the ecosystems they inhabit – alongside the spiritual realm, fostering a relational understanding of the living world.

Art also acts as a bridge between Indigenous and other perspectives, creating a meeting place for dialogue, shared learning, and relationship-building. Centering Indigenous values of respect, reciprocity, and responsibility, the session highlights how Indigenous knowledge and ingenuity offer solutions to environmental and social challenges. Land-based education, intergenerational storytelling, and community initiatives guide transformative learning, public engagement, and creative problem-solving, inspiring just and sustainable futures.

The 90-minute session features a visually rich presentation led by Indigenous knowledge holders, followed by discussion and exchange. Art’s transformative power spans multiple forms: it connects across cultures, communicates complex ideas, builds trust and collaboration, creates informal spaces for dialogue, and inspires education, advocacy, and action.

Convenors: One Arctic / Museum of Contemporary Circumpolar Art (MCCA) and Global Indigenous Dialogue (GID)

Leaders working to protect our planet face relentless tensions—between conservation and development, local needs and global priorities, urgency and patience. The instinct is to choose one side, but either/or thinking narrows our options and undermines lasting impact. This workshop introduces both/and thinking as a critical leadership skill for navigating the complexity of biodiversity and sustainability challenges. Drawing on cutting-edge research and global case studies, participants will learn how to embrace paradoxes as a source of strategic clarity, innovation, and more regenerative solutions.
Participants will be able to

- Recognize common leadership paradoxes in biodiversity and leadership and why they are intensifying in today’s world.
- Diagnose and escape three vicious cycles of either/or thinking: rabbit holes, wrecking balls, and trench warfare.
- Apply practical tools and case-based frameworks to reframe tensions and lead with greater agility, resilience, and clarity.