If we are to address the biodiversity crisis, we need to take a completely different approach than we usually do. Transformative change—and the seeds for creating such change—were the focus of a conference at the University of Copenhagen on September 23, 2024. Read more and find the conference presentations at the bottom of the article.
If we want to solve the biodiversity crisis, it will require far-reaching—or transformative —changes. This means we need to do things significantly differently, not just do a little more or less of what we’re already doing. The biodiversity crisis, along with the climate crisis and the pollution crisis, calls for a completely different set of values and ways of thinking than we’re used to.
IPBES defines transformative change as the need for fundamental and far-reaching changes across the economy, society, and the environment. Transformative Change is the theme of the upcoming global consensus report from IPBES, which will be presented in Namibia in December 2024.
On September 23, the University of Copenhagen hosted the conference “Transformative Change and Ecosystem Services,” organized by the Danish Network on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in collaboration with IPBES in Denmark and the EU research project SELINA.
Here, today’s participants, joined by researchers and experts, gained insight into how existing projects and initiatives can support and inspire transformative change, and what it will take, overall, to bring about the necessary transformative change. There was also a focus on how we can accelerate this process, encompassing both biodiversity and ecosystem services such as the climate.
Global Perspectives and Transformative Visions
To set the stage, Dr. Ir. Dieter Cuypers from Belgium, project manager for the EU project SELINA, gave a presentation on what transformative change means, why it is necessary, and, not least, what professional expertise is required to successfully bring about such changes.
Transformative change was, in essence, the course of action proposed by the 2019 global report from IPBES. To resolve the biodiversity crisis and related crises, societies around the world must be guided toward a transition based on identifying and transforming so-called societal “tipping points.”
If this sounds like a paradigm shift and a massive challenge, you’ve got it right. Lars Dinesen, IPBES coordinator in Denmark, then gave conference participants an introduction to transformative change from IPBES’s perspective, drawing on experiences and insights from IPBES’s global science-policy work and its connection to national activities.
For example, how do we assess whether projects and activities align with the concept of transformative change or have transformative potential, so that we can begin to develop a shared understanding of what is needed?
As a representative of young people’s voices, Astrid Blom from the Green Youth Movement was invited to provide insight into the movement’s perspectives and political work on manifestos concerning, among other things, “sustainable agriculture” and “equitable nature conservation.” In this context, Astrid Blom made a case for illustrating the utopia and examining how the vision manifests itself in efforts to foster motivation, optimism, and the insistence on a better future. One of several concrete proposals was to introduce green conscription.
Local Perspectives and Nature Restoration
In the second part of the conference, the focus shifted to presentations of specific Danish projects:
Professor Henrik Vejre of the University of Copenhagen and Mathias Utoft Jørgensen of the Municipality of Silkeborg spoke about the pilot project to develop a comprehensive plan for the Gudenå Valley, involving both private and public stakeholders, with a focus on biodiversity, climate, hydrology, water quality, and outdoor recreation.
Lars Malmborg of the Aage V. Jensen Nature Foundation then presented the foundation’s efforts to preserve and restore natural values and biodiversity on some of its lands. The Aage V. Jensen Nature Foundation is Denmark’s largest private landowner, and the key priority is to restore natural hydrology and natural dynamics on the foundation’s properties and to establish a cohesive management approach with the protection and enhancement of biodiversity as its primary focus.
Finally, Jannik Seslef, project manager at Assens Municipality, shared his and the municipality’s experiences working with stakeholders on wetland projects and transforming the landscape through collaboration and land-removal projects. The focus is largely on making changes happen while ensuring that local communities understand and recognize the benefits and opportunities. One specific example is the Holmehave nature project, where efforts are made to weigh and balance the various local and broader interests.
Inspiration from SELINA
The EU project SELINA (Science for Evidence-based and Sustainable Decisions about Natural Capital) is an international and interdisciplinary project involving 31 partner countries, launched with the goal of supporting stakeholders from both the private and public sectors with evidence-based knowledge, guidelines, and recommendations to achieve transformative societal change within the framework of the EU’s Green Deal and the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
Erling Andersen from the University of Copenhagen presented examples from the SELINA project together with Inge Liekens, an environmental economist and researcher at VITO in Belgium. The conference concluded with the day’s participants being invited to take part in a “World Café” featuring roundtable discussions on ideas, opportunities, and barriers to transformative change.
The results will be presented at an upcoming meeting of the Danish Network on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
Find the presentations from the conference here: IPBES in Denmark – Knowledge Sharing
