Biodiversa+ is happy to publish the report of its Foresight Workshop on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Transformative Change, held in Oslo in February 2025. The workshop brought together researchers, funders and experts to explore how NbS can contribute to systemic and transformative change, and to identify emerging research and innovation priorities at the NbS-transformative change interface.
Key messages
Using horizon scanning, systems‑based discussions and participatory foresight methods, participants examined key trends, uncertainties and potential disruptions. The discussions highlighted that NbS can support transformative change only if embedded in broader systemic shifts, including governance reform, economic incentives, behavioural change and justice considerations. Governance, finance, values and social equity emerged as decisive levers for scaling impact.
Participants also stressed the need for:
- clear and locally relevant frameworks and indicators;
- stronger socio-ecological and transdisciplinary approaches;
- long-term commitment, monitoring and adaptive learning.
Informing Biodiversa+ priorities
The outcomes feed directly into Biodiversa+’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda and strengthen links between its flagship programmes on NbS and transformative change, including the BiodivNBS and BiodivTransform calls.
These insights will resonate in the upcoming BiodivTransform events in April, including the Science-Policy Forum on Biodiversity and Transformative Change and the BiodivTransform kick-off meeting, which will further explore how transformative pathways can be implemented in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, building on the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment.
