CLEVER’s Pathways From Global Trade to Biodiversity Policy Action

on September 9, 2025

What does it take to make Europe’s global trade truly sustainable for biodiversity? At the Mainstreaming Biodiversity for Policy Making conference in Brussels, CLEVER presented insights from three years of research on how EU trade and consumption affect ecosystems worldwide. Our work focuses on three main areas: the Brazilian soy value chain, timber from Cameroon, Brazil, and Gabon, and aquaculture in Vietnam. These commodities are expanding into ecologically sensitive regions, driving deforestation, threatening biodiversity, and impacting local communities.

As the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) begins to take effect, CLEVER engaged with policymakers, civil society, and scientists to share evidence and tools—such as biodiversity indicators, trade analysis, and policy evaluation—that can help identify leverage points for reducing Europe’s biodiversity footprint.

For CLEVER, the event marked a milestone in a longer journey of collaboration, innovation, and systems thinking. As part of the Horizon Europe Cluster on Transformative Change for Biodiversity, our work goes beyond understanding impacts to shaping solutions toward more sustainable and equitable trade.

Measuring and quantifying biodiversity impacts

To design effective policies, we first need clear evidence of how trade affects nature. CLEVER tackled this challenge by developing tools that make biodiversity impacts visible and measurable. Partners from UFMG shared progress on biodiversity loss and endemism projections in Brazil, taking into account uncertainties such as climate change and mitigation policies. This forward-looking approach helps anticipate future risks, making it possible to design policies that are both preventive and adaptive.

Another highlight was an innovative spatially explicit framework, developed by our partners at UPV and BC3, which pinpoints the biodiversity and environmental impacts of Brazilian soybean exports with remarkable precision. This tool not only identifies the municipalities where soybean production is most harmful but also reveals which importing countries bear the greatest responsibility for species decline. Such insights are crucial for policymakers, enabling them to target the most impactful points in the supply chain.

By making these connections clear, CLEVER provides the scientific foundation for policies that can truly reduce Europe’s global biodiversity footprint.

Leverage points and governance implications

The EUDR formed a pertinent case in the different talks. A clear message that came through the presentations was that leverage points for the governance of commodity supply chains exist and must be tackled in multiple areas. This includes ensuring coherence of policies related to the production and trade of forest and agricultural commodities between supply-and demand-side countries. Also, transnational regulations like the EUDR should build on international cooperation in order to maximize its impacts and avoid outcomes that see companies merely seeking technical compliance and reshuffling their supply chains instead of adopting measures that truly tackle deforestation.

Building on these insights, CLEVER released a research output in August 2025 summarizing policy recommendations through the Innovation Action Pool. This initiative identifies governance innovations that can be scaled up to create sustainable supply chains that protect biodiversity while ensuring fair production practices. The report targets state actors and business associations in both producing and consuming countries. Based on stakeholder input, the Innovation Action Pool focuses on adapting and scaling proven governance models rather than introducing entirely new instruments, prioritizing inclusiveness and context-specific solutions that respond to real stakeholder needs.

Reducing EU footprints in the world

The real challenge is turning this knowledge into practical, fair, and effective action. During the panel discussion at the conference, experts from policy, science, and civil society highlighted solutions that are already showing promise: regenerative agriculture, traceability systems, payments for ecosystem services, and innovative financing tools for smallholders. These align with CLEVER’s emphasis on systemic change, but achieving lasting progress requires more than isolated interventions. Strong policy coherence, cross-sector collaboration, and political commitment are essential to move from insights to meaningful, system-level implementation.

Engaging People, Amplifying Impact

To maximise outreach and impact, CLEVER placed strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and communication throughout the project. Online and in-person workshops and interviews with stakeholders from Europe, Brazil, Cameroon and Gabon brought together local actors across sectors, ensuring that the voices of those most affected by biodiversity loss were reflected in our work. Stakeholder input gathered through these activities directly shaped the content, design, and priorities of the project outputs, such as the Innovation Action Pool, by grounding it in the lived realities, sectoral knowledge, and practical constraints described by those working in the commodity supply chains.

Communication was also key to impact, with researchers receiving training that supported their active involvement in producing outputs like the project video and “Four key narratives on global trade, forests, and policy” that made our work more accessible.

Amid data and policies, storytelling emerged during the event as a vital tool for driving change. By connecting emotionally to biodiversity, stories amplify local voices and inspire action. Combined with CLEVER’s research, they will inform a joint policy brief with concrete recommendations for EU and international decision-makers. Moving forward, we remain committed to advancing biodiversity-sensitive trade and governance as the foundation for a just and sustainable global economy.

CLEVER’s achievements and outputs reflect the combined efforts of its full consortium, including the University of Bonn, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, University of Freiburg, European Forest Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, IIASA, and UNEP-WCMC. Their expertise and collaboration made this work possible.

Photos by Rosa Castañeda.

Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Policymaking: A Collective Call for Transformative Change

on June 12, 2025

On June 4–5, 2025, over 150 participants gathered in Brussels and online for a two-day event hosted by 11 projects funded under the Horizon Europe Cluster on Transformative Change for Biodiversity.

CLEVER, BioValue, RAINFOREST, BAMBOO, BEDROCK, BioAgora, BIONEXT, BIOTraCes and TRANSPATH, PLANET4B and DAISY joined forces to gather and offer insights from each project. The event created a shared space to reflect on how biodiversity can be more effectively integrated into public policymaking, spatial planning, and socio-economic systems.

Rather than presenting isolated results, the projects explored the deeper shifts needed to address the biodiversity crisis. Panelists were invited to share their insights, to connect science-related results with policy representations at the institutional level. Leading researchers from projects, Maria Rosário Partidario from IST, coordinator of BioValue, and Jan Börner from University of Bonn, coordinator of CLEVER, presented their findings and shared their knowledge, while policymakers and representatives from the European Commission emphasized the central role of biodiversity in the economy, environment, and society. Invitees from the Directorates-General from the European Commission were present, among these, Humberto Rosa (DG ENV), Gilles Doignon (DG R&I) and Anne Teller (Formerly DG ENV).

Through interactive workshops and a policy dialogue session, the event opened a much-needed discussion on how to realign institutions, narratives, and planning frameworks around biodiversity as a core societal value.

Each project also contributed with poster presentations highlighting key insights from their published research, practical case studies, and emerging best practices. These visual materials served to share concrete results and stimulate further discussion among participants, offering an accessible way to engage with the diverse projects’ approaches.

Figure 1: Projects presenting their work within the Transformative Change for Biodiversity initiative

Key Themes Emerging from the Event: From Projects to Systemic Change

From case studies to tools and governance models, the event underscored the importance of working beyond project boundaries. The collective message was clear: tackling biodiversity loss requires systemic thinking, where biodiversity is not treated as an add-on, but as a foundational element in shaping futures.

Sessions highlighted that transformative change cannot succeed without addressing questions of justice, equity, and inclusion. Discussions emphasized the need for more participatory and inclusive planning processes that give voice to diverse communities, especially those most affected by environmental degradation.

Humberto Rosa emphasized: “We can only protect and mainstream biodiversity through enlightened human interest—its role for quality of life, food security, wellbeing, resilience and so much more. Biodiversity has long been a second thought in policy, but things are changing. The EU Green Deal brought momentum; now we need to work for more of society to follow.”

Figure 2: Discussions during a project’s session

Reframing Biodiversity as Opportunity: Integrated Governance for Real Impact

Participants recognized the fragmentation that often hampers biodiversity action. A key takeaway was the necessity for integrated governance—across sectors, scales, and institutions. By aligning environmental goals with economic, social, and territorial agendas, policymakers can unlock synergies and avoid trade-offs.

Throughout the two days, there was a strong call to shift how biodiversity is framed in public discourse. Moving away from narratives of loss and constraint, biodiversity must be communicated as a source of resilience, wellbeing, and long-term prosperity. The language used in policymaking and planning is not neutral—it shapes perception and determines priority.

The two-day gathering marked a significant step toward building a shared understanding of what transformative change for biodiversity entails. It demonstrates the power of collaboration—across projects, disciplines, and sectors—to challenge conventional approaches and to open new avenues for change. As the Horizon Europe projects continue their scientific research work, the momentum generated in Brussels will continue to fuel collective learning and cross-sector innovation for biodiversity.

All key insights, discussions, and outcomes from the event will be consolidated into a white paper, which will serve as a summary of the collective findings and reflections, culminating on policy recommendations. This document will bring together project results, shared lessons, and forward-looking recommendations, contributing to the broader dialogue on transformative change for biodiversity and informing future policy and practice.

Check more pictues from the event here!

Photo credits: Rosa Castañeda, European Forest Institute

BioValue contacts:

Maria Rosário Partidario – Project Coordinator (IST, University of Lisbon) –

Chiara Bartolacci – Communication Manager (ICONS) –

CLEVER contacts:

Jan Börner – Project Coordinator (University of Bonn Institute for Food and Resource Economics) –

Rosa Castañeda – Communications Officer (European Forest Institute) –

Video: How does our consumption impact forests?

on June 3, 2025

We’re living in a time of growing environmental urgency, and protecting the world’s forests has never been more critical. Rainforests like the Amazon and the Congo Basin play a key role in fighting climate change by storing vast amounts of carbon and supporting incredible biodiversity. Yet these vital ecosystems are under threat—driven by global demand for commodities like soy, beef, and timber. What we consume in Europe often has hidden links to deforestation in distant regions.

Using the case of soy imports from Brazil, this video highlights the complex connections between international regulations, global trade, and biodiversity loss. The CLEVER project provides research to support transformative change by helping shape fairer, more effective policies for forest protection. Watch the video below to better understand the role we all play in protecting our planet’s forests.

Innovating for Sustainable Land Systems

on November 28, 2024

CLEVER Team at the GLP conference in Oaxaca, Mexico.

CLEVER’s contributions at the Global Land Programme Conference in Oaxaca, Mexico

CLEVER researchers are advancing solutions to tackle the impacts of global commodity trade on biodiversity producer countries. Representing research institutions in Germany, Spain, Brazil, and Austria, the team recently showcased their innovative work at the 5th Open Science Meeting of the Global Land Programme (GLP) in Oaxaca, Mexico. Held from November 4–8, 2024, under the theme Pathways to Sustainable and Just Land Systems, the conference brought together experts worldwide to explore sustainable land-use strategies and challenges. The CLEVER team shared groundbreaking research on biodiversity metrics, supply chain tools, and governance mechanisms, contributing to interdisciplinary discussions on sustainable agriculture, trade policies, and land-use modeling, while forging collaborations to address global land-system challenges.

Highlights across CLEVER thematic areas

Advancing biodiversity indicators

Andrea Pacheco from the University of Bonn (UBO) led a session on innovative biodiversity metrics, exploring how agriculture-driven land-use changes impact nature conservation. The presentation covered diverse scales, from local soil biodiversity in Michoacán to CLEVER biodiversity indicators in Brazil, highlighting the complexity of biodiversity metrics and their different applications. The session explored the challenge of selecting the right metric for different contexts and emphasized the importance of developing tools that go beyond species counts, integrating broader biodiversity aspects and their connections to human well-being.

Land use modelling and tools for supply chain traceability

Britaldo Soares Filho and Felipe Nunes (UFMG) presented innovative geospatial tools to trace deforestation-risk commodities, such as soy and cattle, to the farm of origin in Brazil. These tools also include Selo Verde, a freely accessible traceability platform to support the monitoring and evaluation of sustainable agriculture policies and practices in the State of Minas Gerais. Selo Verde provides a set of estimates on agricultural production and environmental suitability for rural properties registered in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and can be used to verify the compliance of rural properties that produce coffee, forestry, soy, cattle and sugarcane. The session also featured the work of the CLEVER researcher Ubirajara Oliveira, who is developing predictive models to estimate the spatial distribution of land uses and associated biodiversity loss at 1 km resolution, to be used for deriving quantitative indicators for deforestation-risk supply chains. All these tools can help producers and supply chain actors to certify their products in accordance with the EUDR.

Neus Escobar from BC3 contributed to the session ‘Achieving Sustainable Food Systems’ with her presentation on a new global multiregional input-output database that traces agri-food supply chains with an unprecedented level of products, based on official FAO statistics. The Agro-SCAN database includes physical flows of 640 primary products and derivatives across 181 countries, from producers to consumers, for the period 2013-2020. This is meant to become a revolutionary tool for supply chain transparency, as it allows actors to identify environmental hotspots, import dependencies, and more sustainable sourcing strategies. At the same time, it can be applied for estimating environmental footprints, including biodiversity loss and other land-driven impacts. Agro-SCAN can also inform the European Union Regulation on Deforestation-free products (EUDR), since it provides information on potential high-deforestation-risk countries exporting commodities to the EU.

David Leclère from IIASA presented their most recent methodological developments of the GLOBIOM model for assessing future pathways on trade and biodiversity. GLOBIOM provides the central framework for the ex-ante simulation of policies in CLEVER, including leakage. Leclère presented an update of the bending the curve pathways exploring their impact on trade flows, and the impact of refined trade narratives – from exacerbated liberalization to trade frictions and coordinated trade greening. The model will be used to assess the market-mediated impacts of alternative international supply chain policy scenarios co-created with stakeholders, considering a wide array of strategies such as the EUDR, the EU-MERCOSUR trade agreement, national policies such as the Forest Code or the Soy Moratorium, and other demand-side initiatives. Results will shed light on how future agricultural trade can be affected by efforts towards ambitious biodiversity goals and to what extent alternative governance of agricultural trade can foster biodiversity conservation. David also chaired a session on equity and justice in model and scenario applications, in link with the pathways developed in RAINFOREST, another HEU project from the same cluster.

From coherence to stickiness: how a new forest and ecosystem-risk commodities governance regime is playing out globally and locally

Laila Berning from the University of Freiburg (UFR) and Andrea Pacheco (UBO) chaired the session on “designing for impact: success and failures of forest-risk commodity policies and governance mechanisms”. In this cross-disciplinary session, we discussed how forest-risk commodity and supply chain policies are designed and then evaluated on the ground and how they are expected to contribute towards long-term sustainable goals such as biodiversity conservation.

Laila Berning presented a book chapter on the emergence of a new governance regime for forest- and ecosystem-risk commodities, co-authored by Rafaella Ferraz Ziegert and Metodi Sotirov from the University of Freiburg (UFR), and Mathias Cramm and Sven Wunder from the European Forest Institute (EFI). In her presentation, Berning showcased the interplay between legally binding and non-binding policy instruments governing forest and ecosystem-risk commodity (FERC) value chains, highlighting the hybrid logics underpinning regulatory and voluntary governance approaches on case studies from the EU, Brazil, Cameroon, and Gabon. Berning demonstrated that anticipated synergies between these instruments often fall short in practice. Her analysis revealed misalignments between international frameworks and regional implementation, challenging the presumed “win-win” scenarios across environmental, social, and economic policy domains. These findings call into question the effectiveness of current governance regimes in harmonizing diverse policy objectives across demand- and supply-side regions.

Relatedly, Rafaella F. Ziegert (UFR) presented an empirical analysis of policy coherence, focusing on the EUDR as a transnational trade regulation. She examined the interaction between EUDR and national forest laws and hybrid public-private governance mechanisms in Brazil, Cameroon, and Gabon, proposing a taxonomy to categorize such interactions into four dynamics: coordination, cooptation, competition, and chaos. While the EUDR aligns well with certain overarching goals, such as forest protection, and shares implementation tools with select national policies, Ziegert identified critical inconsistencies. Specifically, cooptation and competition emerge where regulatory requirements and enforcement mechanisms diverge, possibly undermining policy effectiveness and delegitimizing national regulations. Her findings underscore the need for greater coherence between EU regulations and producer country policies to mitigate regulatory fragmentation, conflicting standards, and operational uncertainties, which risk delegitimizing existing frameworks.

Gustavo M. Oliveira (UBO) shared research insights on the role of traders and trade-specific factors in shaping the effectiveness of forest protection policies, using the Amazon Soy Moratorium (ASM) as a case study. His research identified “stickier” soy traders as pivotal actors in reducing deforestation. These traders were responsible for approximately 540 km² of avoided primary forest deforestation under the ASM between 2006 and 2018. Oliveira further demonstrated how contextual factors, including demand-side preferences in international markets, varying degrees of supply chain stickiness, and market power, positively moderated the ASM’s impacts. These findings emphasize the essential influence of trade dynamics in bridging policy implementation and conservation impacts.

Building Connections, Bridging Ideas

Beyond their presentations, CLEVER team members relished the opportunity to connect with peers from around the world. The conference’s vibrant setting in Oaxaca provided a welcoming space to engage in meaningful discussions, share ideas, and forge new collaborations. The team met with representatives from other prominent projects in the GLP network, exchanging insights on effective sustainable land use, predictive modeling, and community engagement strategies. The CLEVER researchers’ participation in the 2024 GLP Conference not only elevated their own research but also strengthened the global land-system science community, laying the groundwork for impactful collaborations and innovative solutions in the years to come.

Co-authored by Neus Escobar, Rafaella Ferraz Ziegert, Andrea Pacheco, Laila Berning, David Leclere and Gustavo Magalhaes de Oliveira.

Photos provided by the CLEVER Team.

The hidden impact of EU soy imports on deforestation and biodiversity loss

on November 7, 2024

Aerial drone view of large soybean plantation in soy farm and deforestation area in the Amazon rainforest, Brazil. Photo by Imago Photo/AdobeStock.

Deforestation is driving a massive loss of biodiversity, much of it is tied to our consumption of imported products. Many of these products are not directly visible in our daily lives, but they play a huge role in global trade. Think of soybeans used for animal feed, or timber for furniture. The production of these non-food biomass products can directly and indirectly contribute to the destruction of forests and related biodiversity loss. More than ever before, we need media coverage on these issues to bring them to the public’s attention.

The CLEVER and DETECT projects at the CLIMATE ARENA. Photo by Rosa Castañeda.

At the Climate Arena journalism conference in Bologna on 18 October 2024, the CLEVER and DETECT projects joined forces to organise sessions to discuss the effects of global trade on biodiversity with investigative, science, and environmental journalists from all across Europe. The panel ‘Climate, Land Use, and Biodiversity from a Systems Thinking Perspective,’ explored the intricate connections between these issues, using Brazil’s soy imports as a key example. Moderated by Rina Tsubaki (EFI), the session featured Prof. Jan Börner (University of Bonn) and Dr. Felipe Nunes (University of Minas Gerais) as the expert speakers on the matter.

Soy is a key ingredient in livestock feed, supporting meat production that ultimately reaches European markets. Prof. Jan Börner said, soy farming in South America has boomed due to scientific advances and infrastructure development. However, this has come at a cost: illegal deforestation, especially in the Amazon. According to Dr. Felipe Nunes, just 2% of private properties account for 60% of illegal deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado. Although much of exports go to China, a significant portion of the soy and meat produced in these areas finds its way to Europe, embedding environmental destruction into our supply chains.

**Possible cause-and-effect pathways linked to global trade of Brazilian soy to the EU.** This infographic was co-created with journalists during the ‘Climate, Land Use, and Biodiversity from a Systems Thinking Perspective’ session.

One tool to fight this issue is the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which aims to ensure that only deforestation-free products are sold in Europe. However, opinions are divided on its potential impact. Prof. Börner is skeptical, pointing out that while Europe may purchase deforestation-free soy, it will likely come from other regions in South America, resulting in longer transport routes. Also, global demand will continue driving prices up, making Europe indirectly responsible for deforestation elsewhere. Additionally, countries like China will continue purchasing cheap soy from deforested areas, and many deforestation-linked products, such as timber and meat, are consumed domestically, making them unaffected by the EUDR. Moreover, the EUDR is not always aligned with national policies. In contrast Dr. Nunes sees the EUDR as a potential “game changer” for fighting deforestation and illegality in supply chains. Despite challenges like “leakage” that allows products to bypass regulations, the EUDR may encourage major players like the USA and China to implement similar standards. By enhancing verification of environmental and social criteria, the EUDR aims to ensure compliance and foster sustainability in global supply chains.

Regulation is important, but tools like Trase and SeloVerde are also essential for tracing commodity origins and identifying illegal practices. These tools can enhance supply chain transparency and help researchers, policymakers, and journalists hold businesses accountable. During the ‘Tracing Supply Chains’ workshop, Dr. Nunes was joined by Mark Titley from Global Canopy to demonstrate how these tools can be used to investigate global supply chains, using the example of Brazilian soy entering EU markets.

‘*Tracing Supply Chains’* workshop. Photo by Rosa Castañeda.

Trase has been popularly used by a number of investigative journalists in stories on the UK chicken import by the Guardian and Palm Oil trade by the New York Times. But it is still an underexplored tool for many. At the same time, not much has been explored regarding what exactly happens at the farm level. This is where SeloVerde can come in to support journalists interested in tracking deforestation-risk supply chains at the farm-level. It can help look into a specific farm to identify the cases of illegal logging and land conversion for agricultural crops.

Ultimately, tackling deforestation requires not just pinpointing what happens on a specific commodity or location. It needs a holistic approach that addresses not just individual commodities like soy but the broader systems of trade and land use. More access to data and tools can help expose problematic practices and potentially reduce the harmful impacts of our consumption on the planet’s biodiversity.

Explore additional resources on global commodity trade through this drive.

We posed key questions to the speakers from the Climate Arena panel and workshop. Watch the interviews summary here:

You can also watch full interviews with Jan Börner, Felipe Nunes, and Mark Titley to learn more about the CLEVER project, as well as the SeloVerde and Trase tools, and how governments and civil society can collaborate to mitigate the environmental impacts of global trade.

Written by Rosa Castañeda and Rina Tsubaki from the European Forest Institute.

Policy Brief on the EUDR and Brazil’s forest conservation

on July 16, 2024

Agricultural border and Atlantic Rainforest in southern Brazil. Photo by Xico/AdobeStock.

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to reduce the adverse impacts of EU imports on global forests, climate change, and biodiversity as of December 31, 2024. It mandates due diligence for products containing forest-risk commodities such as beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood to ensure they do not come from recently deforested areas.

Although this is celebrated as groundbreaking, there are concerns about the high costs of compliance for all market participants, especially small producers. Using Brazil as an example, the policy brief “The EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products at odds with forest conservation in Brazil? A commentary” discusses plausible scenarios in which the EUDR could also lead to unintended and undesirable impacts on forests.

The commentary was written by Jan Börner, Laila Berning, Daniel Braun, Thomas Dietz, Johen Dürr, Fernanda Martinelli, Paulo Mortara-Batistic, Felipe Nunes, Gustavo Magalhaes Oliveira, Andrea Pacheco, Britaldo Soares-Filho, Metodi Sotirov, Daniel Vargas and Rafaella Ziegert for the Agricultural Policy Dialogue Brazil-Germany (APD).

Feature image by Xico/AdobeStock.

CLEVER featured at the University of Bonn’s International Days 2023

Fernanda Martinelli on December 19, 2023

Fernanda Martinelli at Uni Bonn International Days

Every year, the University of Bonn in Germany celebrates its international projects and partnerships with renowned universities around the world at the event called “International Days”. The University is closely linked to over 70 universities on all continents within the framework of cross-faculty cooperation agreements. Partnerships with Ghana and Brazil were particularly highlighted in the International Days 2023, which took place at the University on October 20th. The Vice-Rectorate for International Affairs invited the PhD candidate Fernanda Martinelli, to represent the EU-funded project CLEVER: Creating leverage to enhance biodiversity outcomes of global biomass trade, as one of the partner projects with a Brazilian university. At the occasion, she discussed with other students and researchers the current challenges and future opportunities in international cooperation – especially with partners from the so-called “Global South”, and offered a comprehensive information about perspectives from both sides. Find more about the International Days from University of Bonn here.

CLEVER Annual Meeting: In-person collaboration as the secret to catalyse innovation

on December 19, 2023

In today’s tech-driven world, where Zoom calls and virtual meet-ups are the norm, there’s still something magical about good old face-to-face collaboration. It is true that digital tools have made it easier for researchers to team up from different corners of the globe, but we should not forget the unique benefits of in-person collaboration in fostering innovation and advancing the frontiers of knowledge. In-person collaboration provides an environment where minds can converge, ideas can be exchanged seamlessly, and the sparks of creativity can ignite.

The CLEVER group experienced these benefits while meeting in-person for the II CLEVER Annual Meeting, last November in Vienna, Austria, hosted by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). CLEVER is a global project, implemented by 12 participant organisations in 8 different countries, and this in-person meeting sought, in particular, to increase interaction among the Work Packages, and take quick decisive actions on future joint activities. Mission accomplished: now, scenario modellers want to consider stakeholders’ perspectives on governance, while biodiversity scientists work together with economists to combine their data; both with a plan of activities for next year.

Beyond all the scientific achievements of the meeting, the main lesson that remains for me is that while virtual collaboration has its merits, the importance of in-person collaboration in research cannot be overstated. The synergy that arises from shared physical spaces, the spontaneity of face-to-face discussions, and the depth of human connection contribute to a collaborative environment that propels research to new heights. In-person interactions allow researchers to build trust, understand each other’s working styles, and establish a rapport that goes beyond the professional realm. Cheers to the magic of in-person collaboration: the secret that will take CLEVER research to the next level.

Researchers at the II CLEVER Annual Meeting: Advances in measuring and governing impacts on biodiversity in global biomass value chains

(photos by Rosa Castañeda)

Written by Fernanda Martinelli / University of Bonn

Effective stakeholder engagement: Why we believe in the power of mapping value chain actors and co-design

on December 18, 2023

Understanding who are involved in each stage of the global biomass value chain is not an easy task. For the success of stakeholder engagement, however, we believe that stakeholder mapping acts as the foundation to bring together a wide range of voices, both from exporting and importing countries.

This is why in February 2023, we kicked off the CLEVER stakeholder work with a vital step – a comprehensive mapping exercise. Our goal was to ensure diverse representation and engagement across the trade supply chains of timber and soy in Brazil, timber in Cameroon, and global fishmeal and fish oil flows heading to the EU. Our stakeholder maps (see the map for Brazil below) encompass various actors, from biomass producers and traders to policymakers and local communities. Now we are set to delve deeper into our value chain maps and engage with our extensive impact network, gathering vital insights for our empirical research.

The next step from mapping stakeholders is to get them involved in our project, to refine our research questions, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster co-design that leads to innovative policy recommendations and governance instruments. This is where co-design comes into the picture. At the end of the first year of the project, in August 2023, we made significant strides in defining the essential role of stakeholder engagement and co-design for the project.

The CLEVER Stakeholder Reference Group takes center stage in this co-innovation landscape, steering us towards transformative change. Our researchers will also conduct content-related interviews with key stakeholders, contributing to our shared goals.

The project aims to provide a holistic view of the relationship between international trade and biodiversity. Our modelling simulations delve into the impact of trade-related interventions on biodiversity outcomes. This enables us to identify potential leverage points for positive change. We produced a user-friendly, transparent presentation of the Modeling Framework (see below) to invite stakeholders to join us in this essential research journey.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we continue to explore the complex web of global biomass trade and its impact on our environment!

Access all the resources here:

Written by Heli Sihvonen, UNEP-WCMC

Cover image by AdobeStock

Promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable policies

on October 18, 2023

A recent study published in Nature has analyzed the environmental crisis resulting from the undervaluation of nature. This publication emphasizes the pivotal role of understanding diverse values associated with nature when designing policies that promote biodiversity conservation while minimizing economic and social trade-offs.

The study highlights the “values crisis”, a phenomenon rooted in the undue emphasis on economic values in decision-making, neglecting the profound and multifaceted ways in which people treasure the natural world. To tackle this crisis, it advocates for four essential “values-centered approaches”: recognizing the multitude of values, integrating them into policy decisions, reforming existing policies, and reshaping societal norms.

The special issue entitled “Leveraging Nature’s Values for Transformative Change: Insights from the IPBES Values Assessment”, published in Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, follows the Nature publication mentioned above, bringing together 14 articles based on in-depth reviews of different strands of the literature on nature’s values. This review delves into the fundamental role of nature in shaping policy decisions, drawing insights from the IPBES Values Assessment .

In the face of the ongoing nature crisis, this special issue is a powerful reminder of the need to reimagine how our value-based decisions influence our relationship with the environment.

This work serves as an invaluable guide for the CLEVER project in designing policies that not only preserve biodiversity but also harmonize with diverse societal values.

Written by BC3

Source of cover image: “Leveraging Nature’s Values for Transformative Change: Insights from the IPBES Values Assessment” – BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change – Klima Aldaketa Ikergai (bc3research.org)