Biodiversity and People

Global biodiversity loss continues relentlessly. Solutions for conserving and restoring biodiversity demand a deeper comprehension of the causes for biodiversity decline. This includes societal developments, such as demographic shifts, digitalization, or the change in values and norms, as these factors affect the utilization of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

In our research, we therefore concentrate on the interplay between biodiversity and society. We examine the dynamics that arise in the utilization of biodiversity. Here we investigate, for example, the biodiversity awareness of stakeholders and develop use and management strategies for social-ecological transformations. This includes addressing conflicts that emerge when interest groups have differing demands regarding the utilization of ecosystems. Additionally, we are in the process of developing recommendations for (re-)conceptualizing biodiversity conservation within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

ISOE is a partner in the European biodiversity network Alternet.