The biodiversity crisis society faces is driven by many factors, including economic models that value nature mainly for the resources and economic benefits it provides. There is a need for approaches that recognise the intrinsic and relational values of nature and the many ways it supports people, communities and their wellbeing.

A new Horizon Europe project, RELATE4NATURE, aims to tackle this challenge. Led by Ecostack Innovations, the project, which started on 1 September 2026, brings together 21 institutions from 15 countries across Europe and beyond. In October, the team will meet in Valletta, Malta, to begin developing new approaches to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and community wellbeing.

RELATE4NATURE aims to drive sustained and systemic change in socio-economic systems, human-nature relations and ecological governance. To achieve this, the consortium will co-develop, co-pilot and co-evaluate new combinations of models in four areas: agriculture and rewilding; green energy and biodiversity; nature-positive urban and regional planning; and ecological guardianship. Through its multi-actor approach, the project will establish eight local pilot alliances across Europe, Ecuador and New Zealand, which will serve as testbeds for alternative socio-economic models, valuation methods and policy innovations. Each alliance will bring together local authorities, businesses, researchers, communities and civil society, fostering dialogue across distinct geographical and institutional contexts, enabling cross-case learning and strengthening decision-making capacity among public and private stakeholders.

“Nature matters to us in many ways, from sustaining our livelihoods to shaping our identity and sense of belonging,” says project coordinator Dr Mario Balzan. “RELATE4NATURE will explore how different socio-economic models can reflect these diverse values and be adopted across sectors, from local to international scales.”

Over the next four years, the project will identify barriers and enablers for the scaling of alternative socio-economic models in each area and develop a framework for measuring scaling success. By the end of the project in 2030, the consortium will have developed a Knowledge Base and an International Knowledge Exchange Network to support policymakers, planners and practitioners in applying these alternative models in their own decision-making.

RELATE4NATURE (Relational biodiversity economics approach for assessing, weaving and scaling socio-economic models for biodiversity restoration and community resilience to climate change and wellbeing) receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101286168. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the EU nor REA can be held responsible for them.