Online registrations are open for the collaborative event bringing together leading experts and stakeholders to explore innovative solutions for integrating biodiversity into policy and business practices

Under the Transformative Change for Biodiversity cluster, a group of Horizon Europe-funded projects— CLEVER, BioValue, RAINFOREST, TRANSPATH, BAMBOO, BEDROCK, BIOAGORA, BIONEXT, and BIOTraCes—are pleased to announce a two-day event dedicated to biodiversity, to be held on June 4-5, 2025, both in Brussels and online. It will bring together key stakeholders from research, policy, business, and civil society to discuss innovative approaches to address the biodiversity crisis and integrate biodiversity into policy and business decisions.

The event will feature keynote presentations from the European Commission, renowned experts, and interactive discussions on biodiversity and transformative change. Through collaborative sessions, it aims to highlight the importance of integrating biodiversity into spatial and urban planning, policymaking, and business strategies.
The agenda will include parallel sessions on different themes in the morning and afternoon of June 4, focusing on spatial planning, policymaking, and business strategies for integrating biodiversity. On the first day, special attention will be given to the BioValue project, which will host its final conference in the morning.

The event will conclude the day after, with a Policy Dialogue Session, offering a platform for stakeholders to engage in high-level discussions on mainstreaming biodiversity in policy frameworks at the European and global levels.

The online registration for the two major thematic events is still available.

BioValue Final Event: Transforming pathways for mainstreaming biodiversity in spatial planning- Morning June 4, 2025

The event will present results from case studies that explore the integration of biodiversity considerations into spatial planning and environmental assessments, with examples from Germany, Portugal, and Italy. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the transformative strategies being tested across Europe.

Online registration: https://forms.office.com/e/qQpfvdgGKh.

Policy Dialogue Session: Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Policymaking – Morning June 5, 2025

The session will provide a platform for policymakers, businesses, and researchers to explore the integration of biodiversity into policy-making processes. It will revolve around two panels with the participation of key speakers.

• Panel I: How to mainstream biodiversity for policy making at local/regional scale in the EU – BIOVALUE

Nature and biodiversity need to be made endogenous to sectoral policies, with spatial planning enabling the territorialization, and therefore an integrated governance, of sectoral policies. It is therefore an ideal governance mechanism to promote an integrated alignment and coherence of sectoral policies to enhance the value of biodiversity.
Panelists: Humberto Rosa (DG ENV), Christian Albert (Leibniz Universität Hannover), Gilles Doignon (DG R&I), Henrique Pereira (iDIV). Moderator: Maria Partidario (IST UniLisboa)

• Panel II: Reducing EU footprints in the world – CLEVER

The goal of this panel debate is to discuss alternative solutions (and related challenges) for the EU and its trading partners to continue beneficial trade relationships while reducing the undesirable impacts of trade on the environment and biodiversity, in particular.
Panelists: Luiza Bruscato (RTRS), Gilles Doignon (DG R&I), Ingmar Jürgens (Climate & Company), Alberto Schnell (IUCN), Anne Teller (Formerly DG ENV). Moderator: Jan Börner (Uni Bonn)

Online registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6GGvUtSnIVk2JcgtIv7MN6K8K_Sc75ZcUwjGb9V0PwXMSiw/viewform

The Horizon Europe Cluster Transformative Change for Biodiversity

The Horizon Europe Cluster on Transformative Change for Biodiversity is a strategic initiative within the EU's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. It aims to address the root causes of biodiversity loss through systemic, societal transformation, focusing on integrating biodiversity considerations into various sectors by promoting fundamental changes in economic, social, and governance structures. The cluster supports interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects that explore innovative pathways for halting and reversing biodiversity decline, emphasising the need for inclusive, equity-driven approaches. This collective effort supports the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and contributes to the broader global agenda for transformative change in biodiversity conservation.

Launched in October 2021, the cluster has since fostered collaboration among multiple projects to maximise impact and facilitate knowledge sharing. The cluster originally included 11 Horizon Europe-funded projects, and it is now expanding with new projects funded by the European Commission on the same topics. These projects collectively work towards developing actionable knowledge and tools to implement transformative changes across Europe and beyond.

For more information, you can visit the official Horizon Europe Cluster 6 page: Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment.

BIOVALUE

The BioValue project, which began in July 2022, is approaching its conclusion. The project focuses on leveraging transformative change to enhance the value of biodiversity in spatial planning processes. It employs a research framework built on three key perspectives: spatial planning, environmental assessment, and economic and financing instruments. This framework is being tested through three case studies, known as "Arenas for Transformation": Rewetting Peatlands and reforestation in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; Municipal spatial planning in Mafra, Portugal; and Urban planning in Trento, Italy. By driving systemic changes in spatial policymaking, BioValue supports the integration of biodiversity into EU strategic actions.