Following its 3rd international conference organised in Ghent in may 2017, which dealt with Nature and Society: Synergies, Conflicts, Trade-offs Alter-net prepared a Policy Brief “Pursuing benefits for nature and society” based on main conclusions of the conference.
The key messages in the policy brief were:
Key messages:
- Considering multiple values, including relational values, is essential for achieving a sustainable society and economy. Capitalization of nature may neglect these relational values of nature with people.
- Synergies between nature and society are possible and necessitate awareness of and collaboration between policy sectors and governance levels. Conflicts and trade-offs need to be acknowledged and genuinely addressed.
- European institutions should facilitate synergies between nature and society. They can offer a coherent framework with shared aims and objectives while maintaining flexibility for locally adapted implementation. The UN Sustainable Development Goals offer such a framework.
- Evidence and a good knowledge base are essential to support decisions at the interface between nature and society and to raise societal awareness.
- Interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary science, through integrated stakeholder participation, is required when identifying, designing and implementing tailored solutions that offer multiple benefits.
Further information available:
ALTER-Net-Policy-Brief-on-Nature-Society-2017.pdf
“Pursuing benefits for nature and society” policy brief available here.
Alter-Net website available here.
For further information, please contact Prof. Dr Maurice Hoffmann, Chair of ALTER-Net, maurice.hoffmann@inbo.be c/o INBO, Kliniekstraat 25, 1070 Brussels, Belgium