'Transformative Change' programme

Details

The Transformative Change Program at INBO (Feb 2025) responds to the accelerating global biodiversity crisis and the persistent gap in effective policy. This urgency is scientifically substantiated by IPBES and endorsed by 147 countries, including Belgium. The program focuses on understanding and addressing the root causes of biodiversity loss: the disconnection from and domination over nature and people, the concentration of power and wealth, and the prioritization of short-term, individual, and material gains.
The program connects scientific and policy insights to concrete actions within INBO. It builds on existing work, aligns with transformative efforts in other organizations, and uses the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment (2024) as a guiding framework, including its analysis of drivers, barriers, and strategies. Core activities include facilitating internal debate on the meaning of transformative change for INBO, translating global insights to the Flemish context, and organizing structured discussions on complex and sometimes contested topics such as agriculture-nature relations, climate adaptation, and the role of nature in the economy.
In addition, the program supports projects, proposals, and communication by helping to identify and strengthen their transformative potential. It contributes to methodological development, promotes systems thinking, and builds international research networks. The program also maps and connects existing initiatives within INBO and draws inspiration from peer organizations such as VITO, WUR, and PBL.
The expected outcome is a practical framework to assess and enhance the transformative potential of INBO's work, alongside concrete initiatives that improve sustainability and inclusiveness within the organization. Ultimately, the program aims to strengthen the scientific basis for just and sustainable nature policy, increase the impact of INBO research on policy and practice, and enhance internal coherence and awareness around transformative change. Governance is ensured through a horizontal working group that meets three times per year, supported by a core team and thematic sub-groups.

Our Transformative Change Programme explores and tackles the underlying political and economic drivers of biodiversity loss. By linking scientific insights and policy analysis to concrete action - both in our research and in our day-to-day operations - we help accelerate change.
Building on existing initiatives and aligning with transformative processes in partner organisations, we use the IPBES report as our compass for effective strategies. The programme’s goals include:

• Translating IPBES findings to the Flemish context
• Hosting internal debates on topics where scientists disagree
• Supporting transformative research proposals
• Fostering systems thinking across the institute
• Expanding our international network

Through this approach, we create a clear framework for evaluating new initiatives and deliver inspiring actions that make INBO more sustainable and impactful.

Status	Running
Actual start/end date	01/12/2024 - 31/12/2029

Teams

• Nature & Society
• Management Team
• Biotope Diversity
• Datamanagement
• Estuaries
• Communication and Policy
• Nature Report
• Forest Genetic Resources

Tags

• policy
• policy