This research project investigates the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) negotiation processes. The CBD is the leading governing body on global biodiversity policy. For five years, negotiations have been ongoing to agree a new set of biodiversity targets. These targets will set the tone on how countries seek to curb biodiversity loss by 2030. While the new targets will be a source of hope of ending biodiversity loss, previous efforts have not been successful. The negotiations are led by experts and civil servants in a highly technical manner. This can be one source of the lack of success: political decisions are framed as technical ones, threatening democracy, as only a small number of people are able to follow the negotiations. Thus, this research seeks fairer and more transparent ways towards sustainability transformation.
