We rely on biodiversity for our very existence – it provides us with the basic ecosystem services that allow us to survive and thrive. Yet human lives and the biosphere itself are under threat due to the loss of biodiversity occurring at a massive scale, and at an accelerating pace. Despite the mounting scientific evidence on the importance of biodiversity, it still takes a back seat to political and other agendas. How can we change this alarming situation? How can we make better decisions for biodiversity and people on individiual and institutional level?

Every day, we all make decisions that affect biodiversity. From the highest levels of government, policy makers can decide to support or disrupt policies, in particular targeting the major direct drivers of biodiversity loss – overexploitation of natural resources and intensive agriculture. Within businesses, leaders can choose to make investment decisions that at minimum maintain, at maximum promote, or in the business-as-usual scenario, lead to declines in biodiversity. Even on a personal level, we can choose between biodiversity friendly or other options depending on our consumption and lifestyle choices.

But the key question is – what leads to such decisions? Seeing the alarming loss of biodiversity and how it alters our life and health, it is crucial to know how we make such decisions. How do we see biodiversity and how do we communicate about it? What factors (e.g., gender, religion, ethnicity, race, age, culture and disability) influence our choices, values and behaviour? How can we trigger system-wide changes in order to better protect biodiversity, the ecosystem, and all of our futures?

By exploring these crucial questions, the PLANET4B Horizon Europe research project aims to understand and influence decision making affecting biodiversity. Through transdisciplinary, creative, action-orientated and participatory research including case studies, the project will collect and analyze theories, methods and good practices to bridge the gaps in knowledge and effective decision making. The findings will be synthesized and scaled up to EU and global levels to serve as inputs for policies, and for businesses and civil society about how transformative change can be triggered.