Pathways for transforming biodiversity governance: An examination of the Global Biodiversity Framework’s Considerations

Alison Hutchinson , Anthony Zito, Philip JK McGowan

With less than five years remaining to meet global commitments outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)—to stem biodiversity loss—systemic and radical changes in biodiversity governance and management are needed. Addressing these challenges requires a fundamental and transformative shift in the way nature is valued across political, economic, and social spheres. We suggest that the GBF’s Considerations section provides a crucial foundation for this shift, but dedicated processes are needed to advance their more transformative elements. This paper untangles the norms and values underpinning the Considerations and discusses challenges and opportunities for integrating their most transformative aspects into biodiversity governance.