Connected communities
Communities play a crucial role in protecting and restoring biodiversity. While international policy frameworks are often top-down, it is local engagement that proves decisive for sustainable land use and food production. When people understand what it takes to produce food, awareness grows of its impacts on nature and climate. This increases the willingness to protect nature and make more sustainable choices.
Nature connects people to their surroundings and to one another. Spending time in green environments promotes health and wellbeing, strengthens social cohesion and contributes to identity. We derive meaning from landscapes where we feel at home—from forests to coastal areas. Recreation and tourism also rely heavily on these qualities.
Volunteer initiatives, such as nature management or local food projects, support biodiversity and strengthen community spirit. Research shows that volunteering in green spaces builds social networks and increases civic engagement with local environments. Encouraging and supporting this commitment is therefore vital.
By involving communities actively in decision-making and management, biodiversity becomes not just a policy goal but a shared responsibility. Connected communities thereby lay the foundation for a nature-inclusive society.
Theme Biodiversity and resilient ecosystems
The interaction between plants, animals and ecosystems keeps our environment healthy, nutritious and resilient. How do we preserve that balance?