The world is not doing enough to tackle biodiversity loss, according to the first review of progress towards the Global Biodiversity Framework. As a result, people are increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters, food shocks and disease. But it is possible to shift course, and SEI will be at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17) to showcase solutions for more resilient societies. Here are five recommendations for more effective biodiversity action.
The conference will be held from 19 to 30 October in Yerevan, Armenia. For the first time, it will assess global progress towards the 23 targets of the landmark Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022. The draft global review describes unprecedented international engagement but also significant implementation gaps.
SEI will use COP17 to draw attention to how these gaps could be closed – and why that must be a top priority. Research shows that biodiversity is not a niche environmental issue but foundational to food security, water security, climate resilience and long-term prosperity. Furthermore, a recent UK government report warned that severe ecosystem degradation or collapse could increase the risks of conflicts and instability that the UK is ill prepared for.
As a Bureau member of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), SEI’s Executive Director Eeva Primmer has for many years focused on how research can best support decision-making:
The escalating biodiversity and climate crises are exposed via the fragility of the systems societies depend on for food, water, energy and livelihoods. SEI’s research helps decision-makers understand such systemic risks, but also how ecosystems contribute to resilience and crisis preparedness.
Joining her at COP17 are members of SEI’s Green Agenda team, which supports policymakers in Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine as they seek to develop evidence-based nature and climate policies in line with EU standards and global commitments. During Armenia’s work on its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), the Green Agenda team has helped the country connect environmental priorities with national development goals, with nature as a foundation for resilience, food and water security.
The SEI delegation will also highlight concrete actions people, communities and businesses can take to enhance their resilience as the biodiversity and climate crises escalate. As the world faces extreme weather events, food insecurity and a potential “Super El Niño” moment, shifting to an evidence-based, transformative approach can improve the lives of millions of people around the world.
Here are five key recommendations:
SEI contributed to the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment, which highlighted the rapid and transformative change required to reverse biodiversity loss. According to the report, acting immediately could generate USD 10 trillion in business opportunity value and 395 million jobs globally by 2030. But to achieve necessary shifts, it is essential to understand and address entrenched obstacles to change, which were described in a chapter co-chaired by SEI US Centre Director Ed Carr.
The good news is that research on systems thinking, sustainable transitions and behavioural change gives us the necessary tools to unleash virtuous cycles where small, incremental changes add up to catalyse systemic shifts.
Healthy ecosystems are essential not only for biodiversity protection but also for climate action, crisis preparedness and water security. SEI research has identified solutions that simultaneously create multiple benefits, for example coastal resilience, food security and local livelihoods. Yet making the most of these opportunities requires a new understanding of synergies as well as potential cascading risks.
One example is nature-based solutions which are often used in stand-alone projects to achieve one goal, like protecting against flooding or storing carbon. But according to SEI research, nature-based solutions should instead be treated as continuous, cross-sector services. By embedding nature restoration into long-term planning and investment, they become more sustainable and effective.
SEI research shows that the bioeconomy offers an effective path to achieve biodiversity, climate, and sustainable land-use goals. Working directly on bioeconomy strategies at national and regional level in Africa, Asia and Latin America, SEI has helped develop innovative applications and markets for bio-based products and services. A key insight is the importance of strong multi-level governance structures that align biodiversity-based value chains with development goals and the active participation of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
The recent IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment, with Eeva Primmer co-chairing the working group on the summary for policymakers, highlights the fundamental role of businesses in biodiversity action. SEI notes that many corporate actors still seek more accessible, science-based guidance. SEI therefore contributes practical methods and tools, such as Nature Tool and the supply chain transparency initiative Trase.
However, many companies are waiting for governments and international financial institutions to signal that they are willing to invest in solutions that support ecosystems and biodiversity. such as improving waste management and resource recovery. SEI is currently conducting research on the incentives and business models that will shape the future of biodiversity investment.
Countries need to address how their trade and consumption impact biodiversity, including beyond their national borders. Target 16 of the Global Biodiversity Framework commits countries to reducing the global footprint of consumption by 2030, yet the global progress review reveals that this is rarely done. Using robust, science-based methodologies can help close this gap.
One such tool is the Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption (GEIC) indicator, developed by SEI, which estimates national consumption footprints. It can be used alongside other tools building on SEI research, for example subnational data from Trase that make it possible to map commodity supply chains and understand their associated deforestation risks. This evidence can help both governments and businesses identify priorities, target action and monitor progress.
The UN Biodiversity Conference takes place in Yerevan, Armenia, 19–30 October, to follow up on the Convention on Biological Diversity and its two protocols. The main event is CBD COP17, the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
SEI is actively contributing to CBD COP17 and will be on-site in Yerevan. Here you can learn more about our activities and connect with us.
Team Leader: Environmental Policy and Strategy; Senior Project Manager
SEI Headquarters
Project / Green Agenda supports Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine in their efforts to achieve climate neutrality through green transition.
Tool / Trase enables governments, companies and others to address the environmental impacts of supply chains.
Project / This project examines how biodiversity-based solutions can achieve change for coffee in Colombia and biocosmetics in Brazil.
Project / Generating insights into financing and investment decisions to support climate and nature projects in lower-income countries.
Initiative / This initiative aims to guide decision-makers towards more cohesive and constructive governance of bioeconomy pathways, with a focus on the Global South.
Event on 19 October in Dublin / SEI's Francis X. Johnson joins a Global Bioeconomy Summit 2026 panel on how biofuels can accelerate a sustainable bioeconomy.
Event on 19 October in Dublin / How can bioeconomy businesses move from biodiversity commitments to scalable solutions that create value for both nature and people?
Feature / At the Bangkok Climate Action Week 2026, SEI Asia will showcase research and build pathways for climate action through science, dialogue, and engagement.
