Abstract

The conservation of biodiversity and natural resources is unavoidably about managing conflicts between groups of people. Tensions can arise over access to land, resources and benefits from protected areas, the management of wildlife, sustainable use, livelihoods, development, and social justice. To withstand current global pressures and impacts of climate change, pandemics and other crises, conservation efforts need to become skilled at preventing and handling conflicts over protected areas, wildlife, and access to natural resources. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2050 Vision of ‘Living in Harmony with Nature’ envisages a world in which such environmental conflicts are much reduced. However, to reach this aspirational goal and if ambitions of nature recovery and sustainable coexistence are to become reality managing and preventing conflicts over biodiversity needs to become a staple ingredient of conservation everywhere. This talk will discuss the levels and characteristics of conflicts over biodiversity and explore what can be learned and adapted from the fields of conflict analysis, negotiation and resolution to increase our collective capacity to manage biodiversity conflicts successfully.