Joshua Berger’s Post

If you're #landscapearchitects and #planners in ASEAN, you need to read this article! (if your design philosophy is to care for the environment and the people who live in it) Link: https://lnkd.in/gRDrb8rd This article reviews the up-to-date situation of #ASEAN biodiversity based on 279 in-depth studies. Even though it aims to reach researchers and conservationists, I find it valuable for architects and planners to have an overview of the environmental situation and to strengthen their #designethic or arguments (because it's less likely that someone will be reading over two hundred research papers to get to this point; those authors did it for us). It's highly recommended to read the article in detail because it's condensed. However, if you want to have a quick look at what's most relevant, then here is a suggestion of where to skim through: ✅Abstract ✅Key points: #1, #3 ✅Introduction: paragraph #1, #3, #5 ✅Conservation challenges: - Section "Land-use change, deforestation and acillary disturbance processes"; - Figure 3 (nodes: land-use change, infrastructure, climate change, invasive species); - Section "Infrastructure expansion and urbanization" - Section "Emerging threats exacerbate species losses" - first and last paragraph. ✅Conservation solutions: - Landscape approaches to conservation: paragraph #1 Any further curiosity should be addressed by going through the cited references at the end of each sentence in the article. Here is the link to the translations of ASEAN languages: https://lnkd.in/gtgKauuE Given the understanding that every #design is unique and localized, gaining a general view causes no harm but builds a stronger foundation for architects and planners to achieve the #sustainable goals together and make our designs meaningful pen-prints.

Final days to submit papers for our special issue on biodiversity! Submissions are due by 15th September. This issue will be guest edited by Rajat Panwar, Francesco Testa, Prof. Dr. Judith Walls, Jan Bebbington, Janice S.H. Lee, and Rama Mohana Turaga. According to the World Economic Forum, half of the world’s GDP is moderately or highly dependent on biodiversity—yet business scholarship is only starting to turn its focus to this vital area. Organization & Environment will therefore launch a special issue to foster interdisciplinary, impactful discussions to deepen the understanding of how businesses both depend on and impact biodiversity, and how they can meaningfully contribute to halting biodiversity loss.  We are especially interested in works that contribute new research to four key areas: business engagement with biodiversity, corporate biodiversity initiatives, biodiversity measurement and reporting practices, and frameworks for future action in this field. If you have colleagues working on research in these areas, tag them below and encourage them to consider submission! For more information and submission guidelines: https://lnkd.in/dCKGBsTX

Human health, nature health, and organisational health are inseparable. As the authors emphasise, we must “link policy and transdisciplinary practice at the health‑environment nexus” to address biodiversity loss and the growing burden of environmental disease. David Nogues Bravo PIK - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Most LCAs overlook biodiversity — and that’s now a business risk Carbon, energy, and material impacts are standard in LCA. But biodiversity impacts such as habitat loss and soil degradation are often ignored. The EU Taxonomy, CSRD, and TNFD now require companies to disclose these risks. On a RE2020 warehouse project in France, G-ON used One Click LCA’s Biodiversity Supply Chain Stress Tool and uncovered biodiversity hotspots invisible in a carbon-only LCA. Key actions for sustainability teams: - Extend existing LCA data to biodiversity. - Normalize results to find true hotspots. - Assess carbon and biodiversity trade-offs together. - Use TNFD and similar frameworks for early advantage. Read the full case study: https://lnkd.in/d7EzVZj8

New paper published 📣 📰 Researchers Alison Hutchinson, Anthony Zito and Philip McGowan explore the Global Biodiversity Framework and how it can move toward meaningful action in biodiversity governance 🌏

The new EuropaBON Stakeholder Dashboard is a dynamic, open-source web tool that visualizes connections among biodiversity stakeholders across sectors (e.g., academia, NGOs, private sector), regions (e.g., Eastern, Southern Europe), and realms (e.g., marine, freshwater). 💡 Why this matters: - It reveals structural gaps in biodiversity monitoring networks—particularly across underrepresented regions and sectors. - It surfaces key connectors like GBIF, highlighting who’s bridging data and insights. - It lays the groundwork for the upcoming EU Biodiversity Observation Coordination Centre (EBOCC) and supports the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. 💡 Get involved! If your organization - whether in research, policy, conservation or the private sector - is involved in biodiversity data, stakeholder engagement, or environmental strategy, consider joining the EuropaBON network. Register via the members portal and see your presence emerge live on the dashboard. Read more about the tool in our latest blog post! https://lnkd.in/eG4Z7fyF

As research continues for the 2026 edition of The Business Year: Costa Rica, TBY had the pleasure of interviewing Franz Tattenbach, Minister of Environment and Energy at Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE), Gobierno de Costa Rica. The conversation revolved around how the ministry has launched a biodiversity monitoring platform that serves as a tool for tracking species distribution and supporting the country's commitments under the Nagoya Protocol. The platform enables registration of biodiversity samples and creates opportunities for future commercialization of genetic sequences, positioning Costa Rica to benefit from biotechnological developments derived from its biodiversity, integrating it into the country's payment for environmental services program, requiring landowners to grant commercialization rights for genetic sequences found on their properties. The ministry has also consolidated partnerships with 22 of 24 indigenous territories for conservation agreements, launched the "Sustainable Agrolandscapes" program integrating zero-deforestation agriculture with biodiversity corridors, and established marine protected areas covering three times the country's territorial size. Additionally, the current administration has expanded payment for environmental services to include marine-coastal ecosystems and responsible fishing practices, while developing carbon credit mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. These initiatives position Costa Rica as a leader in biodiversity financing and aim to demonstrate how environmental conservation can be integrated with economic development through innovative policy frameworks. Stay tuned for more updates about TBY's research in Costa Rica. With Sara Martuscelli and David Bernal

Reflections on Southeast Asia’s Biodiversity Crisis: A Must-Read Review. I recently read the latest review article by Struebig et al. (2025) published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity, and I must say it is one of the most comprehensive, evidence-based, and action-oriented pieces I’ve encountered on the state of biodiversity in Southeast Asia. The authors carefully dissect the region’s complex socio-ecological landscape, outlining how multiple, often overlapping drivers from large-scale land-use change, deforestation, and infrastructure development, to unsustainable hunting practices, climate change, and invasive species are collectively pushing our rich biodiversity closer to collapse. What I find particularly valuable is how the article moves beyond diagnosis, offering a roadmap of context-specific solutions that acknowledge both the ecological urgency and the socio-economic realities on the ground. From strengthening community-led forest management and reforming protected area governance, to implementing nature-based climate solutions, reducing demand for wildlife trade, and developing credible biodiversity credit systems the review underscores that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but rather a pressing need for integrated, inclusive, and interdisciplinary action. The paper also highlights the importance of equitable participation especially the role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and the need to bridge global policy frameworks like the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) with local realities. Technological innovations such as AI, remote sensing, and biodiversity monitoring tools hold great promise, but must be paired with local knowledge and ethical engagement to ensure long-term success. As someone working in the field of conservation and sustainability, this paper reinforces how crucial it is that we, as practitioners and researchers, shift our focus from merely identifying what’s wrong, to actively participating in designing, testing, and scaling solutions that work ecologically, socially, and politically. 🔗 You can access the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gSSWsfN4 Highly recommended for those working in biodiversity, forestry, environmental governance, and climate policy across tropical landscapes.

Metric that Matters: A single metric to lower biodiversity impact 📊🌱 How can research on 8,950 Dutch dairy farms provide insights for New Zealand? A new study published in NPJ Biodiversity, builds a single integrated biodiversity index from farm-level KPIs. Yes, one #metric that could be used to track progress towards global conservation goals. Some of the key findings are: • Imported feed drives the biggest biodiversity loss — In the Dutch dairy sector, imported #feed, palm oil-based, accounted for ~60% of land-use change impacts. This is outweighing domestic environmental issues (such as domestic nutrient losses). • Safeguards accompany the index — Applying clear “red-line” limits on key environmental and social factors could reduce sector-wide impacts by ~94%, showing #prevention is more powerful than offsetting. Like the Netherlands, New Zealand has a strong agricultural base, global export reach, and the challenge of balancing production with biodiversity goals. To reach #NaturePositve goals we should look beyond the farm gate. 🐄🌏 If embedded global supply chain impacts are material, apply the KPIs safeguards linked to midpoint pressures, alongside an overarching index for tracking biodiversity outcomes. The link to full article for the deep divers amongst us: https://lnkd.in/gvwQ-xgc Shoutout to Joe W Bull Isobel Taylor Anne de Valença Ruth IJspeert Pablo Modernel and Joseph Poore