Webinar: People-Centered Approaches to Achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework
The discussion, led by Rare’s Kevin Green (Vice President, Center for Behavior & the Environment) featured insights from:
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- Sakhile Silitshena, Head of Science, Policy and Governance, United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity;
- Jeneen Reyes Garcia, Senior Evaluation Officer, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Independent Evaluation Office;
- Elma Kay, Managing Director, Belize Maya Forest Corridor Trust; and
- Monica Varela, Vice President, Lands for Life, Rare.
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The webinar explored how we can utilize innovative approaches focused on behavior adoption to ensure that people—their needs, motivations, and challenges—are at the heart of implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Read on for some of the key highlights, and watch the full recording here:
The need for people-centered solutions
Sakhile Silitshena set the stage by highlighting outcomes from COP16 in Cali, Colombia. “People are not just the beneficiaries of biodiversity policies,” Silitshena remarked, “but the agents of transformation.”
While Silitshena shared that we still face many complex challenges following Cali, she underscored the importance of collective, people-driven solutions.
“We need to empower individuals and communities to lead and foster a movement where transformation is shared and biodiversity is a legacy for all.”
Behavior change in the Global Environment Facility
Jeneen Reyes Garcia presented findings from the GEF’s Independent Evaluation Office study on the role that behavior change has played within the GEF. “Three conditions must be addressed for successful behavior change,” she explained. “Needs, motivations, and barriers.”
Drawing on examples from Indonesia, Paraguay, Ghana, and Brazil, she also showcased how participatory approaches and tailored incentives can lead to the adoption of sustainable practices, sharing both success stories and challenges.
Community-led conservation in Belize
Elma Kay highlighted the critical role of trust in community-led conservation efforts, sharing experiences from Belize. She underscored the importance of co-designing solutions with local communities. “Trust is everything,” Kay asserted. Once trust is established, “90% of the battle is won in terms collaborating, working and co-designing together.”
Kay also discussed efforts to protect the Belize Maya Forest and adjacent ecosystems, emphasizing the role of stewardship and local leadership.
Behavioral Insights: Shaping Program Design
Monica Varela shared Rare’s approach to encouraging farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices in Colombia. Rare’s Lands for Life program categorizes farmers into groups based on their resistance to change. This “snowball effect” is key to the program’s scale strategy: early adopters demonstrate success, inspiring conditional adopters to make change and applying subtle social pressure to resistant ones.
“Traditional methods like rules and incentives are not enough,” Varela stated. “We combine them with emotional appeals, social influence, and choice architecture to foster a shift from conventional to regenerative agriculture.”