NORDIC APPROACH IS NEEDED

For the GBF to succeed in the Nordic countries, it is crucial to embrace innovative thinking and foster new forms of collaboration, particularly at the local level. The task is both large and complex, requiring cross-sectoral cooperation and the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders. This collaboration must occur both horizontally, across different sectors, and vertically, involving multiple levels of governance and engagement.

This means collaboration between international, national and local authorities and actors in a multilevel governance perspective, where top-down meets bottom up and collaboration across governance silos, so that, for example, climate and biodiversity do not become competing perspectives, but collaborative and integrated perspectives.

With the agreement on the GBF, Nordic Cooperation is presented with a unique opportunity to lead the way globally with holistic, integrative, and bottom-up contributions, directly interacting with national and global perspectives, frameworks, and priorities.

In a collaboration between the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves (MAB) in the Nordic countries we have invented MAB-LAB. LAB stands for Local Actions for Biodiversity, and the overall purpose of MAB-LAB is articulated as follows:

MAB-LAB is developed in collaboration with and funded by Nordic Council of Ministers' Nordic Working Group for Biological Diversity.

First phase of MAB-LAB resulted in the adaptation of the GBF for local implementation through UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

MAB-LAB has identified six main potential contributions of Biosphere Reserves to the GBF. By fulfilling these roles and objectives, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves can play a crucial role in supporting and advancing the implementation of the GBF. In doing so, they will contribute to a more sustainable future for biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide.

The six main potential contributions are:

Source: https://www.norden.org/en/publication/local-actions-new-global-biodiversity-framework