In a new paper from the BIONEXT project, DRIFT researchers and partners explore how diverse perspectives on the value of nature can inspire different nature-positive futures for Europe in 2050.
Using the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) — a tool for imagining and connecting different relationships between people and nature — the team engaged 26 participants from across Europe in a co-creation process combining creative visioning and structured reflection. Participants from diverse sectors and regions collaboratively developed three distinct visions for Europe’s future:
- Dòigh Nàdair: The way of nature (Nature as Culture)
- NaturAll (Nature for Nature)
- Return to Nature (Nature for Society)
Integrating nexus thinking — which explores interconnections between biodiversity, food, energy, water, and health — the study highlights how biodiversity can act as a foundation for positive synergies across sectors. Each vision illustrates different ways these synergies emerge: through re-ruralisation and reconnection in Dòigh Nàdair, technological innovation in Return to Nature, and ecological design in NaturAll.
Despite their differences, the visions share a commitment to restored ecosystems and participatory governance. Together, they show how plural visioning processes can uncover new opportunities to align biodiversity goals with other societal benefits.
Key insights:
- Co-creation bridges diverse values for nature into shared visions of the future
- Positive biodiversity–sector synergies are enabled by diverse indirect drivers
- A nexus perspective strengthens future applications of the Nature Futures Framework
Read the paper here. And read more about the BIONEXT project here.
