Beskydy Workshop on Nature-Based Governance
Between 24–26 September 2024, the Living Lab in the Beskydy cross-border region hosted an international workshop titled Nature Based Governance: Coevolutionary and transformative perspective on the biodiversity and climate crises.
Fifty-five researchers from three international scientific networks – Earth System Governance, the Horizon Europe projects COEVOLVERS, and the COST Action “Transformers” – met to discuss current and future knowledge on the governance of nature-based solutions (NBS).
Chaired by Prof. Tatiana Kluvánková, PhD, the workshop focused on the four themes outlined in the 2018 Earth System Governance Science, as well as the research agenda of the Horizon Europe project COEVOLVERS, targeting the Coevolutionary approach to unlock the transformative potential of Nature-Based Solutions for more inclusive and resilient communities.
The workshop explored how these efforts can lead to the co-creation of climate-resilient communities, governance models, techniques, and practices of NBS in a unique way to integrate multispecies democracy into the governance frameworks. "While the importance of NBS is well acknowledged, the intertwined dynamics of social and ecological processes, including multispecies perspective and the relevance for governance, are still not well understood. Little attention has been given so far to how nature can inspire governance," said Prof. Kluvánková. "The Beskydy 2024 workshop explores nature-based governance from the co-evolutionary and co-creative perspectives, incorporating human and non-human views to find more effective pathways for transformation towards inclusive and resilient communities."
The keynote speech was delivered by prof. Julia Leventon from CzechGlobe, she opened the first day in the conference room with meaningful discussion on the origin of nature-based governance and relation to transformative change. Over the next two days, presentations were organized into five sessions: From Adaptation to Transformation (exploring the adaptive and transformative potential of Nature-Based Governance), Architecture and Agency of NBG, Transformative Learning and Behaviour and Policy Change, Co-creation of NBG and Multispecies Justice.
A special session, NBS Exchange Practice, targeted an interactive exhibition in a more relaxed and informal atmosphere and as part of a Wallachian cultural evening. This was done in a graphic and documentary style, using audiovisual media or interesting installations, and a folklore performance of Velke Karlovice schoolchildren. Five panelists presented the Coevolvers Living Labs: Along with virtual commons in Beskydy LL, Sheep as fire eaters in Barcelona LL, Multispecies city in Tartu LL, the Healing Garden in LL Hungary, and Multispecies Justice as in the first Coevolvers small-scale pilot study from the Island of Cres, Croatia. CETIP and IFE SAS introduced a new behavioral game designed to visualise the language of predators and practice in multispecies justice.
Many of the scientists also went on an excursion around Beskydy LL into cross-border nature, walking through primeval and human-managed forests, visiting the project of microclimate station in Velke Karlovice, and tasting local traditional food at one of the eco farms owned by a key LL stakeholder.
