The biodiversity system: time to change?

European biodiversity conservation – like elsewhere in the world - is a system that operates on the basis of research. Scientific information is translated into a logical system of objectives, measures and actions. Measures for governments. Actions - funding available - for other levels of government, private sector and NGOs. The question is whether this logic will produce the desired changes. For years the system operates in this fashion. Notwithstanding the ‘system’, negative impacts on biodiversity continue. The loss of biodiversity is even increasing.

My clients work on such a logical program of objectives, measures and actions. At some point in time the scientific logic and the realities on the ground seem to clash. The results of the project are in danger. I am asked to help with 'this communication' issue. But change takes place with a logic of its own. So my challenge is to introduce principles of change management, marketing and communication and softly guide the experts towards a set of final products that may work.

But in the meantime 80% of the investment has been in research. Is it not time to change the logic of the European biodiversity system? Or is the system just there to provide employment for biodiversity experts and not to halt the loss of biodiversity?