New model for integrating biodiversity into central government management aims to support change

A newly proposed model gives organisations a common framework for managing and developing their biodiversity work. The model was co-created and piloted with six organisations that took part in a development programme.

Nature-driven management means ensuring that biodiversity is taken into account in an organisation’s management, decision-making, monitoring and use of resources.

The Nature-Positive Governance development programme is part of the EU-funded Priodiversity LIFE project and received support from the State Treasury’s Kaiku development funding. The goal of the nationwide Priodiversity LIFE project is to halt biodiversity loss in Finland. With EUR 50 million in funding and large group of participating organisations, it is Finland’s largest ever project to combat biodiversity loss.

Integrating biodiversity work into the management system

The nature-driven management model helps organisations develop their biodiversity work systematically. 
The model presents nature-driven management as a process of continuous improvement rather than a series of isolated measures. Government organisations play a key role in integrating the biodiversity perspective into administrative objectives, budgeting, performance management, public procurement, impact assessment and monitoring. 

“Halting biodiversity loss is not a task for one branch of government, it requires cooperation and common practices across all sectors. Central government organisations are willing and well-equipped to strengthen their work to protect biodiversity. The next step is to integrate biodiversity more systematically into the organisations’ management, oversight and decision-making,” said Harri Martikainen, Director General of the Government Strategy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office.