Many recent international science-policy assessments emphasise that Business-as-Usual is no longer sustainable and transformative change of our socio-economic systems is required for tackling issues such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Evidence on what portfolio of transformative solutions are sufficient and effective is urgently needed to mainstream biodiversity and climate change in public and private decision-making. This requires the development of holistic and transdisciplinary approaches, data-driven science, and new tools, models and scenarios that address the main causes of biodiversity loss and explore options for transformative change that are socially just. This is vital to meet many EU objectives, strategies, and commitments such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Nature Restoration Law and the associated national restoration plans.

Supported by Horizon Europe, the BIONEXT project develops knowledge and tools to increase understanding and support transformative solutions that consider the key nexus interlinkages between biodiversity, climate change, food, water, energy, transport, and health (Figure 1). By bringing together the concepts of the nexus and transformative change to directly address the drivers of biodiversity loss, BIONEXT aims to demonstrate the benefits of mainstreaming nexus thinking into policymaking and governance (including financing), as well as how to initiate, accelerate and upscale transformative changes that are biodiversity-relevant, just, and socially accepted.