About us

The SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre, (CBM), is a center for research and communication on conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity as a crucial issue for society. CBM was established by the Swedish Parliament in 1994 and is located within the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU. 

The Challenge

Preserving biodiversity is one of the most important future issues in Sweden and in the world. This is one of the conclusions of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity that Sweden agreed to follow. A basic need is for a better understanding of how the loss of biodiversity associated with our individual and collective values, actions, organization, lifestyles, standards, economics, politics, etc., affects human well-being. We must find solutions individually and in society as a whole for long term sustainable use of biodiversity. From a research perspective, this needs greater emphasis on the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences than before, and research results that lead directly to policy and decision making.

Our Mission

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre initiate, conduct and coordinate policy-relevant research on the complex interactions between biodiversity and social development, and contribute to society's capacity to manage these interactions in a sustainable way.

Our Vision

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre create good conditions for policy-relevant, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge production, through interaction between scientific disciplines and between research and practice. The humanities and social perspectives, together with the natural science are given a central role in research. We provide information to authorities, research institutions and other stakeholders.

Operation

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre collaborates with other agencies to conduct research, and provide expert reports and other kinds of knowledge compilations. The work includes research commissions, government assignments, attendance at international negotiations, and cooperation with a range of stakeholders such as government agencies, organizations, museums and natural resource managers.

To understand biodiversity as a societal issue we examine ecological, political, legal, social and historical aspects of biodiversity.