Transformative governance for food systems and biodiversity, 3 December

- a conference for European leaders and change agents

Speakers and panellists will be added as they are confirmed.
Registration will open in the last half of September

When: Wednesday 3 December 2025
Where: University of Copenhagen, South Campus, Copenhagen, Denmark

08:00

Registration, coffee and networking
09:00

Introduction to the programme
09:05

Welcome address

by Bo Jellesmark Thorsen, Dean of Science, University of Copenhagen,
09:10

Opening session:  Shaping a resilient and competitive future for agriculture, food
systems, and biodiversity

  • Jacob Jensen, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark (TBC)
  • Esther de Lange, Head of Cabinet, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food (TBC)
  • Jacqueline Broerse, Professor, Director of Athena Institute, Vrije Universität Amsterdam
  • Paula Harrison, Professor, Co-chair IPBES Nexus Assessment, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)
10:30

Coffee break
11:00

From vision to implementation: Aligning policies for change - choose one of three parallel policy sessions:

Agriculture and food systems: EU policies, strategies and regulation
  • Joanna Drake, Deputy Director General, DG RTD (TBC)
  • Richard Zaltzman, EIT Food
  • Christine Chemnitz, Director, Agora Agriculture
  • TBC

Biodiversity: Global, European and national strategies and regulations
  • Carsten Rahbek, University of Copenhagen
  • Paula Harrison, IPBES co-chair Nexus report
  • TBC

The Danish Green Tripartite Agreement: Collaboration and coordination
  • Henrik Vejre, Professor, UCPH, PI TRANSFORM: Living Labs supporting the transformation of the Danish landscapes
  • Birgit S. Hansen, Green Tripartite representative, Local Government Denmark
  • Jakob Møller Nielsen, The Danish Ministry for Green Transition
12:15

Networking lunch

13:30

From Knowledge to Impact: Building Coherent Pathways for Transformation - choose one of ten parallel workshops from across the three tracks:

TRACK I: How can we develop evidence-based policies on agriculture, food systems and biodiversity using a whole systems approach?
  • IA: What exactly is transformative governance for agriculture, food systems, and biodiversity?
  • IB: How to apply food systems science to support transformative governance and evidence-based policymaking?
  • IC: Living labs and policy councils as enablers of transformative change in local food systems
  • ID: Overcoming polarization and bridging the rural-urban divide on agriculture, food systems and biodiversity

TRACK II: How can we coordinate policies and regulations on agriculture, food systems and biodiversity with other policies across different governance levels?
  • IIA: From policy to action - strengthening food security in times of uncertainty through approaches integrating One/Planetary Health & Biodiversity
  • IIB: Coordinating policies and regulations to shape food environments in favour of cultivated biodiversity
  • IIC: Co-creating pathways for transformative food system innovation in Europe
  • IID: Innovating coordination in European agrifood policies

TRACK III: How can we advance ESG frameworks and investment strategies to restore biodiversity and support a fair, healthy and sustainable agriculture and food system?
  • IIIA: Investment in agrifood for biodiversity and health: What ESG metrics can drive innovation in the food domain?
  • IIIB: Blended finance and social innovation for agrifood business models that reward soil health and biodiversity
15:30

Coffee break
16:00

Turning insights into action for transformative governance of agriculture, food systems and biodiversity

Rotating panel discussion with track leaders and workshop organisers
Moderator: Christian Bugge Henriksen, University of Copenhagen and coordinator of the CLEVERFOOD project
17:15

Concluding remarks
18:00 - 22:00

Conference dinner at the Square, South Campus