Six-year NWA project to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss in the Netherlands

Climate change will increasingly affect the quality of nature. How does this play out in Dutch landscapes, and how can we pursue strategies that address the root causes, taking into account questions of justice and well-being? These are the questions at the heart of the COMBINED project awarded by NWO to a broad consortium last week. 

The climate, nature and people's well-being are inextricably linked and in constant flux. With an adaptive and integrated approach currently lacking, the project’s ten knowledge institutes and fourteen societal partners will develop the knowledge required for a successful approach to climate change and biodiversity loss. The project will explore the effect of existing management measures and which barriers stand in the way of implementing successful measures. 

Dutch landscapes

COMBINED will study interactions between climate, nature and people across several areas made up of grassland, forest and urban nature, reflecting landscapes in a large part of the Netherlands.

We will analyse the impact of climate extremes such as droughts and flooding on biodiversity but also how more diverse grasslands can increase resilience against extremes while supporting regional biodiversity

Within the project, researchers from Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development in close collaboration with Dr. Yann Hautier from the Department of Biology will focus on grasslands used by the dairy sector. 

Environmental scientist Prof. Stefan Dekker: “We will analyse the impact of climate extremes such as droughts and flooding on biodiversity but also how more diverse grasslands can increase resilience against extremes while supporting regional biodiversity”.

The aim is to restore grassland diversity in a win-win situation for nature and farming.

The aim is to restore grassland diversity in a win-win situation for nature and farming,” says landscape ecologist Prof. Merel Soons, who is leading the grassland research. 

Working on the future

The consortium will work towards a future in which Dutch landscapes increase in biodiversity, are climate-robust and form a healthy living environment. Unique to this project is the close cooperation between social and natural science researchers and key societal actors, who not only look at different measures and what effects they have, but also why it's still not possible to really change things on a large scale and together in the Netherlands.

Even if our research establishes that grassland diversity provides win-wins, its large-scale uptake will not happen by itself

“For example, even if our research establishes that grassland diversity provides win-wins, its large-scale uptake will not happen by itself,” explains environmental governance expert Prof. Hens Runhaar. “Dairy farmers face many barriers to switch to more 'nature-inclusive' farming practices”. The Utrecht University team will therefore explore how high-diversity grassland management can be stimulated, among other things, by exploring new business models, in close collaboration with farmers, agrifood companies, governments, and nature conservation NGOs.

More information 

The COMBINED project 'Combatting biodiversity loss and improving climate change resilience through evidence-based, integrated, and adaptive landscape governance in the Netherlands' is led by Prof. Wieteke Willemen of University of Twente together with Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research, HAS Green Academy, and partners from Leiden University, Hogeschool Van Hall Larenstein, Naturalis, InHolland, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, AERES, PBL, Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, Municipality of Groningen, Municipality of The Hague, Urgenda, LTO Nederland, BoerenNatuur, Landgoed Twickel, LandschappenNL, Province of Gelderland, Province of Utrecht, Bij12, FrieslandCampina.   

The total budget is almost EUR 4 million. Most of it is granted by NWO and about 250,000 euros has been contributed by the partners themselves. On behalf of Utrecht University, involved in this programme are Prof. Merel Soons, Prof. Stefan Dekker and Prof. Hens Runhaar, all based at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, and Yann Hautier from the Department of Biology.