Land-use changes and agricultural intensification have been attributed as the main anthropogenic drivers of declines in insect pollinators. Anthropogenic coastal heathlands are one of the ecosystems that have suffered the most from these intensifications, as traditional management practices have discontinued and only 10% of last century´s coastal heathlands remain. We collected data during the field season of 2022 on pollinator communities with emphasis on bumblebees, in two different habitat types: open and degenerate heathlands in an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Western Norway. Here, we aim to get an insight into how pollinator communities may change as more heathlands are left without active management practices like prescribed burning and livestock grazing. Species composition varied between the two habitat types. Degenerate heathlands typically had a higher abundance of some relatively common species in Norway, like B. pratorum, while the red-listed species B. muscorum was recorded exclusively in open heathlands. B. jonellus was more abundant in degenerate sites despite being known to forage on Ericaceae. This may be due to an additional floral diversity and nesting/over-wintering sites here compared to the open sites. Further research should explore potential impacts of landscape characteristics like fragmentation and land-use change on the abundance and diversity of pollinators in heathlands.

Older people are at high risk of protein deficiency, which accelerates the age-related loss of muscle mass. However, there is a paucity of data on the consumption of protein-rich animal-sourced foods and their relationship with dietary intake and muscle mass of older adults in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, this study assessed ASF consumption and its associations with protein intake and muscle mass of older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among community-dwelling older adults in the Gasabo district, Rwanda. Dietary intake was estimated using two non-consecutive 24-h recalls. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics. Inverse propensity score weighting was employed to assess the association between animal-source food (ASF) consumption and protein intake and muscle mass. Slightly more than half (56%, n = 189) of the older adults consumed ASFs. In adjusted models, ASF consumption was positively associated with protein intake (ATE: 9.6 g/d; CI, 6.8 to 12.4) and muscle mass (ATE: 1.7 kg; CI, 0.0 to 3.4). The results also showed that adding one and two or more ASFs to the diet was proportionally associated with an increase in protein intake (ATE: 4.7 g/d; 95% CI, 0.2 to 9.3 and ATE: 13.9 g/d; 95% CI, 5.9 to 22.0, respectively), but not with muscle mass (ATE: 1.2 kg; 95% CI − 1.4 to 3.9 and ATE: 1.4 kg; 95% CI − 0.6 to 9.6, respectively). The consumption of ASFs was generally low among community-dwelling older adults. However, older adults who consumed ASFs had improved protein intake and muscle mass compared with those who consumed plant-based diets. Large and prospective studies, extending beyond urban settings, are needed to identify factors that can be targeted to improve ASF consumption and overall dietary intake among older adults in Rwanda.

Background:Sub-Saharan Africa is facing a dietary transition with both undernutrition and rising rates of non-communicable diseases. Adopting the reference diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission can reduce both the environmental burden and improve health outcomes. However, whether this diet provides micronutrient adequacy in older adults in low-income settings has not been investigated. This study examines adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet and its association with micronutrient intake among older adults in the Gasabo district, Kigali, Rwanda. Methods:This cross-sectional study involved 334 older adults aged 55-93 years from Kigali, Rwanda. Dietary intake was assessed using two non-consecutive 24-h recalls, and socio-demographic data were collected through interviews. Adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was evaluated using a 42-point index based on food group consumption and micronutrient intake was analyzed in relation to adherence tertiles. Multivariable regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and energy intake, were used to assess associations between diet adherence and micronutrient intake. Results:The EAT-Lancet adherence score ranged from 13 to 36, with a mean of 24. Higher adherence was associated with increased consumption of whole grains, vegetables, fish, and nuts, while red meat, dairy, and poultry intake declined. Adherence was positively associated with energy intake and intake of retinol-equivalents, thiamine, niacin, folate, vitamins B12 and D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and zinc. When adjusting for energy intake, the association with zinc and potassium became non-significant and the association with riboflavin became negative. Conclusion:Higher adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was associated with higher intake of energy and several micronutrients important for healthy aging in this population of predominantly older, poor adults in Kigali. However, the potential for nutrient gaps, particularly in riboflavin, highlights the need for context-specific dietary adaptations to ensure nutritional adequacy in older populations in Rwanda.

CONTEXT:Consumers are increasingly encouraged to reduce meat and dairy consumption. However, few meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of reducing meat and/or dairy on (absolute) protein intake, anthropometric values, and body composition are available. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of reducing meat and/or dairy consumption on (absolute) protein intake, anthropometric values, and body composition in adults aged ≥ 45 years. DATA SOURCES:The MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform databases were searched up to November 24, 2021. DATA EXTRACTION:Randomized controlled trials reporting protein intake, anthropometric values, and body composition were included. DATA ANALYSIS:Data were pooled using random-effects models and expressed as the mean difference (MD) with 95%CI. Heterogeneity was assessed and quantified using Cochran's Q and I2 statistics. In total, 19 RCTs with a median duration of 12 weeks (range, 4-24 weeks) and a total enrollment of 1475 participants were included. Participants who consumed meat- and/or dairy-reduced diets had a significantly lower protein intake than those who consumed control diets (9 RCTs; MD, -14 g/d; 95%CI, -20 to -8; I2 = 81%). Reducing meat and/or dairy consumption had no significant effect on body weight (14 RCTs; MD, -1.2 kg; 95%CI, -3 to 0.7; I2 = 12%), body mass index (13 RCTs; MD, -0.3 kg/m2; 95%CI, -1 to 0.4; I2 = 34%), waist circumference (9 RCTs; MD, -0.5 cm; 95%CI, -2.1 to 1.1; I2 = 26%), amount of body fat (8 RCTs; MD, -1.0 kg; 95%CI, -3.0 to 1.0; I2 = 48%), or lean body mass (9 RCTs; MD, -0.4 kg; 95%CI, -1.5 to 0.7; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSION:Reduction of meat and/or dairy appears to reduce protein intake. There is no evidence of a significant impact on anthropometric values or body composition. More long-term intervention studies with defined amounts of meat and dairy are needed to investigate the long-term effects on nutrient intakes and health outcomes. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION:PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020207325.

Stakeholder participation in European Biosphere Reserves (BRs) has been extensively studied; however, the evolution of participation at different levels and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been less explored. A mixed-method approach was used to investigate this evolution, including a literature review, analysis of a European longitudinal survey conducted in 2008 and 2021, case study interviews and a questionnaire to Biosphere Reserve managers. Results indicate that stakeholder participation in BRs has become more important over time, with both an increase in the number and diversity of stakeholders involved at higher levels of participation. This increase was augmented by the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) during the pandemic. However, the increased use of ICTs had its challenges, such as the exclusion of certain types of stakeholders from the participatory process. Solutions, such as creating hybrid meeting arenas, are suggested to address these challenges. We conclude by providing recommendations for further enhancing our knowledge base on new forms of participation based on digital platforms.

The Nordhordland UNESCO Biosphere Reserve encompasses a heterogeneous landscape which provides numerous ecosystem services. Semi-natural grasslands provide forage for traditionally managed livestock and are important sources of nectar and pollen for pollinators. However, these services are not evenly distributed due to different biotic and abiotic constraints of the fjord landscape, which stretches from flat coastal areas to steep hills and mountains inland. We studied how geographic location and grazing livestock type affect the plant species richness, plant functional group composition, nectar and forage resources of these grasslands. We recorded plant species percentage cover in 30 fields in the Nordhordland Biosphere Reserve grazed by sheep, goats or cattle, and from these data we calculated indicator values for forage and nectar resource using species index values from existing trait databases. Sites grazed by cattle had significantly different plant functional group compositions than sites grazed by sheep or goats, independent of geographical location. Forage resource indicator values were lower at coastal sites grazed by sheep. We found a weak but significant positive correlation between nectar resource indicator value and plant species richness, as well as between nectar and forage resource indicator values. Type of livestock and geographical location are not the only factors influencing provisioning services in semi-natural grasslands. Nonetheless, traditional grazing maintains ecosystem service delivery even in low-productive coastal areas. Forage resource, nectar provision and plant species richness appear to be bundled, providing clear guidance for managing ecosystem services in Nordhordland UNESCO Biosphere Reserve's valuable cultural landscapes. Challenges for the assessment of ecosystem services across the Nordhordland UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the Nordhordland Biosphere Reserve (BR) has a unique heterogeneous landscape with semi-natural grasslands in coastal and fjord areas grazed by different livestock types (sheep, goats, cattle).From one dataset to three indicators: we collected plant species data from these grasslands, from coast and fjord, grazed by sheep, goats or cattle. We generated 3 indicators: plant species richness, nectar resource and forage provision services.Farmer management implication choices: farmers adapting management to their environment and to available resources on their fields help to preserve diversity and BR cultural landscape value. There was very high between-site variation in indicator scores, even between sites with the same livestock species.This low-intensity grazing system offers ecosystem services synergies: correlations between richness and nectar, and forage value and nectar, imply 'bundling' rather than tradeoffs between ecosystem service delivery.

Humans have significantly modified the planet’s ecosystems with negative consequences for biodiversity and human wellbeing. However, not all land use is equal, and many traditional land uses, and emergent cultural landscapes support important biodiversity and provide multiple benefits to society. Despite their importance, cultural landscapes are threatened by several factors, the most prominent being abandonment of the traditional practices that maintain them. Afforestation schemes to mitigate atmospheric carbon are an additional emerging threat. Abandonment and afforestation threaten both ecological processes and socio-cultural values, but surprisingly, there is little knowledge on the concurrent social and ecological impacts. We used a multi-method approach of ecological field surveys to quantify the biophysical supply and socio-cultural values of ecosystem services (ES) in four different vegetation types representing managed open vegetation, natural forest types for abandonment and planted forests to represent afforestation. We explored the match and/or mismatch between socio-cultural values and biophysical supply of ES in those vegetation types and investigated the socio-demographic factors that influence socio-cultural values for ES. Biophysical supply of ES was variable across vegetation types and synergies were as common as trade-offs. Socio-cultural values were high for most ES in open vegetation and natural forests and low for planted forests. Biophysical supply and socio-cultural values were well matched across the vegetation types for biodiversity and agricultural products, but strongly mismatched for climate regulation. We show that although trade-offs occur both within value- and between value domains, synergies are also common. Our results show that abandonment would impact on the biophysical supply and socio-cultural values of some ES but that this impact would be lower than that of afforestation. We argue that our approach can be used to manage trade-offs and enhance synergies between value domains for a holistic approach to landscape stewardship that supports both people and nature.

Abstract Background The global population is increasingly aging, imposing a substantial burden on social and healthcare systems as aging is associated with gradual muscle wasting and functional decline. Consumption of protein-rich foods, such as livestock-based meat, providing high-quality proteins can prevent muscle wasting and related functional decline in older adults. However, there is a lack of data on the older adults’ perceptions about meat consumption, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective To explore the perceptions about dietary meat consumption among older adults in Gasabo district, Kigali, Rwanda. Methods We conducted a descriptive qualitative study, using focus group discussions. A total of eight FGDs, lasting between 55 and 80 min, were conducted with gender-mixed groups, including 31 men and 33 women aged ≥ 55 years old. Eight older adults participated in each FGD session, and all discussions were conducted in the local language (Kinyarwanda) using a pre-designed interview guide. The discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and translated into English. The transcript was inductively analyzed using thematic analytical process. Results Three themes were identified from the data, predominantly related to motives and barriers of meat consumption. The motives of meat consumption included improved quality and taste of the diet, improving own health, and having a social function. Barriers of meat consumption were perceived to be related to health risks, sustainability concerns (depletion of resources), and religious beliefs. Lastly, it was widely perceived that meat was unavailable and economically inaccessible, thus meat consumption was perceived to be associated with improved wealth. Conclusion The findings revealed a low and declining meat consumption among older adults due to poverty. Improving financial capacity or strategic public health work to improve protein consumption in the elderly is necessary to meet nutritional needs and facilitate healthy aging.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are pivotal for studying and fostering sustainable interactions between people and nature. In this study, a public participatory geographical information system (PPGIS) approach was employed targeting key stakeholders across the 12 Portuguese BRs, to map their place-based perception over Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP). Stakeholders actively mapped NCP within their BRs, highlighting Habitat creation and maintenance (NCP 1), Physical and psychological experiences (NCP 16), and Supporting identities (NCP 17), underscoring the significance of the territories’ natural and cultural values. Through our analysis, we identified NCP hotspots, pinpointing the most valued areas for conservation or restoration efforts. Zonation analysis within BRs was also assessed, revealing the perceived effectiveness of the different BR zones by stakeholders. Although our study did not quantify NCP supply through biophysical data, it provided valuable insights into non-material NCP from key stakeholders’ perspectives, as well as place-based perceptions of regulating and material NCP provision. We outline that PPGIS may serve as a useful GIS-based decision support system, offering a comprehensive assessment of NCP, especially for cultural values which are not easily quantified by remote methods. Participatory approaches such as PPGIS may play a crucial role in BR governance, enhancing sustainability and equity by integrating key stakeholders’ perceptions into land use planning. Our study’s findings may contribute on the actionable knowledge advance for sustainable management practices in Portuguese BRs by incorporating stakeholder perspectives, fostering improved co-management practices, and promoting the conservation and enhancement of their ecological and cultural heritage.

Responses to climate change have often been found to lag behind the rate of warming that has occurred. In addition to dispersal limitation potentially restricting spread at leading range margins, the persistence of species in new and unsuitable conditions is thought to be responsible for apparent time‐lags. Soil seed banks can allow plant communities to temporarily buffer unsuitable environmental conditions, but their potential to slow responses to long‐term climate change is largely unknown. As local forest cover can also buffer the effects of a warming climate, it is important to understand how seed banks might interact with land cover to mediate community responses to climate change. We first related species‐level seed bank persistence and distribution‐derived climatic niches for 840 plant species. We then used a database of plant community data from grasslands, forests and intermediate successional habitats from across Europe to investigate relationships between seed banks and their corresponding herb layers in 2763 plots in the context of climate and land cover. We found that species from warmer climates and with broader distributions are more likely to have a higher seed bank persistence, resulting in seed banks that are composed of species with warmer and broader climatic distributions than their corresponding herb layers. This was consistent across our climatic extent, with larger differences (seed banks from even warmer climates relative to vegetation) found in grasslands. Synthesis . Seed banks have been shown to buffer plant communities through periods of environmental variability, and in a period of climate change might be expected to contain species reflecting past, cooler conditions. Here, we show that persistent seed banks often contain species with relatively warm climatic niches and those with wide climatic ranges. Although these patterns may not be primarily driven by species' climatic adaptations, the prominence of such species in seed banks might still facilitate climate‐driven community shifts. Additionally, seed banks may be related to ongoing trends regarding the spread of widespread generalist species into natural habitats, while cool‐associated species may be at risk from both short‐ and long‐term climatic variability and change.

Ecosystem services (ESs) play an important role in sustainable landscape management. People value ESs in diverse ways encompassing social and ecological domains and we need to bring these different values together. We used social-cultural and biophysical methods to map a diverse set of ESs at two spatial scales in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Norway. The ESs bundled into three distinct social–ecological system archetypes which were similar in their distribution and relative ES values at both spatial scales. The bundles were also well matched to relative ESs values of the Biosphere Reserve zones (core, buffer, and transition) indicating that the bundles capture the social–ecological systems of the zones. We argue that it is important to consider the social–ecological context of the zones to provide sufficient knowledge to inform management. Our work has the capacity to contribute to sustainable land management that takes biocultural values into consideration.

Abstract Generating actionable knowledge to meet current sustainability challenges requires unprecedented collaboration across scales, geographies, cultures and knowledges. Intergovernmental programmes and place‐based knowledge–action networks have much potential to mobilize sustainability transformation. Although many research fields have benefited from research networks and comparative sites, the potential of site‐based research networks for generating knowledge at the people–nature interface has yet to be fully explored. This article presents the World Network of biosphere reserves (WNBR) of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme, intentionally established for generating actionable knowledge through comparative sites envisioned as learning spaces for sustainable development. Drawing on experiences over five decades, and we offer six categories of insights. Our intent is to share the story of this network widely, distil the learnings from the network to enhance its potential to support both knowledge co‐production and collaborative action for sustainability and inform wider efforts to establish place‐based sustainability networks aimed at improving human–environment relations through knowledge and action. The WNBR has generated insights on the challenges of creating and supporting an international and inter‐governmental sustainability network to generate and mobilize place‐based interdisciplinary knowledge in the long term. Despite the challenges, site‐ and place‐based research facilitated by this network has been fundamental in creating space for sustainability science, knowledge co‐production and transdisciplinary research at the human–nature interface. We share insights on pathways to the implementation of global sustainability agendas through local networks, and the role of research in supporting learning and experimentation in local sites as they work to adapt global sustainability goals. Research in the WNBR has generated deeper understanding on social–ecological complexity and resilience in place‐based sustainability initiatives, and how collaborative platforms might facilitate collective action across landscapes. The network continues to offer a fundamental learning space on operationalizing pluralistic approaches to biodiversity conservation, for example, through its focus on biocultural diversity, offering a key opportunity for the implementation of the post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. We conclude by arguing that WNBR, and similar place‐based knowledge–action networks, can support interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research related to human–nature relationships and provide opportunities for comparative research that may yield more explanatory power than individual case studies. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

In Western Norway, farmers have traditionally used fire as a management tool in coastal heathlands to enhance the fodder quality for livestock. Rotational prescribed burning increases landscape heterogeneity by creating a mosaic of different regeneration stages of heather. Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) responses to fire in traditionally managed coastal heathland have already been studied, but less is known about other beetle groups in this system. We compared the beetle activity between patches of mature and recently burnt heath, by looking at diversity indices, species composition and ecological preferences and traits. Contrary to previous studies, we did not find an increase in beta diversity after disturbance, but we found that prescribed burning offers micro-environmental conditions which enhanced the activity of sun-loving and xerophilous species. We also identified new indicator species for both mature and pioneer heath in five beetle families: Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Curculionidae, Leiodidae, and Scirtidae. Rotational prescribed burning was confirmed to be an efficient conservation tool for specialists without affecting the overall diversity of the site. We recommend the use of several taxa, ecological preferences and traits to assess the impact of prescribed burning and to monitor the condition of traditionally managed coastal heathlands.

Abstract Making the right decisions for sustainable development requires sound knowledge of the values and spatial distribution of the services co‐produced by ecosystems and people. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme and associated Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are key learning sites or model regions for sustainable development providing key entry points for transdisciplinary work on sustainable development. However, there is limited research exploring spatial distribution of socio‐cultural Ecosystem Service (ES) values in BRs and how those values vary according to the BR zonation. We used a transdisciplinary approach to design and implement a public participation geographical information systems (PPGIS) survey in a recently designated BR to (a) asses the spatial distribution of ES values in the different zones, (b) identify hotspots of ES values, (c) identify spatial bundles of ES values and (d) assess the social‐ecological characteristics that determine the distribution of those values. We found that stakeholders identify high biocultural ES values, mapping predominantly places for outdoor recreation, biodiversity, agricultural products and cultural heritage. Buffer zones had high agricultural and cultural heritage values while extractive values were largely absent from cores zones. We identified five spatial ES‐value bundles highlighting distinct places important for ES values related to ‘multifunctional landscapes’ located close to settlements, ‘cultural landscapes’ associated with agricultural land, ‘wild animal resources’ along the coastlines, ‘outdoor recreation and biodiversity’ and ‘passive cultural values’ widely distributed in high and moderately populated areas. We found that accessibility was important for ES values and that people value nature close to where they live. We show the importance of biocultural values in the region, and agricultural landscapes were highly valued for multiple ES values beyond agricultural products alone. We show that BRs have become places that link cultural heritage, agricultural and biodiversity values in multifunctional landscapes. We put our findings into the local context and suggest how they can inform land‐use planning and management through policies aimed at maintaining key agricultural landscapes that provide social‐ecological resilience. Additionally, we discuss the value of our study for the wider BR network and how similar work can contribute to monitoring of BR implementation. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Governance of ecosystem services (ES) requires an understanding of the complex dynamics of collaboration (and contestation) of multiple stakeholders and multiple ES. However, many studies consider only a few ES or stakeholder groups. In our work, we map the co-production of multiple ES by multiple stakeholders connected through ES governance networks. Through a unique combination of Public Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS), stakeholder focus groups, surveys, and social network analysis, we reveal insights on social-ecological fit of ES co-production across an area unified by a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation. By overlaying relationships between stakeholders, multiple ES, and ES co-production networks, our results reveal gaps and mismatches in the ES governance system. We identified mismatches between those ES most valued by the region's inhabitants and those managed, governed and studied by relevant institutions and stakeholders. Cultural ES were the most highly appreciated by stakeholders, but social networks of cultural ES governance were the least densely connected, with highly influential stakeholders involved in cultural ES management (e.g., farmers), not well connected to the governance network. Thus, our findings point to a weakness in cultural ES governance and the need of incorporating cultural ES more clearly into natural resource management agendas. Our results show the importance of mapping what is being discussed by whom, and that mapping environmental governance networks alone does not necessarily provide sufficient resolution to understand co-production of different ES. We confirm the difficulties of governing ES when the ES providers and/or beneficiaries operate at different or distant scales, the scale of ecological processes does not match management (e.g., in some regulating and maintenance ES), or stakeholders which are important in affecting ES provision are not involved in governance, resulting in social-ecological misfit. Lastly, our work confirms the broad array of research methods needed to capture the complexity of governing multiple ES.

The COVID-19 pandemic fully exposed the vulnerability of the global agri-food system to shocks and stresses, highlighting the need for transformation and action to make it more resilient and inclusive. This paper offers a unique insight into the global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic by examining impacts and responses in the agri-food sector within three very distinct contexts, namely the United States, Norway, and China. Focusing on small, diversified farms, the study builds on prior research with the same farmers and support organizations from an on-going collaboration. Firstly, we conducted a short review of policy adaptations to understand how governments, the private sector, non-profit organizations, and communities “stepped up” to provide emergency relief, specialized training, and recovery support for farmers, support that was instrumental in preventing more devastating impacts in all three countries. Secondly, drawing from in-depth interviews with farmers (23) and government and non-governmental support organizations (19), we mapped the vulnerability and resiliency of selected farmers to shocks that severely disrupted traditional supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected on both the negative and positive impacts of the pandemic to farmer inputs, including labor, operations, and markets, how these changed from the initial lockdowns in early 2020 and through 2021, and on farmer adaptive responses to these impacts. In some contexts, innovation and adaptive responses counteracted negative impacts. We saw diversifying markets, catering to consumer safety concerns, switching to direct and e-markets, hiring in more labor or relying on family labor, and switching to high demand crops and products as the most prominent adaptive responses. Farmers who lacked access to information and government programs, in large part because of language, technology and institutional barriers, missed out on pandemic related opportunities and suffered the most. As we enter the post-pandemic new normal it is important to take stock of lessons learned, and to continue to support those initiatives and innovations that were pivotal not only for weathering the storm, but for building a more inclusive and resilient agri-food system in the long-run.

Background From the worldwide youth-led climate strikes of 2018–2019 to the student-initiated austerity protests in Chile in 2019, it is undeniable that young people have been protagonists in pressuring for social change towards greater sustainability in recent years. This piece reflects on youth as agents of social-ecological change, and what researchers can learn from the rise in youth-led social movements demanding action in the face of global sustainability challenges. The study of sustainability problems like climate change and biodiversity loss, intrinsically requires consideration of inter-generational equity. However, despite 50% of the global population being under 30 years old, youth are often not included explicitly as actors in environmental social sciences and sustainability-related research. Here we discuss why explicitly considering young people as distinct actors during the research process is important, as it allows researchers to engage in just and inclusive work whilst at the same time accounting for important agents of change in complex social-ecological systems. Results As a framework for our inquiry we present the themes which emerged during a series of international meetings and forums on sustainability challenges and youth in 2019, a year characterized by world-wide youth mobilization. Our briefing spans the United Nations Youth 2019 Climate Action Summit, the post-2020 meetings organized by the youth branch of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Youth forums and the results from the Global Shapers Survey of the World Economic Forum. Conclusions We argue that if researchers wish to facilitate youth-inclusive evidence-based decision making, research agendas must address knowledge gaps highlighted by institutional efforts to incorporate youth concerns within global sustainability policy, a recommendation that is even more relevant in the light of the COVID-19 crisis. We draw on the themes which emerged in our analysis of international youth meetings to provide recommendations for research agendas which account both for young actors as both passive and active components of social-ecological change and we propose a more inclusive and holistic study of coupled natural-human systems.

Carnation SHD-27531-4 is a genetically modified variety of Dianthus caryophyllus L. used as a decorative plant species. The red-purple colour of the flowers results from expression of the two newly introduced genes dfr and f 3’5’h, encoding the enzymes dihydroflavonol 4reductase (DFR) and flavonoid 3’,5’-hydroxylase (F3’5’H). The two enzymes enable the production of the pigments delphinidin and cyanidin (anthocyanidins) in the flower petals. Anthocyanidins and their sugar derivatives, anthocyanins, make up a large group of natural colours and are accepted food additives (E 163). The colours of most flowers, berries and fruits consist of a combination of anthocyanidins and anthocyanins. Carnation line SHD-27531-4 also contains a mutated herbicide tolerance gene from Nicotiana tabacum , coding for an acetolactate synthase (ALS) variant protein, used to facilitate the selection of GM plantlets during the genetic transformation process. Southern blot analysis and sequencing indicate only a single copy of the intended T-DNA insert in the SHD-27531-4 genome. Flanking sequences show no disruption of endogenous genes. In silico analyses show no significant homologies between the DFR, F3’5’H an ALS proteins and known toxins and IgE-bound allergens. No observed changes in the introduced trait, i.e. the particular flower colour, indicative of instability, have been reported during several generations of vegetatively propagated plants. Considering that carnation SHD-27531-4 is not intended for cultivation or use as food or feed, the VKM GMO Panel considers the comparative analysis of the anthocyanidins delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin and pelargonidin in the flower petals sufficient for the risk assessment. The reported morphological differences between SHD-27531-4 and the parent cultivar do not raise safety concerns. Based on current knowledge and the scope of the application, the VKM GMO Panel concludes that the DFR, F3’5’H and ALS proteins and anthocyanidin pigments are unlikely to increase a potential health risk related to an accidental intake or other exposure routes to carnation SHD-27531-4 compared to the conventional counterpart or other non-GM carnations. Likewise, the VKM GMO Panel concludes that carnation SHD-27531-4, based on current knowledge and the intended use as cut ornamental flowers, does not represent an environmental risk in Norway.