Conservation Conflict and Consensus: Finding Common Ground on Introduced Species - Sydney - Citizen COP 2026

Bridging Divides: Working Together for Better Conservation

Conservation often depends on people working together — even when they strongly disagree.

Debates that are not addressed openly and constructively can limit the quality of conservation science and practice, confuse the public, erode social licence and ultimately affect conservation outcomes. Few issues illustrate this better than introduced species, which are among the most contested topics in conservation.

While these debates are often framed as disagreements about evidence, they can also reflect different values, priorities and relationships with nature.

As part of Citizen COP 2026, researchers from the Transdisciplinary School at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will share findings from recent qualitative research exploring diverse perspectives on the impacts and management of introduced species.

The session will also critically explore Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which addresses invasive alien species, and consider where conservationists agree, where they differ, and why.

Most importantly, the discussion will explore how constructive dialogue across different viewpoints can strengthen collaboration and lead to more effective conservation science, practice and outcomes.

This is a public session by the UTS Transdiciplinary School.

For any questions or support, please contact:
Scott Matter | scott.matter@uts.edu.au

About Citizen COP Australia

Citizen COP Australia is a decentralised, people-powered movement running alongside the global COPs in 2026. Enabled by People For Nature, but intentionally independent and distributed, Citizen COP invites communities, organisations, schools, businesses, artists, and local groups across Australia to host their own events during the COP period. Rather than a single central event, Citizen COP is a nationwide network of conversations, workshops, and actions that bring global climate and nature discussions into local communities. It connects people to science, solutions, and each other, strengthening civic engagement and ensuring citizen voices contribute to Australia’s climate and nature conversations.

https://www.peoplefornature.org.au/citizen-cop

About People For Nature

People For Nature is a volunteer-powered environmental charity empowering communities through climate and biodiversity education, citizen conservation, and science. We believe that when Australians understand and connect with nature, they’re more likely to protect it — safeguarding our climate, ecosystems, and well-being.

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