Defining the roles of formal and informal institutions and their interactions in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (Task 1.3)
Formal institutions (government and a system of laws) and informal institutions (social norms and cultural practises) are a significant influence on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. These bodies constrain and shape economic and social decisions.
Conservation efforts typically involve trying to change institutions in order to alter the impacts that humans have on biodiversity. However, such changes may have negative knock-on effects.
The successful adoption of conservation measures depends crucially on the nature of such institutions. Policies that are suitable in well-developed institutions may be unsuccessful in countries that have suffered a breakdown in institution or civil society.
A formal analysis is required to assess the compatibility of conservation policies with the institutional setting in which they will operate. Including institutions in this process will increase the chances that the policies, once implemented, will promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
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