Workshop

Bee-ing Transformative: A Workshop for applying the Transformative Change Assessment through honey-tasting

Organizer(s):

The thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 vision for biodiversity (Transformative Change Assessment) of the IPBES was approved in December 2024. The assessment identifies three underlying causes of biodiversity loss and nature’s decline, and six approaches to better understand how transformative change occurs. The workshop aims at reflecting on the implementation of the Transformative Change Assessment of the IPBES through the analysis of the importance of indigenous and local communities' knowledge (ILK) around beekeeping and honey production. 



Their importance of honey in ceremonies, traditional medicine, and eco-cultural health, are central to stewardship efforts that unlock forest conservation and Nature’s Contributions to People. Bees are highly effective pollinators for both wild and cultivated plants, including tropical crops such as coffee and cacao, and their activities support floral diversity, genetic variation, and forest regeneration. Hence, their impact on rural livelihoods goes beyond economic approaches and become essential for the transformation of more resilient and sustainable food systems.



The workshop is divided into two main stages: 1. Introduction to the TC Assessment: Participants will be introduced to the analysis of the underlying causes of nature’s decline and the three dimensions of Transformation in which the assessment is based upon; followed by a discussion about the importance of meliponiculture for transformation and biodiversity conservation. 2. Transformative stingless bee honey tasting: Participants will join a guided tasting of stingless bee honey, highlighting the terroir—the unique environmental and botanical conditions that shape honey’s flavor, texture, and medicinal qualities. Participants will experience how floral diversity, geography, and bee enzymes influence honey profiles, reinforcing the idea that conservation is not just about species protection but about preserving landscapes, cultures, and reciprocal human-nature relationships.



By combining sensory engagement with discussion on the Transformative Change Assessment, this workshop invites participants to reflect on how ILK, eco-cultural practices, policies that support meliponiculture, and ethical markets can drive biodiversity conservation and food system resilience. Through honey tasting, we demonstrate how place-based knowledge and local economies can catalyze transformative change, fostering stewardship models that sustain both pollinators and people.