On 10 September 2025, the Safeguard and BioAgora projects collaborated on a workshop titled “Integrated assessment of policy interventions for pollinators: A game-based dialogue”. The event took place in Brussels, Belgium and was organised by Safeguard partners from the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and INRAE with support from BioAgora and the University of Stirling.
The workshop brought together 24 participants representing various groups of stakeholders, including policy-makers, business, NGOs and researchers. The goal of the game was to design a pollinator-friendly landscape. Set in a virtual environment made up of either semi-natural, agricultural,or urban habitats, the game began under one of two conditions: restored or degraded. Participants could apply different interventions, such as implementing nature protection regulations and restoring ecological zones, deciding how to combine them. A visual tracker displayed the ecological and socio-economic outcomes of these decisions during the game.
After the gaming session, participants provided feedback on the game’s design, purpose, and impact. Many were interested in the science behind the game. Some major discussion points included:
- the importance of including the cost of interventions since it shapes real-life decision-making and determines feasibility
- the need to account for national and regional differences (since the assessments informing the game were conducted at the EU level)
- concerns about the “all or nothing” design of policy interventions in the game, which oversimplified reality (where effectiveness can vary)
Participants also reflected on the game’s purpose. Some initially viewed it primarily as an educational tool. However, the game was designed to encourage engagement and dialogue around policy acceptability rather than deliver specific learning outcomes. Clarifying this during the discussion helped align expectations.
A detailed report covering the event is now available. It offers a comprehensive description of the game and the workshop process as well as insights from the feedback shared during the discussion.