The Scientific Partners of BIOECON are pleased to announce the XXVII Annual BIOECON Conference, to be held on 7–8 September 2026 at St John’s College, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Hosted by the Department of Land Economy and the Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (C-EENRG), University of Cambridge, and co-hosted with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, the Land Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP), and the Dragon Capital Chair in Biodiversity Economics at the University of Exeter Business School, the conference will bring together researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of biodiversity, economics, finance, and policy.
Keynote Speakers:
- Jennifer Alix-Garcia (Oregon State University)
- Robin Burgess (London School of Economics)
In addition to the conference theme noted above, BIOECON XXVII aims to have parallel sessions on a broad range of topics within the umbrella of biodiversity economics including: the role of biodiversity and ecosystem services in economic development, plant genetic resources and food security issues, deforestation and development, fisheries, institutions and instruments (e.g. Payments for Ecosystem Services), biodiversity finance, development and conservation, wildlife conservation and endangered species, international trade and regulation and climate change.
Call for Papers
Submissions are invited on the conference theme “Economics, Finance and Nature Based Risks”, as well as on a broad range of topics within biodiversity economics, including but not limited to:
- Instruments for conservation in the context of land-use and biodiversity
- Innovative financial mechanisms for conservation
- Evaluation of biodiversity-related policies and programmes
- Use of spatial data in biodiversity and conservation research
- Conservation and valuation of crop genetic diversity
- Institutional frameworks for resource conservation (property rights, market instruments, etc.)
- Behavioural and experimental approaches to biodiversity policy design
- Biodiversity finance, development and conservation
- Interlinkages between climate change and biodiversity
- Governance and management of natural resources in developing countries
- Development, growth and resource constraints
- Natural resource management, distribution and poverty alleviation
- Experimental or survey research on biodiversity preferences and beliefs
- Non-market valuation of biodiversity
Complete papers (including abstract, JEL codes and keywords) must be submitted via the dedicated submission portal by 24 April 2026. Only complete papers will be considered.
Notification of acceptance will be communicated by 25 May 2026.
It is also possible to submit proposals for special sessions (3–4 coordinated papers) under a common theme.
The Venue
The Conference will be held at the historical premises of St. John’s College Cambridge. Accommodation and all meals will be provided in the College. The conference will open with a reception at St John’s College on the evening of Sunday the 6th of September 2026. Conference sessions will commence on the morning of Monday the 7th of September and conclude on the afternoon of Tuesday the 8th of September (by 5:00pm GMT). The conference banquet will take place at the main Dining Hall of St John’s College on the evening of the 7th of September. Delegates will also have privileged access to the renown grounds and Chapel of St. John’s (unless closed for building work).
Submissions
Complete papers may be submitted for presentation within the BIOECON Conference and only complete papers will be considered by the Scientific Programme Committee. Electronic copies should be sent using this dedicated submission page by clicking here no later than Friday 24th of April 2026. Please include Abstract, JEL Codes and Keywords with your submission. Acceptance of papers will be notified by email by Monday 25th of May 2026. If you wish to be considered for a bursary, please indicate this in the submission page. Applying for a bursary will not affect whether your paper is selected (indeed, the paper may be accepted even if we are unable to offer a bursary).
It is also possible to submit 3-4 papers together as a suggested “special session” under a theme similar to those indicated above. In this case, please send your proposal via email to bioecon@bioecon-network.orgt. The Scientific Partners reserve the right to accept papers on an individual basis, so it is possible that even when a session is not accepted, individual papers within the session might be so.
Registration
Paper-presenters attending the full event will be charged £320 that includes 2 night’s accommodation (on a B&B basis) on the 6th and 7th of September and all social events and meals at St. John’s College for the duration of the conference. Paper presenters will also have the option of attending the event as a day participants (not requiring overnight stay) for £115 (with the banquet) or £80 (without banquet). There will also be the option to attend the entire event as a non-paper presenter (pending availability) for a fee of £470 (includes 2 nights’ accommodation, social events and meals) or as a non-paper day participant for £170 (with banquet) or £120/day (without banquet). Bookings can be made on a dedicated conference porTal (to be accessed via the conference website here) and that will be made available in early June. Delegates will be able to book additional nights (subject to availability), upgrade to a double room (subject to availability) and pay for additional meal guests through the same portal.
All other questions regarding fees, registrations and accommodation should be sent to the conference secretariat at bioecon@bioecon-network.org.
The conference will be an entirely an in-person event. Virtual attendance or on-line presentation of one’s paper will not be possible.
There will be a limited number of bursaries made available which will allow some presenters to attend free of charge (though they will not cover travel to the conference or any visa fees). These will be directed towards PhD students and early career researchers, and particularly those who are based at institutions in the Global South and from transition and emerging economies. As noted above, please indicate in paper submission portal if you would like to apply for a bursary when submitting your paper.
Registration will open on Monday 1st of June 2026. Registration for all conference presenters is due by Friday 26th of June 2026. It may be possible for attendees who are not presenting to register later than this, but such places cannot be guaranteed. Registration for conference delegates not presenting will close on the 17th of July 2026. Further registration details and all other conference information will be provided on the BIOECON website here.
Further Information
Further registration details and all other conference information will be provided on the BIOECON website. For a flavour of previous BIOECON conferences visit this page.
All other questions regarding fees, registrations and accommodation should be sent to the conference secretariat at bioecon@bioecon-network.org.
Important Dates
- 24 April 2026 – Submission deadline
- 25 May 2026 – Notification of acceptance
- 1 June 2026 – Registration open
- 26 June 2026 – Registration deadline for paper presenters
- 17 July 2026 – Registration deadline for all participants
- 7–8 September 2026 – XXVII BIOECON Conference
