Jelle Behagel

Jelle Behagel is an Associate Professor in the Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands. His research focuses on environmental policy, forest governance, and political discourses in Latin America, particularly around zero-deforestation commitments, commodity trade, and the role of 'political fantasy' in environmental diplomacy. He coordinates the Sustainable Development Diplomacy master's track, teaching courses on political and social theories of conservation.

Behagel's work spans multiple projects, including the COMBINED initiative combating biodiversity loss, studies on SDG interactions in Ethiopia, and analyses of deforestation-free supply chains in Brazil. His interdisciplinary approach integrates political science, sociology, and philosophy to examine governance dynamics in environmental policymaking.

Recent contributions include analyzing COP16 negotiations, exploring the '30x30' biodiversity target, and evaluating the social license for mining operations. He actively engages in international policy dialogues, emphasizing participatory governance and knowledge integration in conservation planning.