prof.dr. BJM (Bas) Arts

Prof. dr. Bas Arts (1961) holds a ‘Personal Chair in Forest Governance’ at the Forest and Nature Conservation Policy (FNP) group at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. Between January 2006 and July 2018, he was Full Chair of FNP. Arts holds a Master in biology (Majors in forest ecology and in environmental sciences, 1987) and a PhD in environmental sciences and public administration (1998). Currently, Arts’ research and teaching focus on international forest, biodiversity and climate change governance, local natural resource management and their interconnections (local-global nexus, multi-level governance). His experience includes research in the Netherlands, Europe and the global South, interdisciplinary work with natural and social scientists, policy design and scenario development with stakeholders, and policy advice at various levels (United Nations, EU and Netherlands). Arts was Visiting Professor at the Europe College in Bruges, Belgium (2006-2010), at BOKU University of Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria (March-April 2010), at the Geography Department of Cambridge University, UK (October 2013) and at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment of the University of Michigan, USA (March-April 2014). Also, he was Visiting Fellow at the Max Planck Institute on Common Goods in Bonn, Germany (2002). He (co)produced over 150 academic publications, including journal articles, books and book chapters. Over the years, Arts acquired – both as main applicant and co-applicant – over 25 research grants, including NWO, EU Framework and EU Horizon 2020 programs. Since 2006, 47 PhDs graduated under his (co)supervision. During his career, he taught over 20 different courses on various topics related to his expertise, with various didactic approaches and forms, and at all levels (undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, post-doctoral). FNP’s research program, led by Arts between 2006 and 2018, was evaluated by an international peer review committee in June 2015 and its quality and relevance were both assessed as ‘excellent’. His most recent book is Forest Governance: Hydra or Chloris (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Between October 2018 and October 2025, Arts was also "Chief Scientist" at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency in the Hague.  

• AIV-CIO (1-1-2020/31-12-2027)
  Lid van de Commissie Internationale Ontwikkeling (CIO) van de Adviesraad Internationale Vraagstukken (AIV). De AIV-CIOadviseert de Nederlandse regering en het Nederlandse parlement o.g.v. beleid aangaande ontwikkelingsvraagstukken
• RIVM (1-1-2025/1-1-2027)
  De CWI behandelt vertrouwelijk klachten over wetenschappelijke integriteit in een kennisorganisatie en adviseert over vervolgstappen. Een CWI denkt ook mee over het integriteitsbeleid van een kennisorganisatie.
• The Integrated Assessment Society (1-1-2024/1-1-2026)
  Advise the Board on the annual work program and its projects and activities that flow from that program