FNI research focuses on international efforts to ensure conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and fair distribution of benefits from genetic resources. Interaction with trade agreements and intellectual property rights is central.

International environmental agreements on biological diversity seek to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and a fair distribution of benefits derived from genetic resources. FNI research is aimed at international processes with ramifications for these objectives, including interaction with international agreements on trade and agriculture. Central to this work is the interaction between regimes for access & benefit-sharing (ABS) from use of genetic resources and legislation on intellectual property rights to biological material.

Research is carried out with regard to the management of wild as well as domesticated genetic resources in agriculture and aquaculture. Both the CBD and the FAO Plant Treaty (ITPGRFA) are central to this work and the implementation as well as the interaction between them constitutes central topics of research.

The regulation of bioprospecting, GMOs and invasive alien species, and policy and law for the management of protected areas, are other central topics.

FNI also researches international forest politics, forest management and certification (ecolabelling). Central topics include the evolution of international forest policies and non-state certification schemes, as well as the interactions between public and private authorities in addressing such issues as protected areas, carbon sequestration in forests, illegal logging, and forest law enforcement, governance and trade.