The initial impetus for the group arose from an opinion piece published in the journal Nature by Stephen Garnett and Les Christidis.

Efforts to reconcile the differences of opinion was made and four authors of these two pieces came to a consensus in the formulation of a new approach to the stabilization of species nomenclature.

[1] The primary objective of the GSLWG is to create a governance system that gives global taxon lists a legitimacy and authority respected by both taxonomists and the users of taxonomy.

The developments that led to the formation of this working group came about over a three-year period from 2017 to 2018, these were essentially a debate on the need of some means to stabilise the names being used for species.

This was important for purposes of End Users of the science of Taxonomy such as Lawmakers, Conservation Programs, Medicine, Environmental Agencies etc.