Biodiversity Newsflash 134
February 2024
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1 | Get ready for the 2024 Biodiversity Spring Market!
Biodiversity Spring Market 2024 is coming in March!
This science-policy-practice fair invites participation from all of our working areas on Biodiversity research, policy and practice including topics such as Invasive Alien Species, Biodiversity & Health, Biodiversity conservation, Biodiversity Data and more.
🗓️ March 20, 2024
📍 Havenlaan/Av. Du Port 88, Brussels
💻 info & registration
You can present your own initiative at the market or come as a participant and meet other actors. There's a price for the most original stand, so feel free to get creative. 🌈
We welcome all stakeholders, practicioners, policy-makers, researchers, students,...
Register here
For more information, please contact Leendert Plaetinck, Science Communication Officer at the Belgian Biodiversity Platform
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2 | Connecting Research to Policy at the EBR III conference
The Benelux Biodiversity Informatics community and partners are pleased to invite you to the Empowering Biodiversity Research conference, EBR III, taking place on March 25-26th 2024 in Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. We will take you on a journey into the world of biodiversity data standards and tools and will inform you on the latest developments in the world of Biodiversity Informatics, both internationally and locally. The EBR III conference is organized back to back with the 2024 ARISE day, which will also take place in Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
More info on https://www.biodiversity.be/EBRIII
For more information, please contact Dimitri Brosens, GBIF node manager Belgium at Belgian Biodiversity Platform.
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3 | CMS COP14 Successful mission in Samarkand
The Belgian Biodiversity Platform was very proud to be a part of the Belgian delegation to the Convention on Migratory Species COP 14 held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where we worked primarily on terrestrial species and cross cutting issues.
The Convention agreed to increase international cooperation in order to improve the ecological connectivity of ecosystems and habitats. Concrete decisions have also been taken in favour of 21 species that will benefit from greater protection.
Read more about our efforts here.
For more information, please contact Divija Jata, Coordinator at Belgian Biodiversity Platform.
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4 | Final version of the IPBES IAS Assessment Report now available
The IPBES Assessment report on Invasive Alien species and their Control has been accepted at the 10th IPBES plenary in Bonn last september.
The laid-out version of the full Assessment report in English has now been finalized and can be accessed at:
www.ipbes.net/ias
Additionally, seven factsheets containing highlights on selected themes form the Report available via the same link. Contact the IPBES secretariat at secretariat@ipbes.net if you have any trouble accessing the Report.
For more information, please contact Anna heck, Sience-Policy Officer at the IPBES Belgian Focal Point
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5 | CO-OP4CBD Second Call for Experts
The “Cooperation for the Convention on Biological Diversity” (CO-OP4CBD) project is looking for thematic experts. This is an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to join a diverse network of biodiversity experts in Europe and beyond, and take part in formative science-policy processes to contribute to the implementation of the CBD at the national and regional levels.
The present call is open to experts from various career stages, from early-career to senior roles, who are eager to volunteer their time and expertise to be trained and train others on CBD processes and take part in thematic groups focused on providing technical input, upon request, on the state of knowledge of subject matters featured in the agenda of the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA).
More specifically, CO-OP4CBD is looking for expertise in the following areas (in alphabetical order):
- Biodiversity and health.
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Use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources
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Conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity (see decision 15/24 of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD).
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Detection and identification of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
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Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) (see decision 15/26 of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD).
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Monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (see decision 15/5 of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD).
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Risk assessment and risk management for LMOs.
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Synthetic biology.
Do you have the required knowledge and interest to contribute toward impactful policy processes for biodiversity, nationally and regionally?
Express your interest by completing the form available here.
For more information, please contact Lennie Plaetinck, Sience-Communication Officer at the Belgian Biodiversity Platform.
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6 | Ebbe Nielsen Challenge seeks open-data innovations for biodiversity 2024
The 2024 Ebbe Nielsen Challenge hosted by GBIF, seeks innovative tools that leverage biodiversity data to advance open science in research and policy. Until 14 August 2024, individuals and teams can submit their tools and techniques aiming to improve the access, quality, and usefulness of open biodiversity data. With a prize pool of up to €20,000, entries will be judged based on relevance, novelty, and quality by an expert jury.
For more details and to submit your entry, visit: Entry form: 2024 GBIF Ebbe Nielsen Challenge For official rules and more information, visit the 2024 GBIF Ebbe Nielsen Challenge.
More information
7 | Call opens for nominations to 2024 GBIF Graduate Researchers award
The GBIF Secretariat is pleased to invite nominations for the 2024 Graduate Researchers Award. This annual programme aims to foster and recognize innovative research and discovery in biodiversity informatics by graduate students whose master’s and doctoral studies rely on GBIF-mediated data.
The 2024 programme will provide a pair of €5,000 prizes recognizing the work of two early-career researchers—preferably, one master’s and one PhD candidate—who receive formal nominations from the heads of delegation or node managers of GBIF Participant countries.
more Information, eligibility and process.
For more information, please contact Dimitri Brosens, GBIF node manager Belgium at the Belgian Biodiversity Platform.
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8 | Biodiversa+'s Pilots: first reports on soil, IAS, and governance
In January 2023, Biodiversa+ launched three pilots to support transnational biodiversity monitoring. After one year, these pilots have published their first reports, assessing governance and data standards in ten countries, testing the use of car-mounted cameras, light traps, and computer vision to detect invasive species, and refining a standardised method for soil sampling and analysis using traditional and advanced techniques.
Read more
9 | Europe's biodiversity future: A glimpse through BiodivScen projects
BiodivScen projects provide scenarios that explore the future of European ecosystems. Covering key topics such as pollinators, migratory birds, marine and high-altitude biodiversity, they go beyond mere projections and provide estimates of policy and societal trajectories. A handy kit summarises the key findings to help understand the challenges and opportunities for preserving Europe’s biodiversity.
Read the kit
10 | Restoration experts: Shape the future, join BiodivRestore Hub!
Building on the success of the BiodivRestore projects, Biodiversa+ partners are establishing a pan-European Knowledge Hub on Nature Restoration with the aim to facilitate knowledge exchange, promote best practice, and influence policy development. Task Forces will focus on strengthening the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law and on advancing the R&I Agenda. Interested and qualified? Apply before 7 March 2024!
Apply now
For more information, please contact Dimitri Brosens, GBIF node manager Belgium at the Belgian Biodiversity Platform.
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Every month we present interesting items in the news we have read and that are worth sharing!
Strategic Efforts Against Marine Biofouling Invasionfrom: BESNetThe latest IPBES IAS report underscores the challenges of biofouling, the unintended growth of aquatic species on submerged surfaces. To combat this, the GloFouling Partnerships, led by the IMO and supported by UNDP and the Global Environment Facility, aims to curb marine invasive species spread. Through policy reform, awareness, and technical support, the initiative addresses biofouling's impact. Read more.
Stay up to date with UNEA 6from: Earth Negotiation BulletinAs the world’s highest environmental decision-making body, the sixth UN Environment Assembly will bring representatives from 193 Member States to Nairobi to consider proposals for “Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.” read more CBD COP 16 will be hosted in Cali, Colombiafrom: cbd.intOn 20 February 2024 the President of the Republic of Colombia announced that Cali will be the host city for the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16 CBD) to be held from 21 October – 1 November 2024. Read MoreChoosing circular economy as a response to the triple environmental crisisfrom: FPS Public HealthDeveloping a model of society based on a circular economy is essential if we are to effectively and sustainably respond to current environmental issues: climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. To encourage and support this circular transition, stakeholders from different European member states met on 17 November in Brussels under the impetus of the future Belgian Presidency. Several consensuses, detailed in the BE Presidency Circular Economy Stakeholder workshop report, have already emerged in favour of a circular system of production and consumption aimed at optimising the use of resources while reducing the environmental footprint. Read More
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