Welcome to the Biome!
Whether you have joined us on behalf of your organisation or on an individual basis, we are delighted to have you on board for this adventure. The Biome is the best way to join the active European biodiversity community and not miss any opportunity!
The concept of ‘biome’ was first introduced in 1916 to define a biological community that has formed in response to a common physical and regional climate. In practice, you have joined a community of active organisations, initiatives, and individuals interested in biodiversity and Biodiversa+
The Biome Insider is a bi-annual newsletter that provides an overview of Biodiversa+ progress, upcoming opportunities to get involved, and relevant news from active members of the Biome community.
Our first two years in a snapshot
Biodiversa+ is the European co-funded biodiversity partnership supporting excellent research on biodiversity with an impact for policy and society.
It was jointly developed by BiodivERsA and the European Commission (DG Research & Innovation and DG Environment) and was officially launched on 1 October 2021.
It is part of the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 that aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030.
Some highlights from the last months
Support to R&I
BiodivProtect projects’ start
36 research projects started in 2023 for 3 years under the BiodivProtect research call on “Supporting the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems across land and sea”.
Learn more on the page of the call
Biodiversity Monitoring
Guide on Best practices to harmonise biodiversity monitoring protocols across scales
This proposed harmonisation framework helps to align diverse stakeholders’ interests and establish a network to facilitate collaboration, data sharing, and harmonised biodiversity monitoring across scales.
Shared Goals and Priorities for Biodiversity Indicators
This new report provides an overview of the indicators used and needed for the main European and global biodiversity goals and policies.
NbS & Biodiversity Valuation
Network Nature’s research and innovation roadmap on Nature Based Solutions
As part of NetworkNature, Biodiversa+ facilitated the co-development of the “European Roadmap to 2030 for Research and Innovation on Nature-based solutions”.
Support to Policy
Science policy forum on biodiversity protection in support of the GBF implementation
Making the best of its unique position at the interface between science and policy, but also at international and national levels, Biodiversa+ organised in April 2023 its first Science-Policy Forum. Its aim was to support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework with a focus on conservation.
Internationalisation
Mapping international collaborations between ERA scientists & other regions
To improve our understanding of biodiversity on a global scale, we’ve published a new map to assess transnational and bi-regional research collaborations and provide insights for research funders to support international biodiversity research.
Report on the uptake of knowledge gaps identified in IPBES assessments by Biodiversa+ programmes and projects
A report examining the extent to which Biodiversa+ has integrated knowledge gaps identified by IPBES into its strategic planning, research calls, and research projects.
Two main events on biodiversity monitoring in Tallinn (hybrid)
16-17
April
Science-Policy Forum on monitoring
On 16 April, Biodiversa+ is organising a Science-Policy Forum to provide a global and regional overview of the current state of biodiversity monitoring. It will facilitate discussions to develop science-based guidelines for harmonising monitoring systems at national level in Europe in support of the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
BiodivMon projects’ kick-off
On 17 April, join us for the kick-off of the 33 projects funded under the BiodivMon Call. These projects focus on innovating and harmonising methods and tools for collecting and managing biodiversity monitoring data, addressing knowledge gaps on biodiversity status, dynamics and trends, and making effective use of available biodiversity monitoring data.
CO-OP4CBD Second Call for Experts
CO-OP4CBD is a Horizon Europe project aiming to enhance coordination and leverage existing expertise and initiatives within the EU to support the implementation of the CBD. They are looking for thematic experts to engage in various activities, such as online and in-person workshops, technical briefs, and science-policy dialogues. An opportunity to join a network of biodiversity experts in Europe and beyond!
BiodivRestore Knowledge Hub call for experts
Building on the success of the BiodivRestore projects, Biodiversa+ partners are now establishing a pan-European Knowledge Hub on Nature Restoration. This community offers networking and capacity-building opportunities, the chance to advance research & innovation in restoration science, and influence National Restoration Plans & EU biodiversity targets!
The opportunities and upcoming outcomes from Biodiversa+ listed above are open to all Biome members.
The Biome is focused on building a community of stakeholders. To get to know you better and understand your interest and expectations in joining the Biome, you were asked in the registration form to indicate your specific interest in receiving ad hoc targeted opportunities from Biodiversa+. Based on these preferences, we will provide you with additional relevant ad hoc opportunities for collaboration. If you wish to change your preferences, you can go back to the form and change your answers or send an email to julia.bethe@fondationbiodiversite.fr.
The Biome is a community of organisations and people with an active interest in biodiversity and Biodiversa+. In this section you can find out about relevant work being done by Biome members that you can get involved with!
Tools to support businesses in developing their relationship with nature:
- ACTD – High Level Business actions on Nature (a step by step guidance)
- Natural Capital Management Accounting Methodology to standardise Natural Capital accounting methods
- the Nature Strategy Handbook
- the TEEBAgrifood Operational Guidelines for Business to enable the agrifood sector to adopt a Capitals approach to build resilience, mainstream best practice, protect biodiversity and contribute to a more sustainable food system
Free online course on “Valuing nature and people to inform business decision-making”
Capitals Coalition’s third ‘Our Value’ report presenting recent aspirations, successes, and lessons learnt, as well as referencing new work underway.
The ‘One Health for All, All for One Health’ conference in Luxembourg took stock and discussed the future of ‘One Health’ in Europe: WCS panel discussion on the triangle of climate change, environment, and health
The European Commission, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and WCS organised in September 2023 a conference on scaling up EU impact to combat wildlife trafficking.
‘Implementing the new Global Biodiversity Framework: Making Target 3 work for People and Nature’, a report from a technical workshop with WCS, TNC, the Belgian Biodiversity Platform and IUCN WPCA
The International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) is working on a new project “Ground:breaking – Improving soil, climate and biodiversity through unsealing in urban and peri-urban areas of the Alps” to show why unsealing land benefits everyone and what is needed at political, legal and local level in the Alpine region to achieve this.
The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has conducted a study on the costs and benefits of flower field margins to improve natural pest control in arable fields in the Hoekse Waard in the Netherlands.
Do you wish to contribute to this section in the next Biome Insider?