10-14 February 2025, ESA ESRIN, Frascati (Rome), Italy
BACKGROUND
BIOSPACE25 is the first international conference exclusively dedicated to the application of Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) across the various dimensions of biodiversity, and addressing the use of Earth Observations in all realms, from terrestrial, freshwater, coastal to marine ecosystems.
Co-organized by the European Space Agency, the European Commission, the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), BIOSPACE25 is supported by a range of partner organizations, including Biodiversa+, with Petteri Vihervaa and Rob Henriks as part of the Program Committee. This conference marks the first in a planned series of BIOSPACE events that aim to foster collaboration and innovation in the use of Earth Observations for biodiversity science and policy.
It is the first edition of a series of BIOSPACE conferences which aims to bring together an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral community of experts in biodiversity and conservation, made of specialists in satellite remote sensing for biodiversity, biodiversity scientists, field ecologists, biodiversity monitoring practitioners, data providers and biodiversity policy stakeholders from governments, international organizations and NGOs.
The goal of the BIOSPACE conferences is to offer insightful exploration of critical biodiversity challenges that Earth Observation systems should primarily address, to showcase cutting-edge SRS solutions in different biodiversity domains, and to foster collaborative efforts to advance the use and impact of Earth Observation in biodiversity science, monitoring and policy implementation.
OBJECTIVES
The BIOSPACE25 conference will showcase advanced SRS methodologies and technologies for biodiversity, explore their adoption across various domains, and address key challenges in using Earth Observations for biodiversity research and monitoring. The goal is to emphasize collaborative efforts in integrating SRS technology into biodiversity research, monitoring systems, and policy strategies, providing cost-effective EO solutions to support National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
Participants will learn about the latest developments in space-based biodiversity monitoring, discuss SRS technology integration, and help shape the future of biodiversity monitoring from space.
Key scientific discussion topics include:
- enhancing the fundamental understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics;
- exploring the links between biodiversity and ecosystem integrity;
- assessing the status of ecosystems and quantifying the impacts of the main direct drivers of changes;
- understanding the adverse impacts of climate change on biodiversity;
- investigating the main evolutionary changes of biodiversity and better predicting their trajectories;
- implementing transformative changes such as Nature-Based Solutions (NBS);
- prioritizing, designing and monitoring conservation/restoration actions.
The conference will also cover policy-related aspects such as the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, as well as the needs for financial institutions and companies to integrate nature-related risks and dependencies into their decision-making processes (e.g. TNFD).
CONFERENCE STRUCTURE
The conference is designed to be dynamic and participatory, featuring interactive sessions to review the importance of SRS technology in the different biodiversity domains.
The BIOSPACE25 conference will include:
- plenary sessions with invited speakers to present and discuss the importance of Earth Observations to address critical biodiversity issues.
- thematic sessions (based on abstracts submissions) that will provide insights into the latest advancements in leveraging SRS technology for biodiversity science and monitoring.
- small participatory workshops (based on workshop proposals) to foster dialogues on key aspects of biodiversity.
- poster sessions providing a platform for participants to showcase their projects, facilitating networking and exchange of ideas.
The deadline for submission of abstracts and workshop proposals is 20 October 2024.
For further information, please go to the Conferecence website at https://biospace25.esa.int
