Coordination Team

Hilde is based in Brussels at the Belgian Science Policy Office, Belgium.

 

Hilde Eggermont is a freshwater biologist by training (PhD, 2004). After 8 years of postdoctoral research at Ghent University (global change research), she became interested in the political dimensions of nature conservation, and in strengthening policy and decisions through science.

 

In 2012, Hilde was appointed as Coordinator of the Belgian Biodiversity Platform, a national science-policy interface for biodiversity. Over the years, the European and global dimensions of her work have become increasingly prominent. Hilde is currently the Chair and Coordinator of the European Biodiversity Partnership (Biodiversa+) uniting 70+ research policy actors and environmental policy actors from 36 European and associated countries as part of the European Biodiversity Strategy 2030 to make the bridge between science, policy and practice. She also acts as Belgian Focal Point for the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the biodiversity counterpart of the better-known IPCC for climate change.

 

Hilde also holds volunteer positions in boards of several projects and science-based organisations, including acting as Vice President for the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN). These roles allowed Hilde to increase her knowledge of the global policy landscape, to engage with various stakeholders, and connect the dots.

Dr. Magnus Tannerfeldt is a vice-chair of Biodiversa+ and has served on the Steering Committee of the Belmont Forum. He has a PhD in zoology and a strong expertise in polar science and policy. 

 

Magnus is currently based at the national research funding organisation FORMAS in Sweden, where he manages collaborations and funding for environmental, climate and sustainability research, and applied systems analysis. He has more than 20 years of experience in management, international cooperation, polar research, and field work. His work includes leading and advisory positions at GRID-Arendal, Belmont Forum, SSEESS, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, European Polar Board, Forum of Arctic Research Operators, ARICE Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium for Europe, and SEFALO the European project for conservation and research for the endangered arctic fox.

Dr. Rainer Sodtke is a geo-ecologist and Doctor of Science with 30 years’ professional experience in the fields of biodiversity, ecology, agriculture and forestry as well as in environmental and agricultural policy, modelling and decision support.

 

Rainer is senior scientific officer and scientific programme manager at the DLR Project Management Agency (DLR-PT), Germany. He manages national and European research programmes in global change research, supports and advises German Federal Ministries (BMBF, BMUV), and represents the ministries in regional, national, and international committees.

 

He has been involved in the BiodivERsA network since 2008 and was managing biodiversity research funding on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In 2018-2021 he developed and was the main contact point for BMBF’s Research Initiative for the Conservation of Biodiversity (FEdA). Furthermore, he is member of the German IPBES Coordination Office, where he is particularly active in the national review of IPBES assessment drafts as well as in matters related to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

 

In Biodiversa+ he is acting as a vice-chair and also leading Work Package 5 on the Internationalisation of the European Biodiversity Partnership.