BiodivClim Knowledge Hub

BiodivClim Knowledge Hub: Bridging Biodiversity and Climate Change Research

In 2019, BiodivERsA (the precursor of Biodiversa+) initiated the ‘BiodivClim’ ERANET COFUND programme to drive research on biodiversity and climate change. This led to the launch of a joint research call, resulting in the funding of 21 research projects dedicated to exploring the relationships between biodiversity and climate change.

Building upon the foundation laid by these projects and other relevant initiatives, Biodiversa+ established a pan-European Knowledge Hub, a community of experts focusing on the potential of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for mitigating and adaptating to Climate Change.

The BiodivClim Knowledge Hub serves as a community of practice, aiming to foster and enhance research collaborations. It promotes the exchange of knowledge and data, strengthens academic outputs, and facilitates science-policy and science-society interactions. By harnessing the expertise and insights from a diverse group of researchers, its goal is to amplify the impact of funded research in the vital domains of biodiversity and climate change.

Composition

The BiodivClim Knowledge Hub comprises 31 dedicated researchers. Each researcher was selected to create a balance between the environments studied and their specialities, allowing for comprehensive coverage of different aspects of biodiversity and climate change research. These researchers were chosen from various BiodivClim-funded projects, although not exclusively. Additionally, active participants in this group include researchers from projects funded under H2020 Research and Innovation Actions, as well as those supported by Joint Programme Initiatives like FACCE-JPI and JPI Climate.

The 31 researchers are divided into two task forces, which work both collaboratively and independently:

The Technical Task Force

The “Technical Task Force” primarily focuses on enhancing research collaborations, knowledge sharing, and academic outputs within the BiodivClim Knowledge Hub.

Its objectives include:

Shared expertise: The task force fosters the exchange, coordination, and harmonisation of best practices, methodologies, and techniques across research teams. This includes facilitating data sharing, with an emphasis on maximising the value of existing datasets.
Transnational research agenda: The group acts as a catalyst for future collaborative research by encouraging the exchange of ideas, development of joint project proposals, formation of research consortia, and identification of critical knowledge gaps and research needs.
Bridging the implementation gap: A particular focus is bridging the gap between research and real-world application. The task force explores strategies to overcome challenges in translating research findings into practical solutions.
Joint outputs: Collaborative efforts within the task force aim to produce high-quality academic publications, systematic reviews, and technical papers.

There are 17 experts in this task force:

12 experts from BiodivClim projects
2 experts from other Biodiversa-funded calls
1 expert from a Horizon 2020 RIA-funded project
1 expert from a FACCE JPI-funded project
1 expert affiliated with the IPBES and IPCC

The SSI/SPI task force

This task force is dedicated to Science-Society Interface (SSI) and Science-Policy Interface (SPI). Its primary focus is to bridge the gap between science and policy, enhance stakeholder engagement, and promote informed decision-making.

The key objectives and activities include:

Joint stakeholder events: The task force organises events that bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and civil society representatives, facilitating dialogue and knowledge exchange.
Societal and policy-relevant products: The group produces actionable outputs tailored for societal and policy needs, informing policy development, implementation, and evaluation.
Alignment: The task force aligns its objectives and efforts with the overarching goals of the Biodiversa+ partnership, ensuring coherence and synergy across initiatives.
Coordinated communication and outreach: The task force maximises knowledge dissemination and stakeholder engagement, enhancing research visibility and contributing to evidence-based decision-making.

There are 15 researchers in this task force: