Welcome to the dedicated Biodiversa+ Partners’ Bulletin page! On this page, you’ll find everything that could not be fitted in the actual bulletin sent to your email.

 

Click on the icons below to jump to the corresponding work package’s section!

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Support to R&I

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Biodiversity monitoring

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NBS & biodiversity valuation

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Link to policy

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Internationalisation

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Communication

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Stakeholder engagement

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Strategy

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Coordination & management

Support to R&I
BiodivProtect Call : 36 projects officially funded

Following final confirmations by all participating funding organisations, 36 projects were funded under the BiodivProtect Call on « Supporting the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems across land and sea » – representing a total funding amount of over 44 Mio€ (including funding from the European Commission).

 

ANR (France) and NCN (Poland) have led the call evaluation process for this Call. And TA CR (Czech Republic) is now in charge to follow-up and monitor these funded projects.

More information on the funded projects will be available on the Call brochure (to be ready in April 2023) ; each funded projects will also have a dedicated page on Biodiversa+ website.

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Save the date: BiodivProtect kick-off meeting

Join us on 19 April 2023 in Prague or online for the kick-off meeting of the 36 funded projects under BiodivProtect. The first day of the kick-off meeting is an open event, to which you are all invited to participate, at least online (on-site participation is upon invitation only). It will be a good opportunity to learn more about the 36 BiodivProtect research projects selected for funding.

 

On 20 April, there will be a closed session reserved for funded projects to allow for clustering and networking opportunities.

 

Besides, this meeting will be organised back to back with a Policy Forum on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the Science needed to facilitate it (WP4) to be held on 18 April 2023.

Should you have any question on these events, do not hesitate to reach out to

WP1 Highlights
  • A data management workshop will be held on 30 May 2023 for the BiodivProtect projects. In this context, the Guidance document on Data Management and Open data is going to be updated and you will be contacted to update the annex II « Links to (and information on) national and funders’ open data/open access policies ». Stay tuned!
  • The preparation of the third Biodiversa+ call for research proposal on nature-based solutions (BiodivNBS) has started. If your organisation is interested in participating in the funding of this call and has not informed the Call secretariat yet, please contact the Call Secretariat to join the Call Steering Committee and be involved in its preparation. Find out more about this call.
  • A working group open to all Biodiversa+ partner is being launched to reflect on how the partnership can better engage with the social sciences and humanities research community and facilitate multidisciplinary research. If you wish to join this working group, and for more information, please contact Clara Superbie.
Biodiversity monitoring
Get an overview of the work carried out in WP2

In December, the WP2 task leaders organized an information session with all partners active in WP2 on biodiversity monitoring to provide an overview of the main 2022 achievements and next steps for biodiversity monitoring activities in Biodiversa+.

 

You want to learn more as well? Have a look at the minutes and slides of the information session!

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Read the WP2 releases!

Biodiversity monitoring activities have been quite intense in 2022 and allowed to release two main reports!

Keep an eye out for new publications that be released very soon!

 

  • A report on the harmonisation and interoperability of datasets across regions and countries, based on the outcomes of two workshop organised in 2022 with national, European, and global biodiversity monitoring databases, and interviews conducted with Biodiversa+ partners involved in biodiversity monitoring;
  • A report on the mapping of ministries, agencies and organisations that fund and steer national/sub-national biodiversity monitoring schemes, based on information gathered during interviews with Biodiversa+ partners involved in biodiversity monitoring
  • Report on the use of monitoring data in decision-making, based on the outcomes of the workshop organised in 2022
The first biodiversity monitoring pilots officially started!

Following a green light from the General Assembly, the Biodiversa+ pilot officially started on the 4th of January 2023 and will run for one year. This pilot covers the following topics:

  • Invasive alien plants and insects (coordinated by the ministry of environment of Denmark)
  • Soil biodiversity in natural, near-protected forests (coordinated by the Province of Bolzano)
  • Towards national biodiversity monitoring coordination centres: comparison of governance, data interoperability and standards (coordinated by the ministry of environment of Finland)
Past & upcoming WP2 events
  • On 20 January 2023, a webinar was co-organised between Biodiversa+, the EEA and the Danish EPA on habitat mapping through remote sensing. This may help our reflection on specific activities that could be conducted in this domain under WP2.
  • On 2 February 2023, an expert workshop was organised to feed the development of a roadmap for implementation of novel biodiversity monitoring methods (under the lead of IFD, Denmark).
  • On 16 February 2023 afternoon, a citizen science workshop with a focus on biodiversity monitoring will be organised. This workshop will gather various citizen science initiatives involved in biodiversity monitoring (International, European and nationals) and aims to identify how Biodiversa+ can better support the involvement of citizens in biodiversity monitoring. 
  • On 2 March 2023, a workshop on the harmonisation of protocols will be held in Paris. The objective will be to better understand the main approaches of ongoing biodiversity monitoring systems across Europe, analyse the different possible strategies for harmonising protocols for transnational biodiversity monitoring and identify proposals to develop such systems and networks.
NBS & biodiversity valuation
European Research & Innovation Roadmap for Nature-based solutions

As part of NetworkNature, Biodiversa+, is facilitating the development of the EU R&I Roadmap for Nature-based solutions. In July 2022, the first draft of the Roadmap was finalised.

This Roadmap aims to:

  • bring forward key levers for R&I to help achieve EU goals for NBS development and deployment,
  • further bridge knowledge needs and implementation gaps,
  • and contribute to facilitating synergies and complementarities between the multiple on-going and planned European R&I activities on NBS.

The current version of this roadmap has been developed in collaboration with numerous experts and stakeholders, including the European Commission’s DG R&I team on NBS. The finalised Roadmap will be delivered in May 2023.

It builds on work conducted by NetworkNature in which Biodiversa+ was closely involced, including a mapping of EU R&I projects on NBS, as well as the identification of knowledge gaps which led to the creation of the NetworkNature database of knowledge gaps and a database of EU research and innovation projects on nature-based solutions.

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Workshop on NBS

On 27 and 28 October 2022, a strategic workshop on NBS was organised in Oslo. This workshop gathered experts and stakeholders to provide inputs for Biodiversa+ concrete activities in support of NBS in the coming years. The workshop report will be delivered and shared in March 2023.

Link to policy
Horizon scanning activities

In 2022, the Biodiversa+ launched two systematic reviews.

  • The first one is on the role of biodiversity in the design, delivery and benefits of NBS and is being developed by the James Hutton Institute;
  • The second one will be on the topic of NBS promoting transformative change for the sustainable use and management of biodiversity in socio-ecological systems (a call for tenders to develop this desk study is on-going).
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Biodiversity & tranformative change dialogue

Building on the outcomes of a dialogue event on the topic of biodiversity and transformative change organised with researchers and stakeholders, the French ministry of environment (MTE_FR) launched two surveys to help the framing of activities that Biodiversa+ could implement perform on this topic.

 

Forgot to fill this partner survey? You are in luck, the deadline was extended to 9 February 2023!

Take the survey!

Discover the outcomes of the Biodiversa+ dialogue event on transformative change for biodiversity!

Science-policy-practice collaboration

To promote collaboration between researchers, policy makers and practioners, Biodiversa+ attended the kick-off meeting of the Bio-Agora project in November. Bio-Agora aims to set-up the science service, the scientific pillar of the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity, which objectives is to offer support to all bodies involved in the implementation and governance of the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030.

 

On 18 April 2023 in Prague, a policy forum on the knowledge and tools to facilitate and support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in the European context will be organised by Formas.

Developing policy guidance

WP4 is actively working towards developing science-based guidance to lead policy development!

Internationalisation
Focus on the Collaboration with IPBES and Multilateral Environmental Agreements

In September 2022, a concept note outlining a proposed collaboration approach with IPBES and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) was completed. The goal of this document is to examine various ways for Biodiversa+ to collaborate with both fora to bring forward knowledge that can be used to support biodiversity policies. The main objectives of such collaboration are to:

  • Improve the uptake of Biodiversa+ research outcomes at relevant levels of decision-making, by including them in IPBES deliverables (themselves used by MEAs) and by directly engaging Biodiversa+ with MEAs;
  • Develop mutually beneficial collaborations between the Biodiversa+ Members, IPBES as well as MEAs;
  • Improve the participation of countries represented in Biodiversa+ in international processes;
  • Develop capacity for both research and decision makers to better participate in those processes.

This concept note was finalised using the feedback from the General Assembly session organised in February 2022, as well as responses from a survey shared in May. We would like to thank all of you for your contributions.

 

Read the concept note. (NB | this document is for internal use within Biodiversa+ only, it should not be shared with externals)

Coming up
  • WP5 will deliver its brochure on the mapping of international collaboration in March 2023. This mapping is the first done by Biodiversa+ on all the regions and on all the aspects of biodiversity research and will help us fine-tune the regions we could primarily target for collaboration.. Stay tuned!
  • The International Strategy is underway and an information session will be organised in March to get your feedback and input on it.
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Upcoming events
  • On 5 April 2023, a workshop will be organised with global research infrastructures to (further) identify possible barriers to the use of research infrastructure, and assess what Biodiversa+ can do to help overcome these.
  • Biodiversa+ is co-organising the seventh PESC meeting (pan-European consultation of IPBES stakeholders), which will be organised in July 2023.
Communication
Get your communication toolkit!

In November 2022, we released our Partner Communication Toolkit. This toolkit can help you communicate about Biodiversa+ to people outside of the Partnership.

In this toolkit you will find:

  • 2 summaries of Biodiversa+ (a short and long one)
  • The Biodiversa+ logo (print and web)
  • Pre-made social media posts
  • Social media visuals
  • Virtual backgrounds for (Zoom) calls (including new winter-themed backgrounds)

The elements from the toolkit can directly be reused on your organisation’s website and in external communications, or can serve as an inspiration to help you draft your own content.

Website: where are we?

We are very happy to have launched our new website in November 2022 with the help of Conjecto, our service provider. In addition of this “general” website, we are also working on three additional modules:

  • Redesign of the Biodiversa database on past and current funding programs on biodiversity in Europe, as well as the development of a new database on biodiversity research infrastructures (based on our brochure). The work is in progress and we will be able to test the beta version of these databases soon.
  • Set-up of a Biodiversa+ intranet, a secured space for us to collaborate more easily, find important documents and slides, and be reminded of upcoming milestones. The work on the intranet has also started and Conjecto is developing a solution to fit all our needs while remaining easy to use for all.
  • Set-up of the Biodiversa+ Open Access Platform. This platform will serve as a centralised knowledge hub that would make the Biodiversa+ data, publications and information (including from Biodiversa+ funded projects) FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable). The work on this is yet to be started and should be finalised by the end of 2023.
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Videos in the making

WP6 has started working on two new animated videos to add to our collection:

  • One video on our projects’ research on coronaviruses. BiodivAfreid and BioRodDis have received additional funding during the Covid-19 pandemic to study coronaviruses. This video will bring their findings to life.
  • One Biodiversa Prize video. This year’s edition will select a project from the BiodivScen call to illustrate its research, findings and impact on society.
Capacity building on communication: Input needed

Biodiversa+ is looking to provide capacity building activities on communication to its funded projects. PIs were surveyed on their wants and needs to foster the communication and impact of their projects, and we are exploring Biodiversa+’s in-house capacity to meet these needs.

By filling in this survey, you can help us:

  • gather insights on your and your organisation’s experience, expertise and capacity in developing skills on science communication
  • identify and prioritise efforts to support and strengthen our projects’ science communication abilities

Do you feel like you can’t offer any help on the topics? Please forward this survey to the people in your organisation who work on communication. Their answers would help us tremendously!

Take the survey
Stakeholder engagement
Key collaborations, an update

Key collaborators refer to stakeholders directly engaging in a key and strategic collaboration with Biodiversa+ at the task/work package level, through a signed letter of collaboration that is not legally binding and defines the general terms of the collaboration, including an agreement on mutual communication efforts.

 

During the General Assembly of September 2022, it was agreed to explore the establishment of key collaboration with the following initiatives:

  • EuropaBON,
  • NetworkNature,
  • Knowledge center for biodiversity (KCBD),
  • Bio-Agora (setting up the Science service, the scientific pillar of the EC KCBD),
  • IPBES (NB | it was noted that it’s not sure if IPBES will be able to sign a collaboration letter),
  • Society for conservation biology (SCB),
  • Alternet.

The first key collaboration was concluded with EuropaBON in 2022. More key collaborations are under discussion and should be concluded in 2023, notably with Alternet in particular in the context of the co-organisation of summerschools.

Biodiversa+ co-organises Alternet Summer School

In September 2022, Biodiversa+ actively supported the organisation of the 2022 Alternet Summer School (co-funding, students and speakers participation, overall support) on “Biodiversity and societal transformation: perspectives on science and policy”.

 

This collaboration will be strengthened in 2023 with the co-organisation of the 2023 edition of the summer school that will take place in Peyresq, France from 30 August to 9 September 2023. Biodiversa+ will  actively collaborate in the 2023 edition by contributing to the content definition and providing a financial support to its organisation.

AB and ESB involvement

Since March 2022, the Advisory Board (AB) and Enlarged Stakeholder Board (ESB) have been successfully set up, with regular board meetings and ad hoc mobilisations throughout the year. We are looking forward to the next AB meetings in May and November 2023 and ESB meeting in May, all in person.

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More WP7 news
  • The strategy on science-policy interface (SPI) (D7.1) was finalised. It is based on the survey of researchers from Biodiversa-funded projects and the SPI working group inputs. The strategy is transversal and may relate to all relevant work packages; the main objective was to identify science-policy interfacing capacity-building activities that Biodiversa+ could organised over its first 2 years. You can access it here (NB | this document is for internal use within Biodiversa+ only, it should not be shared with externals).
  • To support all work packages for stakeholder engagement, an internal guide on stakeholder engagement process is being written by WP7; it will be shared with WP leads in the coming weeks
  • Upcoming: an update of the policy guide and the citizen science toolkit will soon start. A new guide on how to better engage social sciences and humanities in research projects will also be developed.
Strategy
Database overhaul
  • The update of the Biodiversa+ database listing biodiversity research projects and programmes in on-going. You have been contacted by Lise Goudeseune to provide your data. Make sure to submit your data for the database update. Your contribution is key to help us to perform a comprehensive mapping of the funding trends in biodiversity research in Europe. Your data will be integrated in our database, that is being revamped to be much more user-friendly.
    Check out the previous mapping of the research landscape that we developed.
  • A catalogue of existing biodiversity research infrastructures is under development and you were contacted by Lise Goudeseune to map the research infrastructure in your country or region. Make sure to send your information to be included in our online catalogue under development.
    Check out the previous mapping of the biodiversity research infrastructure that we developed.

 

We would appreciate if you could submit your data by 15 March 2023. If you need support, please reach out to Lise Goudeseune.

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Coordination & management
Get ready for the second instalment!

In order to get budget from the European Commission for the Biodiversa+ activities that will be organised in Year 3 & 4 (i.e. from October 2023 to September 2025), we have to submit by 28 March to the European Commission a proposal for a 2nd instalment.

 

To meet the 28 March deadline, we foresee the following process:

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PROCESS FOR THE NEXT INSTALMENT
  • January: preliminary work at the level of the OT, CT and Executive Board to start developing a draft proposal for the 2nd instalment
  • 14 February: Biodiversa+ General Assembly to agree on the topic of the 4th research call, and start discussing about the next instalment (including process, general funding model and working principles, possible new partners, etc.)
  • Second half of February: finalisation of a first proposal, together with work package leaders (a seminar with WP leaders will be organised from 28 February to 2 March to finalise the work plan)
  • [SAVE THE DATE] 13 March from 9:00 to 12:30: Biodiversa+ General Assembly to agree on the content of the proposal and associated budget
  • Between 13 March and 28 March: final minor edits in the proposals
  • 28 March 2023 at 17:00 (local time in Brussels): deadline to submit our proposal for the 2nd instalment under the following call: HORIZON-CL6-2023-BIODIV-01. This proposal will be similar by many aspects to the one we submitted initially for Biodiversa+ in July 2021. It will include the description of all our activities for year 3 (2023-2024) and year 4 (2024-2025), as well as the associated budget.
  • By the summer (exact date tbc): our proposal will be formally evaluated by independent experts and representatives of EU institutions (given the nature of the call).
  • Ca. end summer 2023 / September 2023: preparation of the Grant Agreement amendment. Once we will have the results of the evaluation, we will be invited to submit an amendment to the current Biodiversa+ Grant Agreement, which will include the changes made in the proposal (including the addition of the description of the activities for Y3 & 4, associated deliverables and milestones, budgets, etc.). The amendment will be signed by the Coordinator only (i.e. BELSPO) on behalf of the whole consortium.
  • September 2023: the Consortium Agreement will be updated, in particular the budget annexes, to reflect the 2nd instalment. As this is an update, only a decision by the General Assembly will be requested, there will be no need to sign again the Consortium Agreement.
What is expected from you for the preparation of the 2nd instalment?
  • Make sure to send to Patricia Vera your financial and administrative information
  • When relevant, indicate to Clara & Céline (biodiversa.cs@agencerecherche.fr) your tentative commitments in the Biodiversa+ 3rd and 4th research calls
  • Where relevant, indicate to Cécile Mandon your investment at national level in biodiversity monitoring activities

For more information, check the email sent on 6 January with the following object: [Biodiversa+] 2nd instalment – Important information on the way forward)

Key administrative and financial information
  • Amendment under preparation | We have an on-going amendment to include the description of the biodiversity monitoring pilot (see above for more information), budget amendments, update the list of partners. This amendment will most likely be submitted in February by the Operational Team. It will be followed by an amendment of the budget tables of the consortium agreement (to reflect the budget of the biodiversity monitoring pilots and other budget amendments)
  • You want to know more about the administrative and financial requirements in Biodiversa+ and better understand the Biodiversa+ budget? Watch in replay our information session on this topic, and access general explanation slides. We will also propose to organise a new dedicated information session soon. Stay tuned
Other programmes
COFUND actions updates
  • In the context of its BiodivClim COFUND Action, Biodiversa+ launched a knowledge hub on nature-based solutions for mitigating and adapting to climate change. The launch event of the hub will be organized in Brussels on 8-9 February 2023, with the experts selected to be part of the hub and will allow to develop on the workplan of the knowledge hub for the next two years. Possible links with Biodiversa+ activities may be explored.
  • In the context of its BiodivRestore COFUND Action, the set-up of a knowledge hub on restoration is being explored. This hub will contribute to the integration and sharing of knowledge, research and technological excellence to support countries in the development and implementation of their National Restoration Plans, to help ensure they can reach the targets set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and Global Biodiversity Framework. It will also improve communication and networking between researchers and stakeholders to enhance research impact and knowledge transfer towards policy and society, and feed the European research & innovation strategy on this topic. Given the focus of the hub, strong connection between this hub and the Biodiversa+ workplan will be foreseen.
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