The virtual BioAgora Information event titled “Connecting Biodiversity Knowledge & Decision-Making” took place on 16 April 2024.
What was the main goal of this BioAgora information event ?
Aimed to bring forward the dialogue about the connection between research and policy-making within the EU, the workshop gathered more than 150 participants, amongst which EC policy-makers and representatives over 70 EU-funded projects.
The webinar served as a platform to engage and empower leaders from Horizon Europe projects, facilitating an informed dialogue on the critical objectives of the BioAgora project. The discussion highlighted the importance of the future Science Service for Biodiversity, a cornerstone initiative within the EU Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity. Various ways in which projects can collaborate with BioAgora were introduced and promoted to participants.
Presentations led by distinguished speakers !
The event included presentations from distinguished speakers. Grégoire Dubois, head of the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, provided an overview of the biodiversity knowledge sharing discourse and informed the audience about the advances of the KCBD.
BioAgora scientific co-coordinator Kaisa Korhonen-Kurki (Finnish Environment Institute – SYKE) emphasised on the development of the Science Service for European Research and Biodiversity Policymaking.
BioAgora scientific co-coordinator Marie Vandewalle (Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research – UFZ) presented BioAgora advancements and existing synergies, and highlighted the various engagement opportunities of BioAgora.
Closing reflections provided by Gilles Doignon (Team Leader Biodiversity & Nature-Based Solutions, DG Research & Innovation, RTD) highlighted the importance of establishing the bridge between biodiversity science and policy-making in the EU.
The event was facilitated by Ben Delbaere (Delbaere Consulting).
An interactive session with participants
The discussion underscored the ongoing evolution of efforts to bridge the gap between biodiversity research and policy formulation. Recognizing the importance of collective action, participants concluded that the journey towards integrating biodiversity knowledge and decision-making is a dynamic endeavor, requiring collaboration between and dedication from the various stakeholders across the EU