During BioAgora’s annual consortium meeting in November 2025, an interview was given by partner Maria Susana Orta Ortiz on two knowledge requests submitted to the Science Service for Biodiversity (SSBD) that the project is working to develop. A postdoc researcher at the University of Trento, she is part of the Knowledge Exchange Network on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS KEN) that brings together experts on the topic in support of the SSBD.
First and foremost, the video provides an overview on the Science Service’s role in the biodiversity science-policy interface as a meeting point between existing research and governance needs. Moreover, the step-by-step framework behind knowledge requests is laid out, showcasing the new standard for evidence-based decision-making that BioAgora strives to usher in.
As part of her interview, Maria Susana herself zeroed in on the outcomes of the policy request on planning support tools for greening initiatives in cities, submitted by the European Commission’s DG ENV. Going into the details surrounding the response to it, she explained how experts within the NbS KEN were mobilised for the development of specific outputs. This culminated in a dedicated handbook listing 59 instruments that are backed by concrete case studies on practical deployment. Moreover, the Network’s members also created a dedicated database and digital recommender for use by urban planners on the ground looking for the tool that is most appropriate in their respective contexts.
Additionally, further elaboration was provided by Maria Susana on the development of a second NbS request submitted via the SSBD mechanism - one which discusses the topic of green walls and roofs in urban environments.
Given both requests’ thematic orientation, the expert responses that BioAgora facilitated are set to contribute to the implementation of crucial targets within the 2030 EU Biodiversity Strategy and the Nature Restoration Regulation. To Maria Susana, this speaks to the added value of the SSBD as a mechanism for the integration of actionable knowledge into the policies that shape Europe’s environment and society.
You can watch the full interview below. More on the NbS request on planning support tools for urban greening can be found here.