Introduction to the programme

Biodiversity is crucial for the functioning of the Earth and it is essential to safe guard it for human well-being, quality of life and survival on the planet. Therefore, it is urgent to develop strategies to accelerate data and knowledge production on biodiversity and prioritize its conservation. This can be done by involving communities and increasing their participation in new forms of governance, recognizing planetary limits and designing our common biodiversity futures.

Biodiversity research and practice, which includes species, ecosystems, genetics, phylogenetics and functionality have been early adopters of digital agendas. This is because biodiversity deals with big data, from translating nature contributions to people as ecosystem services, to continuous efforts of cataloguing the natural world and digitization of scientific literature.

Additionally, citizen participation in the scientific processes of data production and engaging people in knowledge production has also increased significantly. The subsequent analysis and use of this data at different scales can produce valuable guidelines to identify conservation priorities. This is particularly relevant within an ever more pressing deadline to obtain knowledge of the natural world and its connections to human wellbeing.

Objectives of the Biodiversity Futures sessions
at the DwP Global Summit

In the action packed three days of DwP 2023, the “Biodiversity Futures” speakers will address digital agendas in various subjects related to biodiversity such as big data, remote sensing, participatory science, biocultural knowledge, or scientific collections, in an open science framework.

Biodiversity Futures program for the DwP Global Summit has the following objectives:

1. Showcasing high-level global knowledge and best practices in biodiversity fields, with a special focus on tropical rainforests conservation


2. Engaging actors and digital tools in devising innovative approaches to biodiversity


3. Catalyzing case studies and discussions contributed by our speakers and high-level advisory board into the creation of an action roadmap for implementation in biodiversity safeguard that can be operationalized and monitored in the future