OBIS-GBIF Joint Strategy & Action Plan

Online

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) will update the action plan annually through a joint implementation committee of staff from both networks’ nodes and the Secretariats. This committee will address technical and community components of the annual plans and make recommendations on the activities they outline.

During the meeting, partners will also explore the potential for organising combined conferences and meetings to foster closer collaboration and hosting symposia and training workshops.

OBIS and GBIF have a history of using common data-sharing tools and standards. They have recently collaborated to incorporate eDNA-based data and have published co-authored guidance on how to publish DNA-derived data on marine life.

To learn more and register for the workshop, please visit this page: https://lifewatch.be/en/news?p=show&id=9317.

ZEEKERWETEN – Science Festival at the coast

15-16 June, Oostende, Belgium

The Zeekerweter is a science festival located on the Belgian coast. At the festival, attendees can experience rising sea levels through an immersive Virtual Reality experience. Additionally, participants can explore the rich biodiversity of the sea at the beach of Oosteroever in the “sea workshop”. The festival also offers sustainable seafood and comedy centred around the sea theme.

On June 15, LifeWatch Belgium will host two sessions. One will focus on Virtual Reality, climate, and plankton, while the second will take place at Oosteroever Beach, where participants can discover what lives in the sea and on the sand.

On June 16, the Ostend Marine Station will be a fusion of science, art, and creativity.

To learn more about this event, please visit this website: https://lifewatch.be/en/events/zeekerweten-science-festival-coast.

Research Infrastructures in a Changing Global, Environmental and Socio-economical Context

Brussels, Belgium

The “Research Infrastructures in a Changing Global, Environmental, and Socio-economic Context” conference, organised as part of the Belgian Presidency of the European Council, is scheduled to take place on June 4th and June 5th, 2024, in Brussels at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR).

The conference will focus on the role of Research Infrastructures (RIs) in achieving strategic autonomy in a changing global context, their socio-economic and environmental impacts and their wider ecosystems.

Research infrastructures are increasingly affected by various challenges. The conference will explore the value of RIs in achieving open strategic autonomy, their contribution to key policy objectives such as the Green Deal, and their relationship with national/regional RIs and other initiatives and instruments.

To learn more, please visit this website: https://www.belspo.be/Belspo/EUBelgium24/2024060405_ResearchInfrastructures_en.stm#subscriptionform

7th European Congress of Conservation Biology

Bologna, Italy.

The European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB), organised by the Europe Section of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), aims to facilitate the exchange of conservation science and nature conservation practice and policy to promote the conservation of biological diversity in Europe.

The 7th ECCB will focus on achieving a biodiversity-positive status by 2030. This theme presents a positive message and a call to action towards conserving biodiversity. Despite the challenges, new protected areas were established, carbon emissions were reduced, and there is a growing awareness of biodiversity’s importance for survival.

This congress provides a platform for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate toward achieving a sustainable future. By working together and taking action, we can make significant progress in conserving Earth’s biodiversity and achieving a positive biodiversity world by 2030.

To learn more, please visit the official website: https://eccb2024.eu/

Come and visit us!

If you want to discover or learn more about LifeWatch ERIC’s services to biodiversity researchers, you can find us at the 7th European Congress of Conservation Biology with our booth with gadgets and information material.

Can you spare a minute for us?
If you would like to help us improve our services, please complete our survey on research needs in conservation biology: https://forms.lifewatch.eu/virtualoffice433/form/Surveyonconversationbiologyresearchneeds/formperma/sMXw6ARj7G9LfvSyT2jxuGy0S45fTWkYgQmLb6dbU84

IX International Sandy Beaches Symposium

Lecce, Italy

The International Sandy Beaches Symposium invites sandy beach researchers, students, and managers to share their research, interact, and establish links. The IX ISBS is returning after a 6-year break to align research with emerging needs of multi-disciplinarity and representativeness. During the Symposium, two workshops will aim to harmonise research and address gaps in the context of sandy beaches. The workshop will have two topics: Research Integrity and Validating a standard vocabulary for beach ecosystem studies.

To learn more about the International Sandy Beaches Symposium, please visit the dedicated website: https://isbsymposium.org/ 

Research Integrity

Integrity is essential for research, impacting data reliability and societal scientific trust. With heightened attention to research integrity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s crucial to ground theories, principles, and guidelines into our research practice. During the workshop, guidelines from Hazel Newton, Dr Ed Gerstner, Dr Jo Appleford-Cook, Christina Emery, and Laura Graham-Clare at Springer Nature Ltd. will be used to delve deeper into this topic.

Validating a standard vocabulary for beach ecosystem studies

Data sharing is increasingly important, but creating machine-interoperable data is still challenging. Standard terminologies are crucial for achieving FAIR principles. This workshop will create a common vocabulary for data harmonisation in sandy beach ecosystem research. It will focus on understanding standard terminologies, presenting a vocabulary for beach-related research, and validating it for improved data consistency and sharing within the research community. 

Coastal Wetlands: Evidence for Climate and Nature Targets Workshop

Online, 23 May 2024

On 23 May 2024, at 10:00 CET, RESTORE4Cs will organise an online workshop to broaden the perspectives available for countries in finding solutions for achieving and reporting success in coastal conservation towards international and EU commitments.

European Union policies emphasise the importance of wetlands in achieving EU objectives related to climate neutrality, biodiversity protection, zero pollution, flood protection, and the circular economy. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritise assessing the current extent and condition of European wetlands, their greenhouse gas emissions, and their potential for mitigation through restoration or other measures. These priorities are essential to stopping biodiversity decline, restoring the environment, and achieving climate goals.

The workshop aims to identify countries’ needs, shared priorities, and activities for restoring wetland ecosystems. It also aims to establish indicators for assessing coastal wetland habitats and ensure the quality of evidence for policy development and investment in nature-based solutions.

For more information and to register, please visit this page: https://www.restore4cs.eu/coastal-wetlands-evidence-for-climate-and-nature-targets-workshop/

Open Earth Monitor Global Workshop 2024

October 2-4, Laxenburg, Austria

The Open Earth Monitor Global Workshop 2024 is a three-day event organised by the OpenGeoHub Foundation (OGH) and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). The workshop will bring together global and European actors involved in open-source Earth Observation applications for policy, business, research, and society. 

Submit your abstract and participate.

The event aims to connect various project partners, including data and environmental researchers, public and private sector developers, EU decision-makers and policymakers, representatives from global institutions, the business sector, and civil society. The workshop’s main objective is to discuss and test solutions for the most significant challenges in geospatial applications.

The OEMC Global Workshop 2024 will feature international keynote speakers, oral presentations, poster presentations, and demonstrative workshops. The participants will explore valuable opportunities and establish tangible collaborations to improve geospatial research and application products in open source.

The deadline for the abstract submission is March 15.

To submit your abstract, please visit this page.

Conservation and Management of Wetlands to Tackle Climate Change

Valencia, Spain, 14-16 February 2024

The “Conservation and Management of Wetlands to Tackle Climate Change” conference will focus on wetlands’ challenges and threats and their significant role in mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity. The event will also address governance and green job aspects. The conference is tailored to international organisations, civil society, restoration practitioners, managers, university students, and the private sector.

Wetlands in the Mediterranean are essential ecosystems that provide environmental and social benefits but are threatened by degradation, loss, and climate change. Conserving wetlands can regulate local climate, reduce greenhouse gases, and maintain their role in mitigating the greenhouse effect. Proper management is essential to their contribution to the ecosystem. The public’s awareness of wetlands has increased in recent decades, changing society’s perception of them.

The conference aims to provide a platform for individuals to share their work, exchange ideas, network and interact with academics, restoration project implementers, and policymakers worldwide. The conference will showcase new scientific and technical advancements and offer technical tools for the sustainable management of wetlands.

Please visit this page to register for the conference and submit your abstract.

FAIR-IMPACT Community Event

Online, 16 January 2024

The FAIR-IMPACT project is organising an online session open to the global community of researchers, innovators and stakeholders interested in the FAIRness of data and services. It will be a unique opportunity to learn about the activities and results of FAIR-IMPACT, hear about the experiences and challenges of the teams receiving personalised support through our open calls, and participate in stimulating discussions on specific issues related to the project’s core themes.

Take advantage of this opportunity to connect with a network of experts and contribute to the future of FAIRness! To learn more about this event, please visit this page.

BioDT Hackathon: Bring Your Own Data (BYOD) – Second End-Users Workshop

BioDT hackathon

Oslo, Norway, 23-25 January 2024

Join the BioDT hackathon to learn how digital twinning can revolutionize global agriculture. Discover how crop wild relatives hold untapped genetic resources to achieve higher yields, better nutrition, and resilience to changing environments. Learn how to identify, manage, and conserve wild crop relatives in a three-day workshop, contribute to a comprehensive wild crop relative characterization toolbox, and be a part of sustainable agriculture.

During the first session, you’ll delve into developing a comprehensive toolbox that enables the predictive characterization of plant genetic resources. Through newly developed and pre-existing modelling techniques and data integration from diverse sources, we will explore how to identify and leverage the genetic potential of crop wild relatives.

The second session will focus on novel data products of digital twinning exercises to establish the overlap between pre-established protected areas and verified distributions of crop wild relatives needing conservation. This tool will identify and propose prioritised genetic reserves for conservation and genetic monitoring of designated CWR conservation populations.

For more information on the BioDT hackathon, please visit this page.