BIODIVERSITY

BIODIVERSITY
FUTURES

Introduction to the programme

The Digital with Purpose (DWP) Global Summit is a flagship event that brings together public and private sector decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and innovators, as well as users and beneficiaries of digital technology from around the world. Hosted by GeSI, the sustainability organisation representing the ICT private sector, its primary goal is to accelerate the adoption and use of digital innovations, particularly those developed by the private sector, that benefit society and help contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Already central to its objectives, this year’s DWP will again have a strong focus on biodiversity knowledge and conservation through its Biodiversity Futures Track.

The manifesto Digital Ways for Biodiversity Conservation: priorities and recommendations for a shared agenda that resulted from the DWP Global Summit 2023, in Lisbon, identified a set of key actions and recommendations for technology and science stakeholders on how to accelerate the role of digital technologies in biodiversity knowledge and protection. The key messages outlined in last year’s manifesto remain timely and urgent:
Acknowledge the biodiversity crisis – Humanity is facing an unprecedent biodiversity emergency. Biodiversity, encompassing species diversity, genetic resources, and ecosystems, is essential for human well-being, but human activities have significantly impacted the planet’s biodiversity, with 1 million species at risk of extinction.

Urgency demands action – Despite global commitments set out in the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the SDGs, progress has been slow. With only six years to address the new targets for 2030, decisive action is imperative to address this crisis.

Accelerating the role of technology – Digital technologies play a critical role in understanding, monitoring, and safeguarding biodiversity, offering diverse solutions from remote sensing to citizen science apps that provide new and faster tools for conservation efforts.

Opportunities and challenges – Digital solutions offer immense potential, but also face limitations and challenges, including concerns about technology and data accessibility, environmental impacts, and technical limitations, as well as the need for broader collaboration and effective communication.

DwP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. Progress towards the GBF targets will require effective monitoring of biodiversity and ecosystem health, implementation of sustainable natural resource management and innovative conservation strategies based on emerging technologies and digital tools, with a strong foundation in a global network of research and collaboration. A key focus of the agenda must be to raise public awareness of the importance of biodiversity and to mobilise public support for conservation initiatives. Achieving these goals in such a short timeframe must rely on the effective implementation of the digital agenda, working towards a beneficial relationship between biodiversity conservation and technological progress.

Through a series of plenary sessions, roundtables and workshops, the Biodiversity Futures programme will bring together researchers, community leaders, NGOs, policy-makers, innovation and industry leaders, and science communicators to discuss effective ways to combat biodiversity loss and ensure that the GBF goals of conserving and restoring our planet’s ecosystems are achieved by harnessing the power of the digital agenda, through informed decision-making, public participation and global collaboration.
Through concerted effort and collective action, the DWP Summit Biodiversity Futures programme seeks to catalyse transformative change and steer digital innovation towards a sustainable and biodiverse future.

BIODIVERSITY AGENDA

09 July – 11 July 2024

9 July

Speakers:

  1. Mrinalini Rai, Founder & Executive Director, Women4Biodiversity
  2. Cacique Dada Borari, Borari Chief, Amazon, Brazil

    3. DWP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. This session will focus on Target 1: Plan and Manage all Areas To Reduce Biodiversity Loss; Target 2: Restore 30% of all Degraded Ecosystems and Target 3: Conserve 30% of Land, Waters and Seas​

10 July

SPEAKERS:

  1. João Gomes, Director, FCCN Advanced Services
  2. Mrinalini Rai Founder & Executive, Director, Women4Biodiversity
  3. Susana Viseu, Founder, Business as Nature
  4. Donatella Spano, Scientific Director of the Data Platforms, National Biodiversity Future Center

DWP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. This session will focus on Target 13: Increase the Sharing of Benefits From Genetic Resources, Digital Sequence Information and Traditional Knowledge; Target 23: Ensure Gender Equality and a Gender-Responsive Approach for Biodiversity Action and Target 11: Restore, Maintain and Enhance Nature’s Contributions to People​.

​SPEAKERS:

  1. Nizar Kammourie, CEO, Sawaco Water Group
  2. Joana Costa, Researcher, Centre for Functional Ecology and Associated Laboratory Terra, University of Coimbra
  3. Jan Künne , Vice President EU and Asia Pacific, Enterprise Development Group Palo Alto

DWP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. This session will focus on Target 10: Enhance Biodiversity and Sustainability in Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Forestry; Target 8: Minimize the Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity and Build Resilience; Target 20: Strengthen Capacity-Building, Technology Transfer, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation for Biodiversity and Target 17: Strengthen Biosafety and Distribute the Benefits of Biotechnology.

SPEAKERS: 

  1. Helen Roy, Ecologist, UK Center for Ecology & Hidrology
  2. Bruno Oberle, Director General, IUCN
  3. Henrique Pereira, Co-director, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research

DWP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. This session will focus on Target 4: Halt Species Extinction, Protect Genetic Diversity, and Manage Human-Wildlife Conflicts; Target 5: Ensure Sustainable, Safe and Legal Harvesting and Trade of Wild Species and Target 9: Manage Wild Species Sustainably To Benefit People​

11 July

SPEAKERS: 

  1. David Roy, Head of the Biological Records Centre, UK Centre for Ecology & Hidrology
  2. Filipa Bessa, Researcher, University of Coimbra
  3. Sarah E. Huebner, Researcher, Snapshot Safari and University of Minnesota/Zooniverse
  4. Alan Gershenfeld President and Co-founder, E-Line Media

DWP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. This session will focus on Target 6: Reduce the Introduction of Invasive Alien Species by 50% and Minimize Their Impact; Target 7: Reduce Pollution to Levels That Are Not Harmful to Biodiversity and Target 22: Ensure Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice and Information Related to Biodiversity for all​.

SPEAKERS:

  1. Humberto Rosa, Director, DG Environment, European Commission
  2. Massimo Labra, Scientific Director, National Biodiversity Future Center
  3. Kate Meyer, Founder and CEO, Planetary Accounting

DWP 2024 ‘Biodiversity Futures’ programme will highlight the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which was adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), in December 2022. This framework outlines a comprehensive plan to conserve and restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2050, working towards 23 ambitious targets by 2030. This session will focus on Target 15: Businesses Assess, Disclose and Reduce Biodiversity-Related Risks and Negative Impacts; Target 18: Reduce Harmful Incentives by at Least $500 Billion per Year, and Scale Up Positive Incentives for Biodiversity and Target 19: Mobilize $200 Billion per Year for Biodiversity From all Sources, Including $30 Billion Through International Finance​