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GEO BON Open Science Conference: Applications open

Date: November 13, 2015

Biodiversity Science is facing enormous challenges as the pressures upon the earth’s biotic systems are rapidly intensifying and we are unlikely to reach the CBD 2020 Aichi Targets. But how far or close are we to reach the targets?

The GEO BON Open Science Conference on “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Monitoring for the 2020 Targets and beyond” will assess this question. The conference is open to the wide scientific public and is sponsored and co-organized by iDiv, UFZ, SASCAL (others tbc).

The conference will foster scientifically sound biodiversity monitoring by in-situ and remote sensing methodologies, monitoring of ecosystem services, modeling of biodiversity at all scales and in all dimensions and especially encourage interdisciplinary research. It will show ways forward in biodiversity observation and the development of Essential Biodiversity Variables. The conference will accept submissions of abstracts versing any biodiversity monitoring topic, but will prioritize talks associated with the development of monitoring for Essential Biodiversity Variables.

Contributions to the following key topics are invited:

  • New monitoring methodologies and technologies and global data standards
  • Global data standards and data depositories  – how do they serve the community?
  • New visions and pathways for in situ and remote sensing biodiversity monitoring
  • Making observations count: Engagements with the policy sector

This conference will include:

  • Kick-off and key note presentations
  • Oral communications organized into parallel sessions
  • A workshop to develop new visions and pathways for biodiversity monitoring

We expect the conference to have a duration of 3 days.

GEO BON all-hands meeting

There is a need to identify new opportunities and challenges for GEO BON. In particular, GEO BON should continue the development of a global biodiversity-monitoring network based on a common set of Essential Biodiversity Variables, measured using compatible methods and reported using harmonized data standards. Therefore it is important to bring the entire GEO BON community together in 2016, given that the GEO BON community has not met as a whole since December of 2012. Members of the Working Groups and BONs will develop a new GEO BON implementation plan for 2016-2020.

Working Groups and BONs will also meet and discuss new cooperative projects and future products. The new implementation plan will require the reorganization of the current GEO BON Working Group structure in order to reflect use needs and societal challenges. Furthermore, the all hands meeting will support cross-cutting projects and research involving more than one WG and BON. The all-hands meeting will have a duration of 2 days, and be followed by a short 1 day GEO BON Implementation Committee and Advisory Board meeting.

Note: Registrations are open now, please apply as soon as possible here.