Baltic Breakfast: Gearing up for COP15 – the science behind the global biodiversity targets

Seminar

Date: Wednesday 30 November 2022

Time: 08.30 – 09.15

Location: Scandic Klara, Slöjdgatan 7, Stockholm

Delegates from all over the world will meet at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in December, to decide on new global biological diversity targets. During this breakfast seminar, you will hear from two scientists at the forefront of biodiversity conservation, highlighting two of the issues at stake – conservation of genetic diversity and the importance of marine protected areas.

 

 

From December 7 - 19 in Montreal, governments from around the world will come together to agree on a new set of goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity to halt and reverse nature loss – the COP 15. The new framework is aimed to provide a strategic vision and a global roadmap for the conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems for the next decades. It will include numerical targets to conserve and restore biological diversity, secure the sustainable management of resources and fair sharing of genetic resources. It will also include a new monitoring program with indicators aimed at tracking progress of goals and targets. The negotiations are expected to result in a Post-2020 global biodiversity framework guiding actions and monitoring up until 2030 and 2050 for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

The EU has adopted a list of demands for COP15, including a 2030 goal to protect at least 30 percent of the planet’s land and seas; restoring 3 billion hectares of degraded land, freshwater and ocean ecosystems; eliminating wildlife trade, reducing levels and risks of pollution from all sources as well as targets for improving pollinator populations and soil biodiversity.  

Some of the research behind these science-based proposals has been developed at Stockholm University. During this breakfast, you will hear Robert Blasiak explaining why marine protection is a vital tool for achieving biodiversity and climate targets and Linda Laikre explaining the rationale behind protection of genetic diversity.

Read more about the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15)

Speakers

Linda Laikre, Professor in population genetics at the Department of Zoology, Stockholm University

Robert Blasiak, Researcher on the sustainable management of ocean resources at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University

Moderator: Ellen Bruno, Policy Analyst at the Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre

 

Practical information

The seminar will be held on Wednesday 30 November, 8.30 – 9.15 am, at Scandic Klara, Slöjdgatan 7 in Stockholm. Breakfast will be served from 8.00 am.

Physical participation requires registration, which can be done here.

The seminar will also be broadcast digitally on this page. No registration is required to view the live broadcast. The seminar will be recorded and can be watched afterwards at this same webpage.

 

Questions and discussion

We highly welcome the audience to ask questions, in advance or during the webinar. E-mail your question to ostersjocentrum@su.se or use sli.do (code 22102).

Discuss the topic on Twitter, using the hashtag #balticbreakfast

Are you a journalist? Contact us to plan an interview with the experts!

 

About Baltic Breakfast

Baltic Breakfast is a series of short breakfast seminars/webinars organised by Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Their aim is to present the latest knowledge about issues of central importance to the Baltic Sea environment. The webinars are addressed to people in different sectors working for a sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region and everyone interested in environmental issues of the Baltic Sea.

Most Baltic Breakfasts are held in Swedish, but sometimes they are targeted at an international audience and held in English. If you want to get invitations to the upcoming webinars or subscribe to our monthly newsletters, click here.