Linking biodiversity with inclusive development to achieve the 2030 Agenda

Co-convenors: International Union for Conservation of Nature, International Water Management Institute, Biome Environmental Trust and Stockholm Resilience Centre

The planet’s biodiversity is under threat and water-related ecosystems rapidly degrading. Healthy aquatic ecosystems are a prerequisite for securing many of the endangered species and life-sustaining systems. Joint efforts are needed on all levels, by all sectors. The Biodiversity Convention and other international agreements that provide the regulatory framework must be implemented. Inclusive development is key for local communities, the wider society, national governments, international actors, and private sector actors to better understand the use and dependence on shared resources and complex systems such as environmental flows; and how holistic approaches to landscape regeneration can enhance water cycles. Local ecological knowledge and practices are vital for SDG achievement. Citizen science initiatives—through crowd-sourcing of data, ground-truthing and participatory monitoring—respond to the need for accelerated understanding of increasingly stressed freshwater ecosystems. Rainwater harvesting uses ancient wisdom and modern infrastructure to improve productive habitats, and increases the resilience of people and the planet.

This seminar will build further on the World Water Week 2018 seminar “Investing in freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity as a key development challenge” to achieve the 2030 Agenda. How can we promote discussion of inclusive pathways to sustain ecosystem services, halt biodiversity loss, and ensure fair and equitable sharing of resources that recognizes everyone’s human rights? How can strategic alliances, local ecological knowledge on water resources, people’s movements, and citizen science initiatives help overcome challenges? How should the water community link up with the outcomes of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (held in November 2018)?

Please read more on how to engage and submit your abstract here.

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