GDN 2023: Advances in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development
The Global Development Network (GDN) 2023 annual conference, to be held in Quito, Ecuador, from 31 October to 1 November 2023, promises to be a significant event in the field of sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
The conference is organized in collaboration with the University of San Francisco de Quito and Future Earth, with the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) hosting two sessions addressing critical issues in biodiversity conservation.
These sessions pledge to provide valuable insights into addressing challenges in biodiversity conservation and how to effectively integrate indigenous knowledge and local perspectives into decision-making and policies related to biodiversity.
The conference as a whole is sure to be a vital platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration in the pursuit of global sustainable development.
This session focuses on the need to incorporate participatory processes in conservation, a growing trend in biodiversity policies. Organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) emphasize the importance of integrating diverse knowledge and perspectives to enhance human well-being and conserve biodiversity. Despite advances in the Kumming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, challenges persist in the inclusion of non-Western perspectives in decision-making. While "indigenous peoples and local communities" are mentioned in the framework, their participation is often policy-driven by others, highlighting the need to address power imbalances in integrating different perspectives and knowledge into biodiversity policies.
This session focuses on integrating biodiversity across different sectors and decision-making processes, highlighting challenges such as lack of awareness, limited coordination, conflicting priorities, and insufficient resources. To address these challenges, interdisciplinary research, indigenous knowledge, and training are essential. Interdisciplinary research and the incorporation of indigenous knowledge enable the development of context-specific solutions, fostering collaboration between sectors and the integration of local and scientific knowledge.
For the complete event agenda, please visit: https://conf2023.gdn.int/agenda/
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