Join in virtually: European Wetlands Conference

Kicker (computed)

News publ. 18. Sep 2023

Flussfeuchtgebiet über blauem Himmel
© David Lang/Unsplash

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Next level nature-based solutions: from September 26 to 28, the European Conference "Riverine and Coastal Wetlands for Biodiversity and Climate" will take place in Bonn, Germany. As a cooperation partner, adelphi supports the organisation of the event.

  • How does climate change affect biodiversity in European wetlands?

  • How can riverine floodplains and coastal wetlands help us mitigate climate change and adapt to climate change impacts?

  • How do we succeed in restoring these vital ecosystems in practice, and which policy frameworks do we need?

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These questions will be discussed by experts from science, politics and practice from all over Europe at the fifth European Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change. They will discuss how river floodplains and coastal wetlands can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity on the one hand and to climate change mitigation and adaptation on the other. And they will jointly develop recommendations as well as guidelines for the conservation and restoration of these vital ecosystems. The plenary lectures and panel discussions will be livestreamed.

"Nature conservation and climate action must go hand in hand," explains Thomas Graner, Vice President of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), who opens the conference. "That's why we are committed to nature-based solutions that benefit everyone: People, nature and climate. The conservation and restoration of riverine floodplains and coastal wetlands enable such win-win-win scenarios. After all, wetlands not only provide habitat for numerous species of animals and plants, they also store carbon, mitigate droughts, contribute to flood and coastal protection, and are a key component of our natural livelihoods."

Link Headline
European BioClim Wetlands Conference
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Register now for free for the livestream!

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Background: riverine floodplains & coastal wetlands

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Vital ecosystems

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The current conference is the fifth event in the series of "European Conferences on Biodiversity and Climate Change", which has been organised by BfN and the ENCA network since 2011 with changing thematic foci.

Riverine floodplains and coastal wetlands are vital ecosystems for nature and people, making crucial contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation. They are considered biodiversity hotspots and provide indispensable ecosystem services such as climate regulation, carbon sequestration, flood control, water filtration, food supply, and recreational opportunities.

However, globally, inland and coastal wetlands have declined dramatically, by 35 percent between 1970 and 2015. In Germany, only 9 percent of active riverine floodplains are in a near-natural and ecologically functional state. BfN supports the restoration of these valuable ecosystems in Germany, among other things, through the floodplain funding of Germany’s Blue Belt Programme, through large-scale nature conservation projects in the chance.natur funding programme, and as the coordination center of the new Federal Action Programme for Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity.

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Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention), will open the conference by video message. This will be followed by Thomas Graner's welcoming speech. Brian MacSharry, Group Leader for Nature and Biodiversity at the European Environment Agency (EEA), will introduce the conference topic in a keynote speech.

Participants on site will engage in a lively exchange as well as a series of interactive workshop sessions in which they can contribute their expertise and jointly develop concrete recommendations on the conference topic.

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Number (or token)
9
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percent of active riverine floodplains in Germany
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are in a near-natural and ecologically functional state.
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Lagune Butrintsee in Albanien
© Yves Alarie/Unsplash
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The European Conference in the Bonn Science Center is hosted by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the European Network of Nature Conservation Agencies (ENCA), in cooperation with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), the Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and adelphi. The results of the conference are expected to be published at the end of the year as "ENCA Recommendations".

Conference website & registration

Programme

Background paper on the conference topic

bioclim2023atadelphi [dot] de (Contact)

Main topics
Biodiversity
Adaptation & Vulnerability

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