Learning together at the Swedish Biodiversity Symposium!
The Swedish Biodiversity Symposium (SBS) is among the key events leading up to UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil, where the presidency aims to align global biodiversity and climate agendas. Biodiversity finance will be central to these discussions, making The SBS a timely opportunity to share Swedish perspectives on financial solutions for global biodiversity action in the climate context.
On 21-23 October we look forward to the gathering in Gothenburg of experts from various disciplines, organisations and universities to discuss urgent topics related to biodiversity. Mistra BIOPATH is engaged in hosting panels and presenting results. Here is an overview of sessions where you can meet us and learn more.
22 October 15.30-17.00
Biodiversity Finance Pathways: Perspectives from Sweden | Swedish Biodiversity Symposium (session 16)
Governments worldwide, including Sweden's, have committed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets ambitious targets for conservation, restoration, and sustainable management. However, achieving these goals requires unlocking significant financial resources. With a $700 billion annual funding gap, innovative financial mechanisms are essential.
This session will explore strategies to mobilize finance for biodiversity. Experts from academia, NGOs, and the private sector will discuss financial instruments, regulatory frameworks, and pathways to implementation, covering public funding, blended finance, biodiversity credits, private investments, and philanthropy.
15:30: What can Sweden learn from the UK’s experience with NetGain
David Hill, Foundation for Nature
15:55: Biodiversity Finance Pathways: Perspectives from an institutional investor
Åsa Mossberg, Andra AP-fonden
16:00: Biodiversity Finance Pathways: Perspectives from an NGO
Elin Larsson, WWF Sweden
16:05: Biodiversity Finance Pathways: Biodiversity credits
Alexandre Antonelli, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Gothenburg University, Antonelli Foundations
16:10: Biodiversity Finance Pathways: Perspectives from Public Sector Finance
Anna Jöborn, Ordrum and former Director of Mistra
16:15: Panel discussion, facilitated by Viktor Elliot examining how approaches can move from theory to practice.
Organisers:
Hannes Dempewolf, Antonelli Foundations for Biodiversity Research and Conservation, Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Susanne Arvidsson, Lund University and Viktor Elliott, Gothenburg University.
Open Session: Transformative change - from knowledge to action (session 18)
Knowledge is essential for transformative change, but it is not enough to drive action. In this session, we invite short and focused presentations (7+3 minutes) that explore catalysts for overcoming the critical gap between knowledge and action. How can we facilitate transformative change and preserve biodiversity—for its own sake and for ours?
This session is facilitated by Marie Stenseke, Gothenburg University and co-lead of Mistra BIOPATH Task force.
23 October 11.00-12.30
Nature-based solutions – is something new under the sun? | Swedish Biodiversity Symposium (Sesison 21)
Nature-based solutions (NBS) can be defined as solutions mobilising natural ecosystem processes to support the delivery of ecosystem services such as climate mitigation and adaptation. A key role is played by biodiversity, either acting as a mechanism behind the generation of ecosystem services or being a co-benefit.
In this session, the role of NBS in tackling both climate change and biodiversity loss will be critically examined. Key questions are:
Are NBS novel instruments or just old wine in a new bottle? Is biodiversity critical as a mechanism for the functioning of NBS? Do NBS contribute to biodiversity conservation as such? We will provide a historical overview of NBS as a policy tool, illustrate its implementation in practice, discuss the science underpinning NBS with a special focus on the role of biodiversity, illustrate the multitude of ecosystem-services and nature’s contribution to people that can benefit from NBS, and propose ways forward.
Introduction by the organisers Henrik Smith, Lund University, Emily Boyd, Lund University and Paul Miller, Lund University
23 October 13.30-15.00
Species adaptation to environmental change: the need to integrate genetic diversity into monitoring, spatial planning, and restoration. | Swedish Biodiversity Symposium (Session 25)
The biodiversity crisis has fundamental consequences for our soceity, affecting species survival, and ecosystem services, eg, pollination of crops in agricultural landscapes, production of fish in coastal regions, and carbon sequestration of forests. While conservation efforts have historically focused on species richness and short term effects, recent advances underscore the critical role of evolutionary processes in shaping biodiversity resilience and function. In agricultural systems, rapid evolutionary changes, such as, the evolution of pesticide resistance, are well-documented. In marine systems, rapid adaptation to environmental changes are documented in mollusc and fish species. These evolutionary dimensions remain largely overlooked in both conservation.
This session bridges mechanisms of species evolvability and the intricate interactions between ecological and evolutionary processes, highlighting tools that can be used to assess the evolutionary potential of populations. We aim to bring management and science closer together by ways of presentations from various systems, and panel debate involving stakeholders.
Organised by and with participation by Linda Laikre, Stockholm University, Kerstin Johannesson, University of Gothenburg, Pierre De Wit, University of Gothenburg, Mikael Pontarp Lund University, Henrik Smith, Lund University.