BIODIVCLIM: Promoting and implementing joint programming to reinforce transnational research at the crossroad between biodiversity and climate change

The interaction between biodiversity and climate change is strong, bi-directional and often positive (actions in favour of one are also beneficial for the other). While the main drivers of biodiversity loss are habitat degradation, the syndrome of factors directly and indirectly associated with climate change is the dominant threat to biodiversity. A sufficiently detailed and confident understanding of the interactions between biodiversity and climate change is therefore essential to be incorporated into models and decision-support tools.

By networking 33 funding agencies from 22 countries in Europe and beyond, BiodivClim aims to promote coordinated international research on biodiversity and climate change in all environments, including agricultural areas. It will strengthen the coordination of research and research programmes with the ultimate goal of providing policy makers and other stakeholders with the appropriate knowledge, tools and practical solutions to improve the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems in a changing climate.

The objectives of BiodivClim are:

• Coordinate the research agendas of major European & international research funders to agree on shared research priorities related to biodiversity & climate change
• Reinforce collaboration with other relevant initiatives in the field to increase synergies & avoid fragmentation
• Design & implement two joint calls for research proposals in this field (incl. one co-funded)
• Promote research collaboration across national borders & disciplines in order to build capacity, exchange best practices & have a lasting effect on the international research community & landscape
• Support dialogue & collaboration between academia & stakeholders, and stakeholder engagement in research projects in order to increase the impact of research on policy & practice
• Ease rapid & efficient uptake of funded research results by the IPBES & IPCC for their future assessments, & by other relevant initiatives
• Reinforce data open access