Asia‐Pacific Network for Global Change Research DDIIVVEERRSSIITTAASS FFiirrsstt OOppeenn SScciieennccee CCoonnffeerreennccee 22000055:: TTrraaveell FFuunndd ffoorr SScciieennttiissttss ffrroomm DDeevveellooppiinngg CCoouunnttrriieess iinn tthhee AAssiiaa PPaacciiffiicc RReeggiioonn Final report for APN project 2005-11-NSY-Bawa The following collaborators worked on this project: Kamaljit S. Bawa, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, India, [email protected] Keping Ma, Institute of Botany Beijing, China, [email protected] Tohru Nakashizuka, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature Kyoto, Japan, [email protected] Other logos may be placed here 1 DIVERSITAS Open Science Conference 2005: Travel Fund for Scientists from Developing Countries in the Asia Pacific Region 2005-11-NSY-Bawa Final Report submitted to APN ©Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research 2 Overview of project work and outcomes Non-technical summary DIVERSITAS, the international programme dedicated to biodiversity science, placed under the auspices of ICSU, IUMS, IUBS, SCOPE and UNESCO, received a grant from APN to provide travel assistance to scientists from developing countries of the Asia Pacific region to attend the DIVERSITAS First Open Science Conference entitled: “Integrating biodiversity science for human well being”, which took place in Oaxaca, Mexico, 9-12 November 2005. Only scientists who actively participated in the conference, with a selected abstract were funded. Part of the funds was used to invite key speakers known to the DIVERSITAS community, and part was used to support scientists new to DIVERSITAS, selected on the quality of their abstract, with the intent to get them interested in the objectives of DIVERSITAS. Eleven participants from the following countries were funded thanks to this grant: China, India, Philippines, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Overall, the conference succeeded in attracting close to 700 scientists and policy makers from 60 countries, including a large proportion of young scientists, and scientists from developing countries. In addition to the APN objectives stated below, the conference produced a statement representing an important step on the way towards the establishment of a new international mechanism of scientific expertise for biodiversity. Objectives The main objectives of the project were: 1. To identify in the APN region, scientists related to DIVERSITAS scientific areas, not yet part of a network, to get them to know the DIVERSITAS programme. 2. To identify possible national representatives in countries where DIVERSITAS needs to be stronger. This includes, in particular, India and China, who are submitting this grant proposal. 3. To generally promote in the APN region the integrated approach of biodiversity science taken within DIVERSITAS to address biodiversity issues of high relevance in the Asia Pacific region (e.g. biodiversity changes and human health; carbon sequestration capacity of diverse tropical forests, etc.). Amount received and number years supported <2005-2006: 15,000 USD >; one year Activity undertaken Funds were used to fund participation of 11 scientists from the Asia Pacific region to the First DIVERSITAS Open Science Conference. APN funded participants actively contributed to the conference, by presenting one or several talks or organising a symposium. K Ma (China) gave a presentation on main biodiversity scientific programmes in China (National Committees meeting); K Bawa (India/USA) organised a symposium on sustaining partnerships for community-based conservation; A Sridhar (India) gave a talk on community-based approaches to marine conservation in India; B Sinha (India) talked about assessing traditional institutions for conservations in India; Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan (India) gave a talk related to agrobiodiversity; J Gladwin 3 (India) was an invited speaker at a symposium on agrobiodiversity; V Amoroso (Philippines) talked about participatory inventory of plants in Natural Parks in the Philippines; E Webb (Thailand) was an invited speaker at a symposium on remote sensing and biodiversity; A Ramana was an invited speaker at a symposium on implementation of multilateral agreements as they apply to plant genetic resources (India). All abstracts are posted on the DIVERSITAS web site. Results The objectives were met since: 1) The conference attracted a wider than foreseen audience from 60 countries who signaled their interest to get involved into the activities of the DIVERSITAS cross-cutting networks and core projects, and to take the interdisciplinary approach promoted by DIVERSITAS; 2) Additional contacts were taken in countries which do not have yet a national committee, particularly in Asia (e.g. India, Philippines), Africa (Kenya, Morocco), and Eastern Europe; 3) Following symposiums and round tables, the conference adopted the “Oaxaca declaration” which commits the community to lobby for and get involved in the initial steps towards an International Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity (IMoSEB), similar to an IPCC for biodiversity. Relevance to APN scientific research framework and objectives The entire conference was dedicated to the theme of the “change in terrestrial and marine biodiversity”. This included the “human dimension” aspect of biodiversity change, as DIVERSITAS was designed, from the onset, as an integrated programme, with, as a mission, to promote an integrative biodiversity science, linking biological, ecological and social disciplines in an effort to produce socially relevant new knowledge. All core projects of DIVERSITAS include a human dimension. Some sessions, including one symposium, proposed by Paul W. Leadley (University of Paris, Orsay) and Sandra Lavorel (CNRS, Grenoble, France) was dedicated to the impact of climate change on biological diversity, and to the feedback mechanisms of biodiversity changes on climate. Emphasis was placed throughout the programme on input to policy making, at the regional level, and in the context of international conventions. Self evaluation The proponents of the proposal (as well as all participants) were very pleased with all aspects of the conference, and feel that they met the objectives of the proposal. Potential for further work All the contacts taken in Oaxaca are now being nurtured to firm up the establishment of new national committees, and the involvement of scientists new to DIVERSITAS from the APN region. The DIVERSITAS secretariat is also actively following up on the Oaxaca declaration, and the initiative to create an International Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity, with involvement of all regions of the world. Publications Perrings, C, Jackson L, Bawa K, Brussaard L, Brush S, Gavin T, Papa R, Pascual U, and de Ruiter P. 2006. Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: saving natural capital without losing interest; Editorial. Conservation Biology 20: 263 Bawa K, 2006. Globally dispersed local challenges in conservation biology. Conservation Biology 20:696-9. 4 Jackson L, Brussaard L, de Ruiter P, Pascual U, Perrings C, Bawa K. Agrobiodiversity. In review. Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, S Levin, ed. Acknowledgments The DIVERSITAS community thanks APN for providing a grant to support the First DIVERSITAS Open Science Conference, and START for managing the APN funds. Minimum 2pages (maximum 4 pages) 5 Technical Report Preface DIVERSITAS, the international programme dedicated to biodiversity science, received a grant from APN to contribute to its first Open Science Conference. The Conference entitled “Integrating biodiversity science for human well-being” took place in Oaxaca, Mexico, from 9 to 12 November 2005. The conference assembled many perspectives from the natural and social sciences to highlight the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, following closely the launch of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. The grant received from APN was used to support scientists from the Asia Pacific region to attend and present their research. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Conference Outputs 3.0 APN-Funded Participants 4.0 Conclusions References Appendix 1 Conferences/Symposia/Workshops Agenda/Programme (including title, date and venue) Participants list (comprising contact details of each participant, including organisation, address, phone number, fax number, and email address) 2 Funding sources outside the APN A list of agencies, institutions, organisations (governmental, inter-governmental and/or non-governmental), that provided any in-kind support or co-funding and the amount(s) awarded. 3 Glossary of Terms Include list of acronyms and abbreviations 4 In the Appendix section, the report may also include: Abstracts, Power Point Slides of conference/symposia/workshop presentations Conference/symposium/workshop reports 6 1.0 Introduction Introduce the project, moving from the broader issues to your specific objectives, finishing the section with the precise aims of the project. Background Approximately four years ago, in 2001, International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), the International Union for Microbiological Societies (IUMS), the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), asked the scientific community to build a new global change programme dedicated to biodiversity science, i.e., a new DIVERSITAS. DIVERSITAS had been instrumental since its inception in the early 90’s in framing biodiversity research