Session Description: The importance of sustainable agriculture, food security, and biodiversity lies in their interconnectedness and their relevance to human well-being and environmental sustainability. By striving for a balance between production and conservation goals, we can ensure the availability of nutritious food, protect ecosystems, and contribute to the objectives outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework, ultimately promoting a more sustainable and resilient future for both people and the planet.

Jyotsna Puri Associate Vice-President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Pierre Jacquet Former GDN President

Elena Lazos Chavero Professor and Researcher, IISUNAM

Session Organizer: USFQ

Session Description: The role of the private sector in meeting sustainable goals is crucial. Nowadays, private companies are key actors in promoting and implementing innovative projects and nature-based solutions that could help conserve biodiversity and, at the same time, promote social and economic benefits. In this panel, we will present interesting examples of private initiatives in Ecuador that have integrated sustainability. The main two goals of this panel are: a) to learn about real innovation and solutions proposed for sustainability in different contexts, and, b) to discuss lessons learned and challenges to integrate biodiversity and sustainability targets at the private level.

Juan Jose Cardena Founder of EcoUrban and Thrive Experience

Carolina Proaño Executive Director Grupo Futuro

Carla Barboto Founder and Executive Director Pacari

Susana Cardenas USFQ

Session Description: At this session, a set of shortlisted papers from the Call for Papers will be presented. More details will be added

Evariste Manirumva Rwanda, “The Impact of Push-Pull Technology Adoption on Food Security among Smallholder Cereal Growers”

Charles Kihia Kenya, “Utilization of nutrient dense wild foods; togotia (Cruciferae) and mukunga (anguillidae) among Kenyan communities”

Nabajyoti Deka India, “Indigenous Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Agricultural Development: Insights from the Case of ‘Darjeeling Tea’ from the Eastern Himalayan Region, India”

Rengalakshmi Raj India, “Weed flora in field margins: An essential off-season resource for the insect pollinators in Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.)”

Deepti Gumber India, “Biodiversity and Ecosystem-Based Climate Change Adaptation for Enhancing the Climate Resilience of Coastal Vulnerable Communities in India”

Judit Ungvari Co-Lead, Research and Innovation, Future Earth

Session Description: At this session, a set of shortlisted papers from the Call for Papers will be presented. More details will be added

Enrique B Montas “Assessing Urban Biodiversity trends using Satellite Imagery”

Hourmat Allah Hind Morocco, “Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation into key Economic Sectors: Evidence from Morocco”

Norhan Bayomi Egypt, “Assessing Urban Biodiversity trends using Satellite Imagery”

Murielle Fokou Cameroon, “Assessing the role of top down and bottom-up institutional change in shaping the environmental performance of developing countries”

Tii Nchofoung Cameroon, “Green Finance, Environmental Policy Stringency, and Biocapacity in Africa”

Francesco Obino Director of Research & Programs, GDN

Session Organizer: Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ).

Session Description: Food systems around the world are impacting the natural resources that are key to food security. They are also accentuating issues pertaining to nutrition, demonstrating the need for healthier diets derived from more sustainable food sources. A range of issues, including climate change and the pandemic highlight the urgency of food system resilience in relation to sustainable development goals. This panel will bring academic, community and international organizations together to discuss urban food security and food sovereignty challenges and strategies to improve health and environmental outcomes in fairer and more equitable ways, with a focus on enhancing resilience of communities

Karen Noboa Director, Sustainable Development Departmen, Progressio Ecuador Foundation

Isa Olalekan Elegbede Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU), Germany. Head of Research and Innovation @ Saeio Global. Fellow of the Future Earth Coasts (FEC). Deputy Chair, IUCN CEESP

Cheryl Martens IEAD USFQ, Gendered responses to food insecurity and sustainability in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

Ivan Borja IEAD USFQ, Food insecurity in Venezuelan migrants: Implications for the sustainability of Ecuador

Yubari Carolina Valero Azuaje AVSI Ecuador, Strengthening local protection networks through food sovereignty programs

Session Organizer: JICA Ogata Research Institute.

Session Description: Background In the international policy arena, there is a growing recognition of the vital roles of indigenous and local knowledge in devising solutions to sustainability issues, such as biodiversity loss and climate change threats to ecosystems. Read more 

Victor Paul Steffensen WWF Australia

Fumiko NOGUCHI JICA Ogata Research Institute

Yoichi MINE Executive Director, JICA Ogata Research Institute

Tyson Asfaw Lecturer, Hawassa University Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Ethiopia / PhD Candidate, Antwerp University, Belgium

Session Description: At this session, a set of shortlisted papers from the Call for Papers will be presented. More details will be added

Hajer Kratou Tunisia, “How does Biodiversity loss increase income inequality?”

Pablo Gonzalez Moctezuma Mexico, “Tradeoffs between addressing biodiversity loss, poverty and forest cover loss arise in large scale restoration initiative with agroforestry systems. Insights from 450 thousand farms in Mexico”

Bernard Cléry Nomo Beyala Cameroon, “Does Economic Complexity Mitigate Carbon Inequality?”

Pousseni Bakouan Burkina Faso, “BioTrade and Income Inequality: Frontier technology readiness matter?”

Ivan Borja IEAD USFQ, Food insecurity in Venezuelan migrants: Implications for the sustainability of Ecuador

Luciano Andriamaro Director, Science and Knowledge Department, Conservation International, Madagascar

Session Organizer: Agence Française de développement (AFD).

Session Description: This session will directly address the conference theme by discussing the links between biodiversity and sustainable development policies, through the presentation of research initiatives, experiences, and tools. It will address the following sub-themes: Alternative, nature-based solutions (NBS) for sustainability challenges (including perspective from indigenous people) Mainstreaming biodiversity and scaling up mainstreaming Context There is an urgent need to implement transformative changes in the sectors of activity that cause the degradation of nature, in addition to protect ecosystems and endangered species. Read more

Nicolas Salmon Sustainability Researcher, CEO, Yes Innovation

Lisa Beyer Manager, Urban Water Infrastructure, World Resources Institute (WRI)

Isaac Dyner Researcher, National University of Columbia

Alison Fairbrass Lead researcher from University College London

Odile Conchou Senior Advisor, Biodiversity and Finance, AFD

Session Description: Incorporating participatory processes into conservation planning and management has emerged as a major topic in sustainability debates in the last decades and became a mainstream trend in biodiversity policy. IUCN, IPBES, and CBD have recently produced documents that stated the need to better incorporate diverse knowledges, perspectives, and values to improve people's well-being while safeguarding biodiversity. These documents underscore that a participatory decision-making regarding biodiversity conservation is more effective in practice because the entire process is more likely to be perceived as legitimate. Read more

Cristina Adams Associate Professor, School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH) & Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE), University of São Paulo (USP)

Inty Arcos Project Coordinator, Socio-Environmental Governance in the Chocó Andino Commonwealth, Ecuadorian Italian Fund for Sustainable Development (FIEDS)

Carlos Rodrigues Practitioner in Knowledge and Conservation in the Colombian Amazon; Director, Instituto Tropenbos

Laila Sandroni Specialist in Transdisciplinary Science for Biodiversity Conservation. Science Technology and Policy Fellow at the InterAmerican Institute for Global Change Research and Associate Researcher at the University of Brasilia, Brazil

Session Description: Biodiversity mainstreaming aims to integrate biodiversity considerations into various sectors and decision-making processes. However, it faces persistent challenges such as limited awareness, coordination, conflicting priorities, and inadequate resources. Read more

Jessica Pacheco Oficial de Programa – Bosques y Agua Dulce / Punto Focal de Vida Silvestre, WWF-Ecuador

Laila Sandroni Specialist in Transdisciplinary Science for Biodiversity Conservation. Science Technology and Policy Fellow at the InterAmerican Institute for Global Change Research and Associate Researcher at the University of Brasilia, Brazil

Gabriel Quijandria Regional Director for South America, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Marianne Kettunen Senior Policy Expert and Advisor, GCRF Trade, Development and the Environment Hub (TRADE Hub)

Suneetha M Subramanian Research Fellow, Biodiversity and Society Programme, UNU-IAS

Luciano Andriamaro Director, Science and Knowledge Department, Conservation International, Madagascar

• Awards Ceremony