International Conservation and Sustainability: The role of UK Higher Education

Co-hosted by CASCADE* and the All Party Parliamentary group on International Conservation.

Biodiversity conservation is one of the most prominent issues of our age, and there is a globally-recognised need for the rapid realisation of coordinated action to build capacity to support the UN’s post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. With the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity in Kunming, and the negotiation of a Global Biodiversity Framework for the decades to 2050, this is a pivotal time for addressing the global biodiversity crisis.

The UK’s Higher Education institutions lead the world in interdisciplinary conservation science and its intersection with sustainable development; in research, training and in developing capacity. The density of excellence within UK conservation science is bolstered by a concentration of international conservation NGO headquarters, and world-leading zoos and botanic gardens, meaning that our research and training directly inform and build the capability of international conservation policy and practice. Our networks of influence are truly global, with our conservation science sector known for its research innovation, knowledge exchange and real-world impact across the world.

Our high profile guests from the CBD Secretariat, UNEP, government, industry and academia will be discussing how we can best harness the UK’s unique expertise in people-orientated conservation science to support the development of principles, policies and practices that meet CBD goals in the UK and partner countries, in an equitable, socially-just and inclusive way.

Overall Event Chair: Theo Clarke. Co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on International Conservation

Introductory statement: Professor Richard Davies. Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Global. Newcastle University.

Introduction to the panel session: Theo Clarke

End-user panel (Chaired by Prof E.J. Milner-Gulland; Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity, University of Oxford and CASCADE lead) (30 mins):

Emily McKenzie. Head of Evidence and Policy, Dasgupta Review on Economics of Biodiversity at HM Treasury.
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp. Director, Implementation Support Division, CBD Secretariat
Maxwell Gomera. Director, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, UN Environment Rwanda.
Sai Tampi. Global Head of Fund Selection, Wealth and Personal Banking. HSBC
Vinod Mathur. Chair, National Biodiversity Authority, India.
Academic panel (Chaired by Mike Barrett, Executive Director of Conservation and Science, WWF-UK) (30 mins):

Professor Christina Hicks. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University and CASCADE
Dr Colin Clubbe. Head of Conservation Science, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and CASCADE
Professor Jean-Paul Metzger. Professor, Department of Ecology, University of São Paulo.
Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu. Professor of Zoology, University of Ghana. Founder and Chair, Centre for African Wetlands.

Questions from the floor : Chaired by Theo Clarke

Concluding remarks : Theo Clarke