Periodic Reporting for period 3 - BiodivERsA3 (Consolidating the European Research Area on biodiversity and ecosystem services)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2018-02-01 al 2022-04-30
BiodivERsA is the network of programmers and funders for research on biodiversity, ecosystem services (ESS) and Nature-based solutions (NBS) across European countries and territories. Biodiversity loss is a major societal challenge requiring scientific support to policy and management decisions and coordinated strategies for the resilience of human societies in a changing world.
Funded under Horizon 2020, BiodivERsA gathered 34 partners from 24 countries and
strengthened the cooperation between funding agencies and the EC through a shared vision, and provided stakeholders with adequate knowledge and tools to explore innovative solutions with and for biodiversity.
BiodivERsA3 has achieved its ambition as a major source of funding for European transdisciplinary biodiversity R&I projects and key player at the science-policy-society interface, by:
•Developing a strategic, multi-annual vision under its 2017 SRIA first and then the Biodiversa+ SRIA.
•Enlarging the consortium, including in ORs&OCTs & at the international scale, growing from 31 to 39 partners in the period, and from 18 to 25 countries.
•Implementing joint calls to better integrate research across Europe, with two major calls for 45M€ (of which 1 COFUND) as part of Biodversa3, and 3 additional calls in parallel COFUND actions (one of which with the Belmont Forum).
•Developing other joint activities, e.g. alignment of national research programs, promotion of mobility and equal opportunities for researchers & data sharing, with the alignment around the Biodiversa SRIAs and the support to synthesis research via European synthesis centers, implemented part of the 2018 call.
•Promoting effective science-policy-society dialogue during the whole research process, with guidance from a mixed advisory board, feedbacks from over 50 major organisations on the Biodiversa SRIA, development of policy briefs, videos from the BiodivERsA Prize for Excellence and Impact, guides on citizen science or policy relevance of research, networking opportunities to connect with business, policy and an effective collaboration with IPBES, including the hosting of the IPBES technical support unit for knowledge generation from 2019 onwards. BiodivERsA promoted innovative approaches to assessing outcomes of its funded projects.
Overall BiodivERsA3 largely reached and exceeded its objectives, building on two phases of successful collaboration since 2005 and leading to BiodivERsA co-developing the European Partnership on Biodiversity (2021-2028) with the European Commission, first Partnership of its kind all R&I topics confounded.
Funded under Horizon 2020, BiodivERsA gathered 34 partners from 24 countries and
strengthened the cooperation between funding agencies and the EC through a shared vision, and provided stakeholders with adequate knowledge and tools to explore innovative solutions with and for biodiversity.
BiodivERsA3 has achieved its ambition as a major source of funding for European transdisciplinary biodiversity R&I projects and key player at the science-policy-society interface, by:
•Developing a strategic, multi-annual vision under its 2017 SRIA first and then the Biodiversa+ SRIA.
•Enlarging the consortium, including in ORs&OCTs & at the international scale, growing from 31 to 39 partners in the period, and from 18 to 25 countries.
•Implementing joint calls to better integrate research across Europe, with two major calls for 45M€ (of which 1 COFUND) as part of Biodversa3, and 3 additional calls in parallel COFUND actions (one of which with the Belmont Forum).
•Developing other joint activities, e.g. alignment of national research programs, promotion of mobility and equal opportunities for researchers & data sharing, with the alignment around the Biodiversa SRIAs and the support to synthesis research via European synthesis centers, implemented part of the 2018 call.
•Promoting effective science-policy-society dialogue during the whole research process, with guidance from a mixed advisory board, feedbacks from over 50 major organisations on the Biodiversa SRIA, development of policy briefs, videos from the BiodivERsA Prize for Excellence and Impact, guides on citizen science or policy relevance of research, networking opportunities to connect with business, policy and an effective collaboration with IPBES, including the hosting of the IPBES technical support unit for knowledge generation from 2019 onwards. BiodivERsA promoted innovative approaches to assessing outcomes of its funded projects.
Overall BiodivERsA3 largely reached and exceeded its objectives, building on two phases of successful collaboration since 2005 and leading to BiodivERsA co-developing the European Partnership on Biodiversity (2021-2028) with the European Commission, first Partnership of its kind all R&I topics confounded.
Set up of a new governance: an Advisory Board with both scientists and stakeholders, a Coordination team (with a Coordinator & 2 Vice Chairs), reinforcing the collective approach and preparing a European co-funded Partnership.
Regular enlargement of the network:
-2015:10 new partners, incl. 6 from ORs&OCTs
-2016-18:6 new partners
Integration of new members:
-1 Workshop (WS) on BiodivERsA joint calls procedures
-2 Staff exchanges, incl. one on how to improve the participation and success of territories that are less successful in transnational calls
Mapping & foresight activities to identify gaps and priorities for R&I:
-1 WS on specific research gaps and needs in the overseas
-Update of the BiodivERsA database (11,500 research projects referenced) and analysis of R&I funding trends
-Mapping of research infrastructures
-Foresight activities framing the NbS concept & typology
Alignment:
-Development of a Strategic R&I Agenda (SRIA) considering the feedbacks from >50 major stakeholders, contribution to the Biodiversa+ SRIA
-Support to synthesis research (based on the (re)use of existing data) with key European synthesis centers under the 2018 Call
Implementation of 2 research calls
-The 2015-16 COFUND call: 26 projects selected for funding for >33M€ in cash (51M€ of total costs)
-The 2018-2019 call: 10 projects selected for funding for >11.8 M€, including one synthesis research project and two covid-related projects
> BiodivERsA partners also launched three calls as part of other COFUND actions in the period (BiodivScen (2017-18), BiodivClim (2019-20) and BiodivRestore (2020-21))
Engagement with key initiatives, incl. JPIs, EKLIPSE, IPBES, OPPLA, ThinkNature & the Belmont Forum
-1 action with the Belmont Forum in relation to IPBES leading to the BiodivScen COFUND to support research on scenarios of biodiversity (21 transnational research projects for 28 M€ in cash)
-1 mapping exercise with ALCUE-Net to analyze collaborations between the ERA and Latin America/Caribbean
-Preparation of a COFUND with the WATER-JPI and close interaction with FACCE JPI
Several science-society & science-policy interfacing activities:
-1 clustering WS with funded projects’ researchers & policy stakeholders to develop briefs based on projects’ results
-Series of policy briefs based on projects' results
-1 R&I WS to strengthen links between projects & the private sector
-1 citizen science WS and production of a toolkit on citizen science
-1 guide on policy relevance of research (2018) to help scientists better engage policy stakeholders in their work
-Observer at IPBES, participation in the 4th IPBES plenary; and hosting the IPBES TSU on knowledge generation
-Syntheses of project results to support the TSU of the IPBES ECA assessment and cited as best practice at the PESC-3
-Novel analyses of the outputs of the projects funded under past Biodiversa calls
- Biodiversa prize for excellence and production of 5 videos highlighting funded projects results
> Overall achievements summarized in the BiodivERsA main achievements brochure (2008-2021)
Regular enlargement of the network:
-2015:10 new partners, incl. 6 from ORs&OCTs
-2016-18:6 new partners
Integration of new members:
-1 Workshop (WS) on BiodivERsA joint calls procedures
-2 Staff exchanges, incl. one on how to improve the participation and success of territories that are less successful in transnational calls
Mapping & foresight activities to identify gaps and priorities for R&I:
-1 WS on specific research gaps and needs in the overseas
-Update of the BiodivERsA database (11,500 research projects referenced) and analysis of R&I funding trends
-Mapping of research infrastructures
-Foresight activities framing the NbS concept & typology
Alignment:
-Development of a Strategic R&I Agenda (SRIA) considering the feedbacks from >50 major stakeholders, contribution to the Biodiversa+ SRIA
-Support to synthesis research (based on the (re)use of existing data) with key European synthesis centers under the 2018 Call
Implementation of 2 research calls
-The 2015-16 COFUND call: 26 projects selected for funding for >33M€ in cash (51M€ of total costs)
-The 2018-2019 call: 10 projects selected for funding for >11.8 M€, including one synthesis research project and two covid-related projects
> BiodivERsA partners also launched three calls as part of other COFUND actions in the period (BiodivScen (2017-18), BiodivClim (2019-20) and BiodivRestore (2020-21))
Engagement with key initiatives, incl. JPIs, EKLIPSE, IPBES, OPPLA, ThinkNature & the Belmont Forum
-1 action with the Belmont Forum in relation to IPBES leading to the BiodivScen COFUND to support research on scenarios of biodiversity (21 transnational research projects for 28 M€ in cash)
-1 mapping exercise with ALCUE-Net to analyze collaborations between the ERA and Latin America/Caribbean
-Preparation of a COFUND with the WATER-JPI and close interaction with FACCE JPI
Several science-society & science-policy interfacing activities:
-1 clustering WS with funded projects’ researchers & policy stakeholders to develop briefs based on projects’ results
-Series of policy briefs based on projects' results
-1 R&I WS to strengthen links between projects & the private sector
-1 citizen science WS and production of a toolkit on citizen science
-1 guide on policy relevance of research (2018) to help scientists better engage policy stakeholders in their work
-Observer at IPBES, participation in the 4th IPBES plenary; and hosting the IPBES TSU on knowledge generation
-Syntheses of project results to support the TSU of the IPBES ECA assessment and cited as best practice at the PESC-3
-Novel analyses of the outputs of the projects funded under past Biodiversa calls
- Biodiversa prize for excellence and production of 5 videos highlighting funded projects results
> Overall achievements summarized in the BiodivERsA main achievements brochure (2008-2021)
REINFORCED GOVERNANCE, ENLARGEMENT & INTERNATIONALISATION:
-Upgraded governance in line with the renewed ambition
-A reinforced geographical coverage and capacity to build the ERA on biodiversity, ESS &NbS
-Internationalisation of future calls to promote synergies between the European and international levels
DEFINITION OF A COMMON FORWARD-LOOKING VISION & shared priorities with the SRIA, to overcome fragmentation, feed national and regional organisations’ strategies & improve the ERA.
PROMOTION OF EXCELLENT, TRANSNATIONAL & MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
-A recurrent and significant funding source:
*Overall, in-cash leverage effect of 7.2 for the EC and of 5.2 for BiodivERsA partners
*Medium-sized, interdisciplinary projects (ca. 5 to 7 partners from 3 to 5 countries for 1.2M€)
*Excellent projects addressing questions at a transboundary level and gathering expertise of scientists from different countries, allowing for high-quality consortia
*Efficient mobilization of non-natural sciences
PROMOTION OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT & THE USE OF NEW KNOWLEDGE TO TACKLE SOCIETAL CHALLENGES
*Projects evaluated against criteria of societal/policy relevance and stakeholder engagement
*Stakeholder engagement handbook used beyond Europe & the biodiversity community,
downloaded >10,000 times in 2017
*Significant results for application by society (2008 funded projects’ outputs brochure): lack of tradeoff between scientific excellence and production of society/policy-relevant outputs
*Policy briefs, promoting the impact of funded projects on decision making
*Relevant outputs of funded projects considered in the IPBES ECA assessment
SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION WITH KEY EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL
INITIATIVES in a shared interest, as biodiversity is at the cross-road of many sectors
-Upgraded governance in line with the renewed ambition
-A reinforced geographical coverage and capacity to build the ERA on biodiversity, ESS &NbS
-Internationalisation of future calls to promote synergies between the European and international levels
DEFINITION OF A COMMON FORWARD-LOOKING VISION & shared priorities with the SRIA, to overcome fragmentation, feed national and regional organisations’ strategies & improve the ERA.
PROMOTION OF EXCELLENT, TRANSNATIONAL & MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
-A recurrent and significant funding source:
*Overall, in-cash leverage effect of 7.2 for the EC and of 5.2 for BiodivERsA partners
*Medium-sized, interdisciplinary projects (ca. 5 to 7 partners from 3 to 5 countries for 1.2M€)
*Excellent projects addressing questions at a transboundary level and gathering expertise of scientists from different countries, allowing for high-quality consortia
*Efficient mobilization of non-natural sciences
PROMOTION OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT & THE USE OF NEW KNOWLEDGE TO TACKLE SOCIETAL CHALLENGES
*Projects evaluated against criteria of societal/policy relevance and stakeholder engagement
*Stakeholder engagement handbook used beyond Europe & the biodiversity community,
downloaded >10,000 times in 2017
*Significant results for application by society (2008 funded projects’ outputs brochure): lack of tradeoff between scientific excellence and production of society/policy-relevant outputs
*Policy briefs, promoting the impact of funded projects on decision making
*Relevant outputs of funded projects considered in the IPBES ECA assessment
SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION WITH KEY EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL
INITIATIVES in a shared interest, as biodiversity is at the cross-road of many sectors