Biodiversa

The Research Council of Finland joined the Biodiversa network in June 2016. The network develops programming and funding cooperation on biodiversity and ecosystem services across Europe. A particular objective of the network is to reach out to and engage policymakers and to increase the societal relevance and impact of research. As a network member, the Research Council of Finland can provide more opportunities for Finnish researchers in terms of international funding and networking and support national and international biodiversity forums of importance to Finland.

The Research Council also participates in the European Partnership Biodiversa+ (Rescuing Biodiversity to Safeguard Life on Earth, 2021–2028), which launched in 2021. The partnership includes 74 organisations and 36 countries.

Research funding

So far, the partners of the network have co-funded eleven international joint calls. These calls have provided some 178 million euros in funding to more than 147 international projects.

The Research Council’s Scientific Council for Biosciences, Health and the Environment co-funded the BiodivERsA and Belmont Forum call “Scenarios of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services” in 2017–2018. The main objective of the call was to promote scenario-based research on biodiversity, changes within biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. At the turn of the year 2018–2019, a total of 21 international consortia with ten Finnish consortium parties were funded. The list of funded projects is available on the project’s website.

The Scientific Council also co-funded the BiodivERsA call “Biodiversity and Climate Change” in 2019–2020. The main objective of the call was to promote research into the impact of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services in all habitats. At the turn of the year 2020–2021, a total of 21 international consortia with six Finnish parties were funded. The list of funded projects is available on the project’s website.

The Scientific Council also co-funded the joint BiodivERsA and Water JPI call “Promoting & implementing joint programming to reinforce transnational research for the conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems and their biodiversity, including a focus on aquatic systems” in 2020–2021. A particular aim of the joint call is to increase awareness of complex processes related to the protection of healthy ecosystems and the restoration of degraded ecosystems. At the turn of the year 2021–2022, a total of 22 international consortia with five Finnish parties were funded. The list of funded projects is available on the project’s website.

What’s on

The Scientific Council for Biosciences, Health and the Environment also co-funds the first call of the Biodiversa+ Partnership, “Supporting the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems across land and sea”. The funding decisions will be made in December 2022. See the call details here.

The Scientific Council also participates in the Partnership’s second call, “Improved transnational monitoring of biodiversity and ecosystem change for science and society”. The first stage of the call has closed. See the call details here.