Congress on global reflection on the integration of culture and nature for a sustainable future

The Cultural Ecosystem Services and Biocultural Heritage: Connecting Nature and Culture for a Sustainable Future initiative will hold the Cultural Ecosystem Services and Biocultural Heritage Congress : Connecting Nature and Culture for a Sustainable Futureat the University of Coimbra on May 20 and 21.

This is the second key moment of the Cultural initiative, following a webinar dedicated to exploring fundamental concepts, open questions and interdisciplinary perspectives on the links between ecosystems, culture and sustainability, which took place on March 10. The narrative summary of this webinar is available for consultation.

This conference, which focuses on practical applications, methodologies and case studies linking cultural and ecological dimensions, is co-organized by JPI Climate, JPI Cultural Heritage and the Centre for Functional Ecology at the University of Coimbra, and is supported by UNESCO's MaB Programme.

Against the backdrop of the 20th anniversary of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the recent UN Pact for the Future, the congress aims to promote an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary dialog between the natural sciences, the social sciences, the humanities and policymakers.

The event will bring together leading speakers, researchers, professionals and community representatives to discuss innovative approaches to the integration of cultural heritage, biodiversity conservation and sustainability. It will also feature presentations by internationally recognized experts, including representatives from UNESCO and leading research institutions, as well as thematic panels and round tables addressing methodologies, policy integration and practical applications.

There will also be case studies highlighting the role of local communities, traditional knowledge and nature-based solutions in sustainability, as well as workshops and interactive sessions exploring citizen science, digital humanities, georeferencing tools and AI in ecosystem services research.

In the end, the contributions will form part of a strategic white paper, bringing together information on policies, research agendas and global strategies for sustainability, reinforcing the integration of cultural heritage, environmental conservation and sustainability strategies into global research and the political agenda.

Participation in this Congress requires prior registration. For more information, please contact: bioculturalheritage2025@gmail.com