About the symposium
The overall aim of the Global Symposium on Soil Biodiversity (GSOBI21) is to review the role of soil biodiversity and ecosystem services in tackling environmental problems, and to drive actions towards the implementation of the World Soil Charter along with the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management. Specifically, the symposium outcomes will provide evidence to support actions to protect soil biodiversity and promote its sustainable use and management by addressing the underlying causes of soil biodiversity loss and enhancing implementation of sustainable practices. Link
Specifically, the objectives of this symposium are to:
- Examine the current scientific, technical, indigenous and traditional knowledge on the role of soil biodiversity on food production, human health and on sustaining biodiversity aboveground;
- Identify knowledge gaps and explore opportunities for collaborative research, capacity building and technical cooperation;
- Identify limitations and opportunities to promote the sustainable use of soil biodiversity, knowledge sharing and capacity building;
- Present effective and replicable methodologies, techniques, technologies and practices that promote sustainability, with a view to upscale those sustainable approaches to promote soil biodiversity conservation, the sustainable use of its resources and equitable participation in productive landscapes;
- Identify policy options to protect soil biodiversity and encourage the adoption of practices that enhance it;
- Present national, regional and global initiatives that support the effective design, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting solutions and their contribution to the achievement of the SDGs.
Expected output
The symposium outcome document “Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity” will highlight the importance of soil biodiversity not only for food production, but for enhancing the benefits to all and in various ways and at multiple scales, including biodiversity-based solutions for global challenges, human well-being, health and nutritional food and new medicinal discoveries, including the discovery of new antibiotics.
Participation
Participants will include representatives from UN FAO member states, CBD, worldwide presenters whose abstracts are accepted and finally scientists and practitioners working in related fields, representatives from NGOs, civil society, indigenous peoples, local communities, and land users. Additionally, the symposium has called the attention of the private sector working on sustainable agriculture and technology development related to soil.
The event will be held virtually. If you have any questions, please contact us directly.
NOTE: Please, note that there is no registration fee and participation in the symposium is free.
Co-organizers
