Hannover, Germany, 14th September 2022
A major European scientific research initiative to translate the science of ecosystem services into effective decision making was formally launched today in Hannover, Germany. SELINA is a pan-European research project that will pave the way towards the transformative societal change required to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Green Deal, and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
SELINA comprises more than 100 experts from 50 partner organisations (including the Cohab Initiative) across 31 countries, including every member state of the European Union, other members of the European Economic Area, and overseas EU territories.
One of SELINA’s key aims is to identify aspects of biodiversity, ecosystem condition, and ecosystem services that can be successfully integrated into public and private sectors' decision-making processes. Cohab will provide research input and guidance on those aspects which relate to health and well-being, including issues of justice, equity and human rights.
The project will also demonstrate how enhanced collaboration between science, private, and public stakeholders facilitates integration of biodiversity, ecosystem condition and ecosystem services in evidence-based decision-making. Cohab will bring its experience and expertise in cross-sector, cross-disciplinary partnership building to the this dimension of the project, including facilitating Communities of Practice on transformative change for biodiversity conservation and One Health.
The lead partner for SELINA is the Institute of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology at Leibnitz University in Hannover, Germany. The institute also coordinated the predecessor for the project, ESMERALDA, which aimed to map and evaluate ecosystems, their resources and potential ecosystem services. As a follow-up to ESMERALDA, SELINA focuses more specifically on implementation.
SELINA is funded by the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme of the EU, and will last for 5 years. Details on Cohab’s contributions will be reported through this website and Cohab’s social media channels.