November 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to the latest newsletter from The Global Biodiversity Standard
This edition is packed with exciting updates as we celebrate a landmark moment: the launch of The Global Biodiversity Standard at COP16! Our team made a significant impact at the event, participating in multiple sessions to highlight how TGBS enhances biodiversity monitoring and outcomes in nature-based solution projects.
We’re thrilled to announce the certification of our first sites in Colombia, Bolivia, and Uganda, including the first advanced certified site in Uganda led by the Jane Goodall Institute and Ecosia, featured at our COP16 launch.
Our capacity-building efforts continue with workshops in Malaysia, Uganda, Colombia, and Argentina, alongside the expansion of our hub network to include three new hubs in Latin America. Additionally, we showcased TGBS at the 8th Global Botanic Gardens Congress in Singapore and hosted webinars sharing insights from pilot tests in Kenya and the launch of our manual.
With over 100 global NGOs and academics endorsing TGBS ahead of COP16, and coverage in outlets like Mongabay, Carbon Pulse, and Nature Magazine, we’re gaining incredible momentum.
Finally, don’t miss my discussion on BGCI’s The Understory Podcast, where I delve into TGBS’s launch at COP16 and its global significance.
As Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE so beautifully said, “My hope is that many more organisations will adopt the measures laid out by the Standard and ensure we regenerate the planet for future generations.”
Thank you for joining us on this journey to transform biodiversity outcomes worldwide!
Dr David Bartholomew, The Global Biodiversity Standard manager
The Global Biodiversity Standard at UN CBD COP16
The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) team played a prominent role at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP16, engaging diverse stakeholders and showcasing innovative approaches to biodiversity assessment and restoration.
Key Events Hosted by TGBS
Our presence began with a pre-launch event at the IUCN Pavilion in the blue zone, which included a presentation by Dr David Bartholomew, manager of TGBS, a panel discussion from our 5 hub partner representatives, and a networking evening. This event brought together key partners, businesses, and policymakers to discuss the need for biodiversity standards and foster connections across sectors.
The official launch event at Cali Botanic Garden was a highlight, featuring a presentation on the standard’s methodology, a panel discussion, and the awarding of the first certified sites. The panel discussion included Antonia Burchard-Levine from Ecosia, Gabriela Orihuela from Huarango Nature, Alessandro Valentini from the World Economic Forum and Carolle Alarcon from the Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forests and Agriculture.
Special guest speakers, Dr Leonardo Tavares Salgado, Director of Scientific Research, Rio de Janeiro Botanic Garden and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and Dr Gemma Harper, OBE, CEO at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) opened and closed the launch event, respectively. They addressed the importance of TGBS in advancing global biodiversity outcomes.
We also hosted two intimate fireside chat events in the Business and Finance Hub at Plaza Quebec in the blue zone:
Led by technical partners (Dr David Bartholomew from BGCI, Dr Toral Shah from Plan Vivo, and Dr Heitor Filpi from Bioflore), the first chat explored improving monitoring and evaluation of nature-based solutions and the role of technology.
The second, led by hub partners (Luiz Henrique Baqueiro from Jardim Botânico Araribá, Gabriela Orihuela from Huarango Nature, and Kiran Baldwin from Auroville Botanical Gardens), discussed how botanic gardens mentor businesses to achieve biodiversity-positive outcomes.
Exhibition Booth
Our exhibition booth, located in the blue zone, attracted significant attention from party delegates, businesses, NGOs, academics, Indigenous representatives, and journalists. The team actively engaged with visitors, introducing TGBS and its potential applications across various sectors. Over 500 people attended the booth across the COP16 event.
Additional Contributions
Dr David Bartholomew represented TGBS on a panel during the Sustainable Markets Initiative Day at Casa Británica, demonstrating how businesses can leverage TGBS to support biodiversity objectives.
The team also participated in key discussions on Restoration Day, Finance for Biodiversity, and New Monitoring Techniques, emphasising TGBS’s relevance to critical global biodiversity challenges.
Key Numbers from COP16
- 500+ individuals engaged at the exhibition booth, representing a diverse range of sectors.
- 5 events organised or co-hosted by TGBS, including the pre-launch, launch, and fireside chats.
- 200+ delegates attended events hosted by TGBS
- 3 certified sites awarded at the launch event, representing global leadership in biodiversity restoration.
- Representation from 8 countries and 10 partner organisations, showcasing the strength of TGBS’s global network.
Collaborating with networks to build resources for TGBS in India
By Kiran Baldwin, Auroville Botanical Gardens
In parallel to the development of The Global Biodiversity Standard across the world, the India hub at Auroville Botanical Gardens has not only been connecting with Indian Botanical Gardens but also developing a network of experts within the India Ecological Restoration Alliance (ERA). The India ERA was initiated by a small group of experienced ecological practitioners two years ago and has since grown into a diverse network of committed and knowledgeable individuals who are engaged in and committed to their local ecosystems across the country.
There are currently over 350 people signed up to the alliance, and it is a vibrant group that is developing shared knowledge and educational resources, as well as developing policy initiatives and strengthening the internal community. The alliance has an ecoregion approach that aligns perfectly with the methodology of TGBS and the reference model ecosystems and publishes all its resources on the public website (era-india.org).
Additionally, the alliance is building a germination protocol database for the key species of all ecoregions, as well as an inventory of the native plant nurseries—all key factors in the TGBS’s mentoring role that will develop in the coming years. It is a wonderful example of great minds thinking alike and the type of alignment that is required to push the global requirement for sound tree plantation programs and wider ecosystem restoration.
First cohort of Certified Assessors of TGBS in Malaysia at the Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC)
By Kiran Baldwin, Auroville Botanical Gardens
We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of a training course to certify the first group of Assessors for The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) at the Malaysia hub, the Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC). The training was conducted by Benny Banus Tuzan, Kiran Baldwin, and Luiz Henrique Rondina Baqueiro from the Malaysia, India, and Brazil hubs, respectively. This course covered the essential topics outlined in “The Global Biodiversity Standard: Manual for Assessment and Best Practices”, Bartholomew and Mosyaftiani et al. (2024).
The course sessions were dynamic and engaging, utilizing various methods such as presentations, discussion sessions, group activities, and workshops to enhance learning. A total of 13 enthusiastic participants took part, and their commitment was evident as everyone successfully passed the exam to become certified Assessors—congratulations to all!
This marks a significant expansion of TGBS into Southeast Asia, paving the way for enhanced biodiversity assessment in the region. The TRCRC team of Assessors will continue to build their knowledge and experience in the coming months, with mentorship to prepare for carrying out assessments effectively.
We look forward to seeing the positive impact these certified Assessors will have on local ecosystems and biodiversity conservation efforts.
The Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays as a new regional hub for The Global Biodiversity Standard in Argentina
By Graciela Barreiro, Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays
The Botanic Garden of Buenos Aires (Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays) is a historic site, planted accordingly to the encyclopedic premises of the 19th century: to show all the plants of the world to the people, as many species as the climate and the soil allow. The management plan adheres fervently to the XXI International Agenda that structures the Global Strategy for the Conservation of Plants, within the framework of a historical past recognized as a cultural value of the citizens of Buenos Aires and that, in this way, must be cared for and preserved.
The Garden was designed and planted in 1892 by Jules Charles Thays -a French landscaper who worked for the city- and opened to the public in 1898.
The location of the Garden gives it a central and close character, which facilitates easy access to the inhabitants of Buenos Aires and allows, at the same time, to use it as an educational resource on natural sciences -in particular, plant science- for thousands of students every year.
The technical staff work on the conservation of the national flora and have had main roles in research and fieldwork for restoration in different ecosystems of the country.
This experience led the Garden to work as a new protagonist in the wide network for The Global Biodiversity Standard, as the new hub in Argentina.
Add The Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanic Garden working for the formation of the first The Global Biodiversity Standard Hub in Mexico
By Orlik Gómez, Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanic Garden
The Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanic Garden (JBC) opened its doors to the public on February 17, 1977. It was established on the grounds of a property called Rancho Guadalupe, an old coffee and citrus farm, acquired by the government of the state of Veracruz in 1975.
Nowadays, after 47 years of experience, the JBC is committed to the creation and safeguarding a living plant collection, useful as a basis for understanding the relationship between plants and people, through research, the dissemination of botanical and horticultural knowledge, and education. The JBC houses an important and unique collection that contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of Mexico’s plant heritage and biological diversity, particularly those species of trees, shrubs, orchids, vines and more, native to the cloud forest. Also noteworthy are the national collections of cycads, native bamboos and the Pinguicula genus. Besides, The JBC oversees protecting and managing a fraction of a natural reserve: the Cloud Forest Sanctuary, which is an important reservoir of the biodiversity of these ecosystems.
Between 2019 and 2020, was established a new section called the “Ethnobiological Garden”, a set of 9 new exhibits of plants with traditional uses, highlighting wild edible, medicinal and aromatic species, which make traditional knowledge associated with the biodiversity of central Veracruz available to our visitors. In October 2023, the JBC received the BGCI’s botanic gardens Accreditation.
With its daily work promoting environmental culture, training in horticulture, arboriculture, investigative teaching of science, conservation, and education for sustainability, the Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanic Garden is a consolidated strategic public space that serves to scientific research, education and conservation of Mexico’s living heritage, solidly positioned and with wide national and international recognition as an institution that generates environmental culture. This is our strongest motivation to participate in the organization and integration of the first TGBS hub in Mexico, as we are convinced that, working with allies and stakeholders, we can impact positively on world’s biodiversity from the local.
Regional Trainings: Building Expertise for Biodiversity Restoration
By Gaby Orihuela & Jose Manuel Mamani, Huarango Nature
Huarago Nature, the Peru Hub of The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS), continues its mission to empower biodiversity specialists. Earlier this year, we successfully trained two groups of assessors in Cuzco and Lambayeque, adding 15 new certified experts. Now, we are proud to announce our latest regional training initiative, engaging multidisciplinary teams from two of South America’s esteemed botanical gardens.
This international training brings together teams from the Botanical Garden of Bogotá in Colombia and the Carlos Thays Botanical Garden in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In early 2025, the Francisco Javier Clavijero Botanical Garden in Xalapa, Mexico, will join as they embark on their certification journey.
The certification process follows a comprehensive approach with three modalities: virtual, face-to-face, and asynchronous components. We are excited to report that the Bogotá team is the first to complete their training, which included a hands-on field exercise and a rigorous evaluation. They are now officially part of the growing network of TGBS assessors, ready to evaluate and support biodiversity restoration efforts.
Supported by the Darwin Project, TGBS aims to train 200 assessors globally in this first stage. These certified professionals will play a vital role in assessing restoration projects aimed at incrementing biodiversity to fragile ecosystems around the world, particularly in regions where TGBS hubs are established.
Our region, like many others, faces severe environmental challenges. With ongoing droughts fueling uncontrolled fires that threaten key ecosystems, the need for effective restoration plans rooted in best practices has never been more urgent. Now, more than ever, we must continue building the human capital needed to protect and restore biodiversity in the face of these escalating threats.
TGBS In The News!
Businesses and NGOs call for global certification to stop greenwashing biodiversity schemes
Sidhi Mittal, Edie
Over 100 NGOs and academics voice support for The Global Biodiversity Standard
James Murray, Business Green
How the Ecosia search engine and the largest botanical network are revolutionizing global reforestation
Eric Garletti, Media24
Madagascar: a label presented at COP16 for truly sustainable reforestation
Sarah Tetaud, RFI
How biodiversity credits could help to conserve and restore nature
Alexandre Antonelli, Ximena Rueda, Robert Calcagno, & Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, Nature
New global standard for biodiversity uplift certification due next year
Tom Woolnough, Carbon Pulse
COP16: Global standard for biodiversity uplifts certifies first three projects
Giada Ferraglioni, Carbon Pulse
A Successful Model of Large-Scale Ecological Restoration in Madagascar
Rivonala Razafison, Mongabay
