EVENT: What do nature and biodiversity mean to Perth?

Create…Enhance…Restore…Protect…Nurture…Nourish…Support

Biodiversity and ecosystems support our lives and are vital for our survival. Biodiversity is our living bank balance and provides us with many of the things that sustain our lives. It is essential for our health and well-being that we protect our biodiversity and the services it provides.

Ecosystems support all life on Earth. It is essential if we want a nature rich future that we halt the loss of biodiversity to protect the services it provides, including our health and well-being. 2021-2030 has been declared the UN decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This has placed a spotlight on preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of all ecosystems to help end poverty, combat climate change and prevent mass extinction through transformational change.

In 2021, COP26 in Glasgow highlighted the importance of nature-based solutions to addressing climate change and the incredible natural assets we have in Scotland and in Perthshire. 2022 will see the adoption of the new Global Biodiversity Framework under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The Edinburgh Declaration sets out the key role cities and regions can play in addressing biodiversity loss and restoring ecosystems.

● What does all this mean for Perth and for Perthshire?
● How can we – citizens, businesses, organisations – help?
● What benefits will addressing climate change and biodiversity loss bring to our city and our region?
● What would a year of action on biodiversity and ecosystems look like?

In December 2019, the Perth City Leadership Forum held its first annual conference, drawing inspiration from other cities around Europe to look at what it would take for Perth to become the most sustainable small city in Europe. Since then, the Forum’s working groups have been taking forward the actions identified by the conference participants.

This second conference, on Friday 21st January 2022 from 0900 – 1300 will kick-start a year of action on biodiversity, providing inspiration and ideas, creating connections and partnerships for transformational change and highlighting some of the incredible work that is already happening on our doorstep. The conference will be run virtually via Hopin, offering an opportunity for networking and to showcase activities through virtual expo booths.