Belgium

Belgium's Final Report for the International Year of Biodiversity 2010

Website for the International Year of Biodiversity in Belgium
Site web de l'Année internationale de la biodiversité en Belgique (nl - fr - en- de)

Lessons learned during the International Year of Biodiversity by natural history museums, botanical gardens and international organisations

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Activities for the International Year of Biodiversity (pps) - (pdf)

Biodiversité 52
The Directorate General for Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment of the Walloon Public Service conducted a major communication campaign on biodiversity, in partnership with NGO's, the public media. Several Life projects were also going on in Wallonia, with actions dedicated to endangered butterflies conservation, chalk grassland restoration, and species and natural habitat monitoring. Website

The Belgian COP10 blog
The Belgian delegation (via the Belgian CBD Focal Point) will be maintaining a blog for the general public during COP: COP10 in 10 questions and 10 themes. There will be portraits of the Belgian delegation, information on the major COP issues, life within and around the negotiations, challenges of having to negotiate on behalf of the EU and its 27 member states (as Belgium has the Presidency right now), side events, etc.
Languages: French, Dutch and some English. Website - Twitter

The Flemish NGO Natuurpunt held a large field inventory weekend aiming to observe 2010 species. It resulted in the impressive number of 39 000 sightings and 3 211 observed species. (In Flemish).

A new species of amphibian has been discovered
Philippe Kok and Mark Wilkinson have decided to name this new species as “Microcaecilia iyob” in honour to the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. This amphibian is part of the Caecilians family (amphibians without legs). Document (fr) – Website (fr)

366 gestes pour la biodiversité (in French and Flemish only) Simple everyday actions to protect the Biodiversity. The book « 366 gestes pour la biodiversité » is now available as a screensaver for Mac and Windows. A new advice every day! Check the links below for downloading. Le livre « 366 gestes pour la biodiversité » est maintenant disponible en screensaver. Chaque jour, un nouveau conseil sur votre écran ! Téléchargez ici la version PC ou la version Mac. PC (32.6 MB) - Mac (34.2 MB) Vous aimez observer les plantes dans la rue et vous promener dans la nature (en restant sur les sentiers bien sûr!) ? Vous mangez de préférence des fruits et légumes de saison? En hiver, vous nourrissez les oiseaux tous les jours? Après les fêtes, vous recyclez votre sapin de Noël et les bouchons de liège des bouteilles? Sans le savoir, vous faites déjà beaucoup pour la biodiversité. Des gestes quotidiens souvent très simples comme ceux-là suffisent à protéger les richesses de la nature. Et des gestes, il y en a beaucoup… au moins un par jour!

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences Engagement campaign

Roodwaternacht The province of Antwerp presented Roodwaternacht a nature book for children put together by Flemish artists, and organized a lot of related activities

The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences launched the species register, an online and illustrated inventory of all species living in Belgium

I give life to my planet The engagement campaign www.igivelifetomyplanet.be and its enriched website, a joint project with the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment.

Belgium celebrated the 2010 International Day for Biological Diversity by organizing several activities and events, most of them targeted towards the general public. Here are a few examples.

Dates and Venue	Event
17 November 2009 - 31 December 2010 Brussels Confirmed	‘I give life to my planet’ Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Permanent Brussels Confirmed	366 gestes pour la biodiversité Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Permanent Brussels Confirmed	RoodWaterNacht Book Organized by: Provincie Antwerpen (Province of Antwerp)
Various dates Brussels Confirmed	2010: Année Biodiversité Organized by: Univeristé Libre de Bruxelles
Throughout 2010 Ghent Confirmed	Campaign "Biodiversiteit, alles hangt samen" Organized by: Province of West Vlaanderen
1 January - 31 December 2010 Namur Confirmed	Biodiversité 52 (Biodiversity 52) Organized by: Service Public de Wallonie: Direction Générale Opérationnelle Agriculture, Ressources naturelles et Environnement Yuluka SPRL
26 January 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Biodiversity on the Brink - BirdLife’s photo exhibition to launch the International Year of Biodiversity Organized by: BirdLife European Division
Permanent Brussels Confirmed	Invite Nature at Home: a practical guide to gardens and balconies in Brussels Organized by: City of Brussels Natagora
Permanent Brussels Confirmed	Installation of bird breeding cages in the parks of Brussels Organized by: City of Brussels Natagora
22 March - 2 April 2010 Liege Confirmed	Exposition sur la biodiversité Organized by: Service Environnement de la Ville de Liège
31 March - 31 May 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Falcons for All/Faulcons pour Tous/Valken voor Iedereen Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
31 March 2010 - 31 December 2011 Brussels	Touring exhibition "BiodiverCity" Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
24 April 2010 - 9 January 2011 Tervuren Confirmed	Congo River. 4700 Kilometres Bursting with Nature and Culture Organized by: Royal Museum for Central Africa
6 May 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Taste Biodiversity!: How biodiversity is feeding the world Organized by: The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament
17 May 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Seed bags distribution event Organized by: City of Brussels
20 May - 31 August 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Biogeosafari Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Permanent Brussels Confirmed	The Belgian Species List: All things considered Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
21 May 2010 Gent Confirmed	What is Gent University Doing for Biodiversity?
22 May - 24 October 2010 Meise Confirmed	Boxes brimming with life // A photo exhibition by Tom Linster Organized by: National Botanical Garden of Belgium
22 May 2010 Marionville Confirmed	Party for Biodiversity Organized by: Natagora
22 May 2010 Antwerp Confirmed	RoodWaterNacht Event (Red Water Night) Organized by: Provincie Antwerpen (Province of Antwerp)
22 - 24 May 2010 Meise Confirmed	Passiflora Organized by: Rekad Produkties Nv.
22 - 23 May 2010 Brussels Confirmed	“Count them up 2010” Organized by: Natuurpunt
27 May 2010 - 9 January 2011 Meise Confirmed	Amazing Africa Organized by: National Botanical Garden of Belgium
30 May 2010 Ghent Confirmed	“Park Day” Organized by: Natuur en Bos (Nature and Forest)
1 - 6 June 2010 Geel Confirmed	The 3rd European Youth Perspective Conference on Biodiversity
1 - 4 June 2010 Brussels Confirmed	The 2010 Green Week Conference : Biodiversity - Our Lifeline / Organized by the European Commission-Directorate-General for the Environment Organized by: European Commission, Directorate General, Environment European Commission
2 June 2010 Brussel	Nature Group Workshop
5 - 13 June 2010 Ghent Confirmed	Bioweek Organized by: BioForum Vlaanderen
6 June 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Celebration of the Environment Organized by: BIM / IBGE
6 June - 31 August 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Expo photos « La biodiversité à Bruxelles » Organized by: BIM / IBGE
June - October 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Deskchairs in Brussels' Parks Organized by: BIM / IBGE
7 June 2010 Bruxelles Confirmed	Changement climatique et biodiversité : le réseau Natura 2000 risque-t-il de devenir une coquille vide?
25 June 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Conference: “European biodiversity in a global context" Organized by: European Bureau for Conservation Development
1 July - 31 August 2010 Mons Confirmed	Special biodiversity summer Organized by: Parc d'Aventures Scientifique (Scientific Adventures Parc)
1 - 6 July 2010 Geel	YouPEC 2010: European Youth Perspective Conference on Biodiversity - Third Edition Organized by: Jeugdbond voor Natuur en Milieu (Youth Organization for Nature and Environment), Belgium
7 July 2010 Brussels Confirmed	The Bee Party Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
15 July - 15 October 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Comic book contest: “What positive visions for biodiversity?” Organized by: Belgian Science Policy Office
17 - 18 July 2010 Grandhan Confirmed	Été 2010 : stages et formation
27 July - 5 September 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Science at the Palace Organized by: Belgian Science Policy Office
14 - 15 August 2010 Grandhan Confirmed	Été 2010 : stages et formation
24 - 26 August 2010 Namur Confirmed	Pluralist congress of Sciences Organized by: Association des professeurs de biologie (Association of Biology Teachers)
8 - 9 September 2010 Ghent Confirmed	Biodiversity post-2010 – “Biodiversity in a Changing World” Organized by: Institute Culturel et Educatif Montagnais
10 - 11 September 2010 Couvin Confirmed	Natura Music Festival
13 - 17 September 2010 Ghent Confirmed	8th Annual Colloquium of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law: Linkages between Biodiversity and Climate Change
15 September 2010 Brussels Confirmed	XperiLAB Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
16 - 18 September 2010 Meise Confirmed	International Symposium “Botanical Diversity: Exploration, Understanding and Use” Organized by: Indigenous World Association of Hawaii Académie Royale des Sciences d’Outre-Mer (The Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences)
19 September 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Bruxelles Champêtre/Landelijk Brussel Organized by: POSECO: Centre d'Information pour une Economie Positive asbl
22 - 24 September 2010 Brussels, Liege, Genk Confirmed	GSN Annual Meeting Organized by: Green Spider Network
23 - 24 September 2010 Brussels Confirmed	High-level Conference: 'Soil, climate change and biodiversity: where do we stand?' Organized by: European Commission, Directorate General, Environment European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre
26 September 2010 Mouscron Confirmed	Biodiversity and Culture in Mouscron
Permanent Brussels Confirmed	Educational Kit on Biodiversity Organized by: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
1 October 2010 Louvain-la-Neuve	La compensation écologique : clé d’un développement respectueux de la biodiversité ou simple leurre ?
18 - 19 October 2010 Brussels Confirmed	EUFJE Brussels Conference 2010: Enforcement of the European Biodiversity Law at National Level Organized by: EU Forum of Judges for the Environment
20 October 2010 Brussels Confirmed	Biodiversity World Tour - Stop #2: With a population set to surpass 9 billion by 2050 – how will we balance our need to feed a growing population while continuing to protect our planet?
16 - 19 November 2010 Brussels	"Positive Visions for Biodiversity" - Meeting of the European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS) Organized by: Belgian Science Policy Office
19 November 2010 Mons Confirmed	La protection juridique des espèces en dehors des aires protégées
11/23/2010 Brussels Confirmed	Chat with Jo Leinen
12/3/2010 Brussels Confirmed	Bestowing Ceremony of the EuroMed Award for Dialogue between Cultures 2010

 
Some national activities which are foreseen in Belgium in the framework of 2010:

• a special TV programme on Belgian environmental politics, broadcasted by the Belgian national French-speaking television; this programme will emphasize biodiversity.
• the opening of a new permanent hall on biodiversity in urban areas at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels.
• a national engagement campaign for biodiversity ‘I give life to my planet’.
• an almanac on biodiversity, which proposes daily actions on how to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity as part of daily actions (French and Dutch).
• the launch of a trail game on biodiversity in Brussels – Bio-geo-safari.
• the organisation of a public awareness event on the importance of pollination for biodiversity, development and poverty reduction (a "pollination day" on 7 July 2010 – to be confirmed).

At subnational level, the Regions are also developing their programmes:

• The Walloon Region plans a communication campaign called ‘52 semaines de biodiversité’ which will focus on 52 themes, one theme each week, related to the preservation or development of biodiversity with the aim to make the public aware of the importance of biodiversity and show the numerous actions undertaken by the Walloon Region to preserve it.
• The Direction générale operationnelle Agriculture, Ressources naturelles et Environnement (DGARNE) will set up a framework and official programme, and publish a card per theme.
• The Flemish Region is planning a series of seminars and conferences on biodiversity-related issues during the second half of 2010 (ecosystem services, biodiversity in urban areas, biodiversity and biomass production, etc. - number and exact content of conferences to be confirmed).
• The Brussels Capital Region will prioritize biodiversity in 2010 by developing and communicating on new legislation as well as action plans on biodiversity in general and threatened species in particular.

Nature-protection NGOs Natuurpunt and Natagora are also preparing many activities.

Past Events

Biodiversity post-2010 – “Biodiversity in a Changing World”

In the framework of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, the Flemish Ministry of Environment, Nature and Energy, in cooperation with the European Commission and the other Belgian Ministries of Environment, will be hosting the conference on biodiversity post-2010: “Biodiversity in a changing world”. This conference will take place in Ghent (Belgium), on the 8th and 9th of September 2010.

• Objectives
  The main objective of the conference is to feed into the preparation of an EU biodiversity strategy for the post-2010 period and to streamline the EU’s position in the international negotiations on a global biodiversity policy at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (October 2010).
  
• Who can participate?
  We warmly invite representatives of local, regional and national governments, policy makers, members of the European institutions, NGOs and the private sector, as well as scientists and other relevant stakeholders, to participate in this important event.
  More information about the conference "Biodiversity in a changing world"