XX International Botanical Congress (IBC), 2024
World’s Botanists Release Ten Calls for Action for a Sustainable Future
More than 3,000 botanists from 95 countries gathered at the XX International Botanical Congress in Madrid, held between 21-27th of July 2024, and issued ten calls for action, putting plants at the center of society’s path toward a sustainable future. They urge stronger connections between plants and people for future planetary health and resilience.
After a week of stimulating talks covering topics across the plant sciences – from ecology to evolution, plant form and function to conservation – the scientists came together in a final plenary session to send a call to society.
The group called for ten strategic actions by plant scientists, botanical Institutions, governments, the corporate sector, and civil society. These actions are needed to mitigate the degradation of plant life by human activities. Stronger connections between plants and people and the proposed actions, will nurture the mutual benefits of these interactions while promoting planetary health and resilience.
Interactions between plants and people over millennia have shaped societies through services fundamental to human existence, including food, medicines, clothing, building materials, and energy. Nevertheless, a great deal remains to be understood about the relationships of plant life with other organisms and the roles of plants in ecological systems. Collaborations across science, technology, the arts, and humanities, including local and Indigenous knowledge, are essential to better understand and communicate the importance of plants, and address the biodiversity crisis in creative and impactful ways. More than ever, we must leverage the power of plants through approaches that weave together different ways of knowing, doing, and being so we can better understand plant-human interactions, safeguard knowledge, and ensure that our planet remains diverse, healthy, and habitable for future generations.
When those studying the biology of algae, fungi, and plants meet again in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2029 at the XXI International Botanical Congress, the community will measure progress against these calls.
Quotes from the IBC Organizing Committee.
“It would be a huge step forward for humanity if we could all get on the same page about what plants really are and what they mean for us and the planet. It would be a big boost to our future.” Gonzalo Nieto-Feliner, President of the International Botanical Congress (IBC)
“The world is changing rapidly, and this is a critical time for further action by scientists, governments, the corporate sector, and civil society. We need to combine knowledge from different sources, including knowledge from local and Indigenous communities, develop actions across sectors, and develop creative new solutions. All sectors need to work together towards a more sustainable future.” Lúcia G. Lohmann, Vice-President of IBC and Chair of the XX IBC Declaration Drafting Committee
“The future of the planet and humanity calls for a commitment to sustainability and significant changes to how we interact with biodiversity and the environment. Plants and fungi, on which we are intimately dependent, are heading towards rarefaction or extinction. Any plans for the future – even those based on a green economy – must reverse those trends so we can leave a healthy planet to the future generations.” Juan Carlos Moreno, Vice-President of the International Botanical Congress (IBC) and President of the Spanish Botanical Society (SEBOT)
“Understanding plant evolution is not just an academic pursuit; it is a vital key to unlocking solutions for humanity’s future challenges. By comprehending how plants have adapted and thrived over millions of years, we can harness this knowledge to innovate sustainable practices, combat climate change, and ensure food security. Our commitment to studying plant evolution will pave the way for groundbreaking advancements that will benefit both our planet and future generations.” Marcial Escudero, Secretary General of the International Botanical Congress (IBC)
Ten Calls for Action
1. Plant Diversity as the Foundation: Participants call for improved support and recognition of the critical role of plant diversity studies, natural history collections, and botanical gardens.
2. Botanical Education at all Levels: Participants call for increased emphasis on botanical education from early childhood through life-long learning.
3. Collaborative Transdisciplinary Approaches: Participants call for more collaborative and transdisciplinary approaches to plant research, including local and Indigenous knowledge, the arts, humanities, and diverse scientific approaches.
4. Addressing Inequalities in the Plant Sciences: Participants call for mutually respectful, equitable, partnership-based approaches and proper inclusion and benefit sharing for all stakeholders involved in research, policy formulation, and product development.
5. Recognizing Biocultural Diversity: Participants call for improved recognition and support for biocultural diversity, including the co-production of knowledge and bringing together diverse knowledge systems, methodologies, and stakeholders.
6. Plant Diversity is Central to Ecosystem Protection and Restoration: Participants call for conservation and restoration strategies that prioritize plant diversity while protecting the functioning of ecosystems and landscapes.
7. Policy Based on Sound Knowledge About Plants: Participants call for evidence-based decision-making with improved integration of botanical knowledge into sustainable long-term policy decisions.
8. Harnessing Nature-Based Solutions: Participants call for the increased recognition and implementation of diverse nature-based solutions that maximize species diversity, increase resilience to climate change, enhance plant conservation, and encourage sustainable management and ecosystem restoration.
9. A Stronger Role of Plants in Achieving Sustainability and a Net Zero Economy: Participants call for an increased recognition of the role of plants in achieving sustainability and establishing a net-zero economy.
10. Increasing Awareness of the Centrality of Plants for Planetary Health and Resilience: Participants call for increased awareness of the importance of plants for planetary health and resilience.
Full Declaration Here
