JPI Climate Highlights Cultural-Ecological Synergies at Biocultural Heritage Congress

The Congress on Cultural Ecosystem Services and Biocultural Heritage convened on May 20–21, 2025, at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, bringing together experts to explore the integration of cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation. Co-organized by JPI Climate, JPI Cultural Heritage, and the Centre for Functional Ecology, with the patronage of the UNESCO Man And Biosphere Programme, the event marked an important step in interdisciplinary collaboration.

The opening session featured Petra Manderscheid, Executive Director of JPI Climate, who underscored the importance of connecting climate knowledge with cultural heritage to enhance sustainability efforts.

From left to right: Maria Fernanda Rollo (NOVA University Lisbon), Shangyun Shen (JPI Cultural Heritage), António Abreu (UNESCO), João Ramalho-Santos (University of Coimbra), Petra Manderscheid (JPI Climate), Helena Freitas (University of Coimbra)

Keynote presentations and thematic panels addressed topics such as community empowerment, identity, and resilience, highlighting the role of local communities and traditional knowledge in sustainability. Interactive workshops showcased tools like AI and georeferencing in ecosystem services research.

The congress concluded with plans for the co-developement of a White Paper—a strategic and political document that will articulate a shared vision for integrating cultural values, sustainability, and open science. Crucially, it aims to amplify the voices of communities alongside academic and policy perspectives, showing a collective commitment to more inclusive approaches to global challenges.

For more information, visit the Biocultural Heritage website.

(Banner Photo by Egor Kunovsky on Unsplash)