Research on biodiversity is essential to help the European Union and EU Member States to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity as well as other biodiversity related directives. There is a need for co-ordination between researchers working in this field, the policy-makers that need the research results and the organisations that fund research in this field.

 

BioPlatform is a network of scientists and policy makers that work in different fields of biodiversity and aims at improving the effectiveness and relevance of European biodiversity research, fulfilling functions that provide significant components of a European Research Area. BioPlatform supports the existing “European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy” (EPBRS), a forum of scientists and policy makers representing the EU countries, whose aims are to promote discussion of EU biodiversity research strategies and priorities, exchange of information on national biodiversity activities and the dissemination of current best practices and information regarding the scientific understanding of biodiversity conservation.

 

This is a report of the BioPlatform E-conference entitled “Genetic biodiversity in agricultural and natural systems: Measurement, understanding and management” preceding the EPBRS meeting to be held under the Italian Presidency of the European Union in Florence, Italy from the 20th to the 24th November 2003. This meeting will discuss the current understanding of genetic diversity in Europe, the current threats and ways in which to conserve it.