AIS, Ateneo Wild, BiodivLab organize roundtable on multi-sectoral, inter-unit collaboration for biodiversity

The Ateneo Institute of Sustainability (AIS), in partnership with the Ateneo Biodiversity Research Laboratory and The Ateneo Wild, hosted the Biodiversity Day Roundtable Discussion last May 22, 2024 in honor of International Day for Biodiversity (IDB). Serving as one of AIS’ programs for Laudato Si’ Week, this roundtable discussion aimed to bring the different sectors of the Ateneo de Manila together to explore the possibilities for collaboration on the university’s biodiversity initiatives. 

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a multilateral treaty of the United Nations, also recognized the event as one of the official local celebrations of the IDB 2024. Therefore, the target of this roundtable discussion is also in line with IDB’s theme for the said year, “Be Part of the Plan,” underscoring the need for collective action from the various members of the community as we aim to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) by 2030. Given the mere six years remaining until the deadline for the 2030 agenda, the necessity of multilateral cooperation is becoming more emphasized in the global community. With that, this theme also aims to coincide with the highly anticipated adoption of the Summit of the Future 2024 output namely the “Pact for the Future”, a monumental document streamlining and modernizing international cooperation to address the world’s critical problems. 

The plenary began with a keynote lecture delivered by Mr. Perry Archival C. Buenavente, a researcher heading the Entomology Section at the Philippine National Museum for Natural History, Manila. The lecture delved into the history and biodiversity projects of the National Museum, highlighting its efforts in rediscovering the various species in the country after records of their existence were destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. The talk emphasized how we are currently losing more species than we can discover, thus treating the National Museum as one of the means to regain the confidence of researchers and scientists using the studies that the museum can make accessible to the public.

Following the keynote lecture was a panel discussion on the projects that various members of the Ateneo community have initiated to promote and protect biodiversity. The panel discussants included Coach Jarrel Keane M. Agcaoili, a Physical Education instructor at Ateneo Senior High School, who gave his insights into the curricular aspect of promoting biodiversity through bird-watching and biking. Joining through Zoom was Dr. Rainier A. Ibana, a professor of Environmental Ethics at the Department of Philosophy, who spoke about the humanities research on climate change and biodiversity loss. Lastly, Ms. Lara Akisha D. Lamb and Mr. Joshua Covenant M. Angeles (3 BS Bio) discussed the Ateneo Biological Organization’s campus diversity nature walk entitled “Into the Wild”.

After the panel discussion, the program underscored not only the individual projects of the different sectors of the Ateneo but also the institutional approach that the university is executing as one community. This is through the Ateneo de Manila’s Roadmap for our Biodiversity Action Plan, presented by Mr. Segis Quintin R. Borja, Program Officer for Campus Sustainability at the AIS. 

Following this, the roundtable proper served as a platform to initiate conversation among the various members of the Ateneo community to collaborate on their respective advocacies and attain a shared vision for our campus biodiversity. This also gave attention to the challenges that arose in implementing these projects, ultimately stressing the need for systems thinking and public engagement when working towards biodiversity.