On 17-18 September 2025, CO-OP4CBD took part in the Biodiversa+ Midterm Conference, hosted at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands. The event brought together leading biodiversity initiatives, researchers, and policymakers to reflect on progress and strengthen Europe’s biodiversity science-policy interface.

The CO-OP4CBD team present on site included project coordinator Nathalie Morata (FRB), Kaisa Korhonen-Kurki (Syke), Andras Baldi (HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research) and Alexandra Korcheva (Pensoft). The project partners actively contributed to discussions on how the project supports the integration of UN CBD processes in the European context. In close collaboration with its sister projects BioAgora and RESPIN, CO-OP4CBD presented their joint efforts to reinforce the European biodiversity science-policy interface. Together, the three projects demonstrated how structured collaboration helps to maximise the policy impact of research and supports the EU’s role within the global biodiversity agenda.

Promotional materials from CO-OP4CBD, BioAgora and RESPIN were displayed throughout the two days of the conference, underlining the strong synergies among Horizon Europe projects working at the science-policy interface.

A special collaborative session on building new key collaborations gathered representatives from CO-OP4CBD, BioAgora, RESPIN, the ECA Network and Biodiversa+, showcasing ongoing cooperation and discussing future pathways to deepen collaboration. In the session presentation, Nathalie Morata provided insight into the projects' role in the biodiversity SPI and provided an introduction to all of these initiatives. The session highlighted how joint actions contribute to more effective knowledge uptake and strengthen Europe’s voice in international biodiversity processes.

The Biodiversa+ Midterm Conference offered CO-OP4CBD a valuable platform to showcase its progress, engage with policymakers and scientific peers, and reinforce partnerships across Europe’s biodiversity science-policy community.