The National Institute of Biology is the first Slovenian institution to join the Global Coalition “United for Biodiversity”

Ahead of World Biodiversity Day this 22nd of May, the National Institute of Biology is very proud to announce it becomes the first Slovenian institution to join the European Commission’s Global Coalition “United for Biodiversity”, aiming at raising awareness about the need to protect all forms of life. Launched on World Wildlife day 2020, by EU Commissioner for Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius, the Coalition addressed all national parks, aquariums, botanic gardens, zoos, museums, research centers, universities and others to join forces and speak about the nature crisis. The National Institute of Biology is the fourth research center worldwide that has joined the Coalition, following the announcements of the Nature Conservation Centre of the American University of Beirut, the Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat of the University of Barcelona and the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity in Cambodia. By signing the Coalition common pledge calling for decisive global action to halt biodiversity loss, we added our voice to more than 290 institutions and organisations worldwide, summed up the Director of the National Institute of Biology, Prof. Dr. Maja Ravnikar.

At The Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research at the National Institute of Biology, biodiversity is the main research theme, says the head of the department, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meta Virant-Doberlet. We are the Coordinating Beneficiary of the “LIFE Naturaviva, Biodiversity – Art of Life” project, where we have been promoting biodiversity of Slovenia with nine other beneficiaries, for more than three years now. One of the main missions of our department in this respect is to bring scientific findings on biodiversity closer to general public, which is also the purpose of our latest book “60 views of biodiversity”. We are using social media to spread our knowledge and promote the importance of biodiversity. As much as we need biodiversity for fresh air, clean water, and food, at this point nature needs us and we need to act fast, as science warns us one million species are at risk of extinction.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Davorin Tome from the National Institute of Biology stated: “Biodiversity in Slovenia is still remarkably well preserved. Among EU countries, we have the biggest proportion of the land designated as Natura 2000 sites. Perhaps this is what it takes to see more clearly, how quickly conditions deteriorate, with biodiversity disappearing practically on a daily basis. At the National Institute of Biology, we are convinced that things will go for better only when people will act. However, in order for people to act, to paraphrase well known primate researcher Jane Goodall, they have to understand what is on the stake here. Therefore, people’s awareness is a crucial part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis.”

The Coalition aims to gather 500 members ahead of the crucial Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CoP 15), which will be held in China in October 2021. Therefore, we encourage all Slovenian and world research institutions, museums, universities, nature parks, botanic gardens, zoos and aquariums to join this movement in the name of biodiversity!

Find out more about the Global Coalition, the importance of biodiversity and CoP15 on social networks via the hashtag #UnitedforBiodiversity, #CoP15, #ForNature, #EUBiodiversity, #EUPollinators, #biodiversity, #biodiverziteta, #LifeNaturaviva. Interested institutions can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information or to sign up.