1. Was Biodiversity the real concern on March 12th?

March 18th, 2020

This weekend, we learned about the closure of the Collège des Bernardins until further notice. Two days earlier, about a hundred participants, often aware of the risk, were engaged in discussions on marine biodiversity at the same location. Why?

On the morning of Emmanuel Macron's first speech, announced to limit the spread of the virus, transportation is unusually empty in the capital. Upon arrival in the auditorium, tension is palpable not because of COVID-19 itself—missed handshakes are more amusing. What is more worrisome is the absence of the three announced ministers. Foreign researchers have had their trips to France canceled, and gaps in the presentations are multiplying. The organizer regains composure and expresses optimism. A climate of trust settles in, and the atmosphere, made more informal, opens up horizons of freedom for those who may still hesitate to express their opinions. The cream of the crop in the field of marine life is present. Their goal is clear: to elevate biodiversity to a position as central as climate in the coming years. The international negotiations that will continue in Marseille at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, in China during the Biodiversity COP, and in Lisbon at the international conference on ocean preservation require thorough preparation.

We will witness the unequivocal diagnosis of the present and future state of marine ecosystems presented by scientists. We will see how civil society, heavily involved in the fight against climate change, seems to have a lesser awareness of what we will call "bio-desertification," even though this role is central, influencing public policies on the one hand and markets on the other. Markets, although on the front lines of biodiversity decline, do not fully grasp the extent of the change. Over the next two weeks, we will guide you through the questions and solutions discussed on March 12 to help you grasp a major issue of the 21st century. Through the reflections of researchers, decision-makers, and stakeholders in the fishing industry, we will highlight current topics related to the three themes discussed. Join us tomorrow for a closer look at the key characteristics of marine biodiversity.