Last week, BiodivEarth took part in the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France and what an inspiring week it was! Full of meetings, ideas, and renewed motivation, our time at the conference reminded us why collaboration is key. We arrived in Nice eager to reconnect with our Community of Practice — from local site teams to global initiatives, researchers, and NGOs — and to explore new partnerships.

Highlights from the week include:

• Joining major ocean initiatives: “Small Islands Alliance: Guardians of the Ocean”, led by the Small Islands Organisation (SMILO), which brings together around 30 signatories to strengthen small island sustainability. “The Mediterranean: One Sea, One Future”, a declaration calling for a healthier future for the Mediterranean Sea.

• Community engagement: BiodivEarth members came together face-to-face for the first time in a while, sharing insights, challenging ideas, and shaping plans for the road ahead… offline, in real life!
• Contributing knowledge: At a UNU-IAS side event, Paule shared lessons from El Hierro (Canary Islands) in her talk “Landscape Approach to Resilient Seascapes,” highlighting our work on inclusive partnerships and local engagement.

This week was a powerful reminder that progress happens through community and collaboration. Thank you to everyone we met, reconnected with, or who supports BiodivEarth, near and far!