CREAF

The 2023 INQUA Congress will take place in Rome to acknowledge the importance of the region and the role Italian Quaternary scientists play in the international debate. The program was designed around the theme “Time for Change” emphasizing the critical role of Quaternary sciences in contributing the knowledge we need to face current societal and climate challenges.

CREAF researcher Sergi Pla will talk about the paleographic vision: Unveiling the ghost of time to assess ecosystems and develop conservation and restoration actions during session 141 "How can the Quaternary sciences contribute to scientific assessment of biodiversity, ecosystems, and nature?" under the theme "Palaeoecology as a tool for ecosystem management".

Formal scientific assessment of the causes and impacts of environmental change is a critical process by which science informs environmental policy. Assessments have been done on a variety of topics, including climate change, biodiversity, ozone, and ecosystem services, and at scales ranging from local and regional to national and global. The Quaternary sciences focus on the drivers, interactions, and consequences of past environmental changes, and hence are highly relevant to assessments of ongoing and future environmental change. For the past three decades, Quaternary scientists have played important roles in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). However, other assessments, including the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) and the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), have seen much less participation and contribution from the Quaternary sciences. This session will explore how Quaternary sciences can contribute to assessment of biodiversity, ecosystems, and nature, including linking archeological and paleoecological knowledge with traditional ecological knowledge. We will bring together scientists with diverse perspectives and experience to discuss challenges and opportunities at the science/policy boundary.

Register here!