NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The theme of the 2023 Global Development Conference is ‘Biodiversity and Sustainable Development’. Mainstreaming biodiversity is no longer a luxury but an urgency. It is crucial to integrate actions or policies related to biodiversity into broader development processes or policies such as those aimed at poverty reduction, or tackling climate change.

The conference proposes to address the following thematic blocks:

1. Alternative, nature-based solutions for sustainability challenges (including perspectives from indigenous people)
2. From ecosystem valuation (methodological approaches) and political commitments to implementation of the new GBF
3. Mainstreaming biodiversity and scaling up mainstreaming
4. Biodiversity loss, poverty and global inequality – links and trade-offs
5. Financing nature and biodiversity – domestic, international, private sector
6. Biodiversity governance – local and international
7. Technology and Innovation – links to biodiversity and ecosystem preservation
8. Interdisciplinary research and capacity building – including diverse knowledge systems

A Scientific Committee has been formed with leading figures in the field to help identify plenary speakers, validate conference themes and promote the event in their communities. They will also participate in the final stage of the selection of the shortlisted papers and session proposals received through the open calls. Some of the Scientific Committee members may of course also be speakers themselves at the conference. An Organizing Committee has also been constituted with representatives of the conference co- hosts who will play a key role in spearheading the event.

The conference is set to take place in Quito, Ecuador on October 31 –  November 1, 2023, in collaboration with Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and Future Earth. The conference is supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Recovery.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The conference will target roughly 800 participants total (in person and online), drawn from a diverse group of researchers, evaluators, policymakers, representatives of international organizations, civil society, development practitioners and the private sector. In keeping with the trademark of the Global Development Conference, the majority of the participants will be from developing countries.

GET INVOLVED

The Call for Papers is issued in two stages: abstracts and then full papers. All submissions will be first screened and shortlisted by members of the conference Organizing Committee (with representatives of the conference co-hosts) and the final selection will be made by the Scientific Committee. Some of the paper authors will be asked to submit research posters instead of full papers. Interested individuals should submit their paper abstracts by June 12, 2023, 11:59 pm CET.

The Call for Sessions invites relevant international research institutions, organizations and networks to contribute papers, speakers, sessions, dedicated exhibits and/or side events. Those interested should submit the title and abstract of their session by June 30, 2023, 11:59 PM CET.

ABOUT THE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

The GDN Global Development Conference hosts high-level, inclusive, evidence-based debates on current development challenges and priorities, with a majority of participation from low and middle income countries (LMICs). It provides promising researchers from these countries an opportunity to disseminate their work, share their ideas, interact with world-renowned academics and policymakers and network globally, thus contributing to strengthening their capacity and professional visibility. On the other hand, it offers new, Southern perspectives on sustainable development issues mostly debated in developed countries and reinforces cooperation and development effectiveness. The conference is held in a different region and on a different theme each year.

Time: 11:59 PM CET / 5:59 AM ET