FAO LEAP partnership unites scientists and experts worldwide in San Jose, Costa Rica
Two technical advisory groups of experts made up of more than 60 members will meet in Costa Rica for the development of new guidelines.
The FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership will brings together two technical advisory groups (TAGs) of experts for the development of new guidelines on circular bioeconomy approaches and ecosystem services in San Jose, Costa Rica from 28 to 30 November. The objectives of this meeting are to define and establish the principal challenges of circular bioeconomy, and to develop a harmonized international approach to assess and evaluate ecosystem services' contribution from livestock production.
Background
Over the past ten years, the FAO LEAP Partnership united scientists and experts worldwide and successfully published 12 guidelines and technical reports by deploying science-based approaches. In the future, the partnership will continue focusing on the environmental performance of livestock supply chains, contribute to sustainable livestock transformation to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. In 2022, the FAO LEAP Partnership initiated two new guidelines development: Circular Bioconomy Approaches and Ecosystem Services.
First Technical Advisory Group Meeting in Rome
The guideline development of Circular Bioeconomy Approaches and Ecosystem Services was approved by the FAO LEAP Partnership Steering Committee in 2022. The secretariat, consequently, published a call for experts and nominated 66 experts from 27 countries as members of these technical advisory groups.
On 18 and 19 April 2023, TAG members had their first meeting at FAO HQ in Rome. During this two-day discussion, the interdisciplinary groups of experts discussed principles, opportunities, and challenges to assess ecosystem services and circular bioeconomy approaches in livestock systems in an internationally harmonized way.
During this introductory meeting, TAG members determined the outline of the guidelines, nominated lead authors, and assigned roles and responsibilities within the groups. Moreover, a general time plan was proposed by the secretariat and TAG leaders and agreed upon by the TAG members.
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· Members Ecosystem Services TAG
· Leaders Ecosystem Services TAG