Climate & Biodiversity Initiative
Since 2010, the BNP Paribas Foundation has been supporting research into climate change and biodiversity through its Climate & Biodiversity Initiative international sponsorship programme. The goal? Improving our knowledge of the interactions between climate and biodiversity and the disruption of the climate system, to assess the consequences for our environment and our societies. This enables all stakeholders involved to adapt their behaviour.
Tackling the climate challenge with biodiversity
Droughts, water stress, heat waves, an increase in extreme events, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, etc. The erosion of biodiversity is currently a major global concern. Natural ecosystems need to be better protected and preserved.
Climate change is also a major driver of biodiversity erosion – biodiversity being essential to the natural development of all the planet’s ecosystems. Therefore, these are undeniably two of the greatest environmental challenges of our time.
With this in mind, in 2019 the Foundation decided to rename its international philanthropic programme from “Climate Initiative” to “Climate & Biodiversity Initiative“, shifting the focus of the call for projects on supporting scientific research on climate and biodiversity.
Supporting scientific research on climate and biodiversity
As part of its commitment to the environment, since 2010, the BNP Paribas Foundation has been supporting research on climate and biodiversity by working with international research teams.
With a budget of €6 million over three years to fund and promote between 5 and 9 projects, this programme is based on the organisation of a call for projects every three years. During this call for projects, a rigorous selection process led by leading figures in their field of research is put in place to select the boldest, most innovative projects with the greatest impact.
€6 M
over three years to fund and promote between 5 and 9 projects*
*environmental research projects on climate and biodiversity
The last call for projects was launched in Europe in 2022. Its objective? To select research projects aimed at improving knowledge of the interactions between climate and biodiversity and their effects on our societies. It also encourages researchers to identify nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss.
Between 2023 and 2025, 8 new international research projects will join the programme. Some of the winning research projects, for example, are looking at ocean acidification, how forests – whether plant or animal forests! – capture and store carbon, or the resistance of fruit trees to climate change.
“Climate & Biodiversity Initiative, supporting research on climate & biodiversity”YouTube playlist (from the BNP Paribas Foundation YouTube channel) :
Further support for research
As a result of its long-standing common history with the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM), the BNP Paribas Foundation has decided to renew this partnership through the 2020 edition of the FRM’s “Environment & Health” call for projects.
Until 2024, we will be supporting the research projects of researcher Karine Adel-Patient on the links between perinatal nutrition and childhood allergies, and researcher Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya on the consequences of abnormal light exposure for teenagers.
Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM): French foundation supporting and financing public research in all areas in the fields of medicine and pathophysiology.
The selection process
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