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NSCAD brings unique perspective to World Biodiversity Forum

NSCAD University President Dr. Aoife Mac Namara is presenting at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, bringing a unique and creative perspective to an international discussion.
The World Bio­di­ver­si­ty Fo­rum brings together lead­ing re­searchers, prac­ti­tion­ers, de­ci­sion mak­ers and representatives from a cross-section of industries and backgrounds to have a con­ver­sa­tion on the fu­ture of bio­di­ver­si­ty across the globe.

Dr. Mac Namara wants everyone in attendance to know that the creative industries can, and will, play an important role in this process.

NSCAD University President Dr. Aoife Mac Namara, presenting at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
NSCAD University President Dr. Aoife Mac Namara, presenting at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“We are in the middle of a plant extinction crisis that won’t be addressed unless we break from the cycle of make, use and discard. Art, design and the creative industries have a critical role to play in changing our relationship to nature, material and consumption,” said Dr. Mac Namara. “NSCAD is working with people at this forum to help shape our future relationship to the natural world. Working together, across disciplines, traditions and geographies, and aided by new, traditional and Indigenous ways of knowing, we are building the capacity to create products, processes and systems that benefit society and the environment.”

Including the creative industries in this discussion is crucial to determining a well-balanced and holistic approach to biodiversity protection and promotion in the decade ahead. Whether it’s designing packaging and products, or coming up with new ways of producing more sustainable and eco-friendly materials, the creative industries are poised to play an important role in future plans and outcomes.

The World Bio­di­ver­si­ty Fo­rum is designed as a plat­form for ex­change, cov­er­ing a wide range of per­spec­tives, and cap­tur­ing a di­ver­si­ty of vi­sions. More than 30 the­mat­ic ses­sions are scheduled, setting the tone for in­no­v­a­tive and time­ly ques­tions, while bringing together re­searchers and prac­ti­tion­ers from a va­ri­ety of dis­ci­plines.

It also includes workshops to dis­cuss cur­rent top­ics in more de­tail and for in-depth in­ter­ac­tions with oth­er fo­rum par­tic­i­pants. With so many different ideas being discussed under one roof, the Forum aims to redefine and set the agenda for biodiversity as a focal point over the next 10 years around the world.

For more information on the World Biodiversity Forum, visit https://www.worldbiodiversityforum.org/.

To read more about steps taken at NSCAD University to address the challenges associated with climate change and biodiversity, visit https://nscad.ca/climate/.