SEAMEO BIOTROP, in collaboration with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IPB University, organized a Talk Series on Biodiversity Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism: "Grounding the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in Managing Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism." This event is held through the International Webinar Program for the World University Ranking Program of IPB University and conducted on 16th May 2023 through the hybrid mechanism in Jati Meeting room, SEAMEO BIOTROP, Bogor, and online through Zoom meeting. This event's speakers include Prof Colin Michael Hall from the University of Canterbury and Prof Luchman Hakim from Brawijaya University.

In his presentation, Prof Colin discusses Issues of Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism in Utilizing Biodiversity for Grounding the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and Its Future Perspective. He explained that tourism is both a contributor to and is affected by global environmental change and will continue to expand even with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, several issues arise with the development of tourism towards Global Environmental Change (GEC), including emission/use of energy in tourism generating, transit route, and tourism destination region. Several problems include the transfer of biota and disease, habitat occupied by transport and tourism infrastructure, and pollution, which raises the question of how we can accommodate the prospect of achieving the balance between economic, social, and environmental goals entailed in sustainable development.

He concluded that tourism might justify biodiversity conservation. However, it can also harm biodiversity. Agro-Eco-Edu Tourism can be valuable at a local scale. Still, their broader impact, either in space or time factor, must be considered.

Prof Luchman Hakim from Brawijaya University continues his presentation titled "Recommendation on Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism in Biodiversity Utilization for Future Action." In his presentation, he mentioned several recommendations for the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism destinations. His recommendation includes: Strengthening biodiversity protection in nature-based tourism destinations; Minimizing exotic –invasive species in nature-based tourism destinations; Developing proper landscapes approach & design in nature-based tourism destination; Strengthening biodiversity conservation in man-influenced lands in tourism destination (cultural landscapes); Strengthening biodiversity conservation through local-based resources commodity, product and services; and through tourism attractions interpretation.

In his welcoming remark, Dr Perdinan SEAMEO BIOTROP wants to ensure the post-2020 on biodiversity, where everybody around the world must include and promote the needs for biodiversity and how to conserve and utilize biodiversity properly. Of the five key priorities, biodiversity is one of the most important to be tackled on. He hopes that this international webinar can provide sharing mechanism on biodiversity, especially in the Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism.

"SEAMEO BIOTROP was visited by almost 5000 visitors annually, ranging from early childhood to professional. This is one of the efforts of SEAMEO BIOTROP to increase biodiversity literacy in a fun situation," Dr Perdinan added.

Dr Berry Juliandi, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of IPB University, delivers his opening remarks by stating that biodiversity has experienced a global decline, which can disrupt the balance of life on earth. One of the efforts to ground the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is through Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism. Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism is a combination of the concepts of agrotourism, ecotourism, and edutourism that aims to educate, conserve the environment, and preserve the life and welfare of the local communities.

108 participants from Indonesia, and Philippines joined this webinar through zoom meeting and in Jati Meeting Room. Dr Syaefudin from Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of IPB University act as the moderator for this event. (hcn)