As an independent intergovernmental body, IPBES aims to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services and is a leading voice in this area.

To mark this year’s meeting being held in Manchester, The University of Manchester, the University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University will present a special evening event at the People’s History Museum on Thursday, 5 February supported by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The event will bring together academics, businesses and community organisations, as well as policymakers and regional leaders, to explore opportunities for collaboration to boost nature recovery across Greater Manchester and beyond. Focusing on Business and Biodiversity, the event will also highlight the crucial role industry, research and policy must play together in this endeavour. 

The joint project aligns with the refreshed civic mission announced last year, which saw all Greater Manchester universities reaffirm their collective commitment to improving lives across the city-region as part of the Greater Manchester Civic University Agreement (CUA).

Featuring talks from all three universities and a panel Q&A session, senior representatives are expected to take part from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and DEFRA – with more to be announced.

Professor Simon Green, PVC Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Salford said: “Sustainability is at the core of what we do at Salford. Our goal is to innovate towards a more equitable, just, healthy, creative and prosperous society. This event will be a great chance to put those ambitions into practice and share knowledge and expertise across the region and country.”

PVC for Research at Manchester Metropolitan University, Professor Nick Brook, said: "With sector-leading Carbon Literacy training, consistently top People & Planet rankings, and Professor Liz Price’s UN SDG 12 Vice-Chair leadership, Manchester Met is shaping global sustainability practice while driving research-led solutions that support nature recovery and stronger communities across Greater Manchester.”

Tickets for the evening event, ‘From evidence to action: Mobilising Greater Manchester’s science, business and policy partnerships for nature’ are available via .

City of Trees is an independent charity that plant, look after and promote a culture of trees across Greater Manchester. They work with volunteers across the region, as part of their ‘Citizen Forester’ programme to enhance green skills, boost health and wellbeing, and to help tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Aligned closely with the University’s values and social responsibility agenda, both City of Trees and The University of Manchester are passionate about making the region even better, one tree at a time.

In the University's special bicentenary year, it is partnering with City of Trees on several initiatives:

• The University's International Relations team signed the first agreement City of Trees earlier this year, kicking off the partnership which has been growing throughout the bicentenary year. The new agreement and initiative is a positive step in looking at the small changes with big impact that we can make as an institution
• The new agreement and initiative was officially launched at the International Friends of Manchester Day on 10 October, whereby the University made a donation on behalf of each international delegate to City of Trees. City of Trees will then plant a tree in Greater Manchester to represent each international delegate who attended the event - signifying that international colleagues continue to be a crucial part of the growth and development of both the University and the city.
• For our 200th year specifically, the University is working with City of Trees to plant 200 trees across new woodland sites in Greater Manchester.
• From 7-9 October the University hosted the THE World Academic Summit and chose to make a charitable donation to City of Trees on behalf of each delegate attending, to the total of £1,500.

The University of Manchester is truly excited to be supporting City of Trees and partnering with them on these activities, which will foster into the future.