Mass Extinction Conference

The Institute of Natural Sciences and Federal Science Policy (BELSPO) took the initiative to organize on May 30th, 2024, a conference dedicated to the current rapid loss of biodiversity, called Mass Extinction Conference.

Four invited high level keynote speakers approached the theme from different perspectives. In their presentations, attention was paid to describing the 5 past extinction waves on Planet Earth and the current loss of biodiversity that humankind is experiencing and its causes. We learned about past extinctions and how these could be compared with the current crisis and whether the latter qualifies as a 6th mass extinction. The causes of the current biodiversity crisis opened the floor to the philosophical question on why one should care (from economic, instrumental, moral and justice intrinsic value angles), followed by a more tangible and final discussion on the priorities for action.

A 5th presentation highlighted the value of natural history collections for understanding biodiversity loss, after which a debate with the speakers and the audience was organized. As the current warming of the climate is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss, climate change was also often discussed throughout the day.