Harvard Forest Fellow Ahmed Siddig Selected to Serve on IPBES Task Force

This winter, Harvard Forest Bullard Fellow Ahmed Siddig has been chosen as an Expert to serve on the prestigious Multidisciplinary Expert Panel of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Ahmed will serve on the task force on capacity-building, providing advice to the IPBES Plenary on strengthening the science-policy interface for biodiversity, ecosystem services, sustainable development, and long-term human wellbeing. He will also strengthen capacities of national governments and regional organizations towards effective implementation of the 2024-2027 IPBES work plan.

An applied ecologist and associate professor at the University of Khartoum, Sudan, Ahmed brings his unmatched interdisciplinary perspective to his role at IPBES, including participation in facilitating workshops in the IPBES fellowship programme; training and familiarization programme; youth workshops; dialogues with governments and stakeholders; support for uptake of IPBES assessments; communities of practice; IPBES capacity-building forum; and encouragement of national science-policy platforms/networks and assessments.

Being a member of such a group of highly selected and world-class scientists and practitioners is not an easy job and indeed requires a multitude of characteristics, all of which Ahmed has. His expertise in areas of ecological monitoring and global change ecology made him a perfect fit for this task force, in addition to his active initiatives on science diplomacy, young scientist mentoring and empowerment, and service as capacity-building advisor/consultant to many developmental organizations in Africa.

Overall, Ahmed is hoping that his work in the next three years with his colleagues and stakeholders at IPBES will not only enhance personal and institutional capacities worldwide – especially in developing countries – but also spread knowledge about environmental stewardship to ultimately contribute to biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing in a sustainable manner.