News
All the OBIS sessions at Living Data 2025 at a glance!
29 September 2025
As the first global conference dedicated to biodiversity data, Living Data 2025 (21–24 October, Bogotá & online) will bring together scientists, data managers, policymakers, and communities from around the world to discuss the future of biodiversity information, from local to global levels. OBIS and its community will play a central role in the programme, leading or co-organizing a vast range of sessions covering crucial topics such as data standards, models and DNA-derived technologies, community engagement, regional cooperation, and the use of marine biodiversity data to support global decision-making.
To help you navigate the programme, we have gathered all OBIS-led sessions below. You can click on each session title to learn more. The name in italic indicates the OBIS community member co-leading the session.
The list below only displays the OBIS-led sessions. Organized or co-organized by members of the OBIS Community, these sessions explore essential topics fundamental to OBIS’s objectives. For the OBIS-related sessions and a complete overview of the conference, please refer to the Living Data 2025 full programme here
Do you want to bring your voice to the Living Data 2025 stage but cannot attend the event? We’ve got you covered!
We give you the opportunity to bring out your questions directly to the attention of the OBIS sessions co-leads. Choose an OBIS session in the list below, pick a topic, and share your question through our form! All submitted questions will be passed on to the session co-leads, who can bring them up during their session’s discussion.
Questions can be submitted up to 24 hours before each session.
21 October 2025
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11:15 – 12:45
A Global Ocean Biodiversity Observing System supporting governance framework implementation
Ward Appeltans -
11:15 – 12:45
Integrating DNA Reference Databases and Molecular Taxon Concepts in Biodiversity Databases
Emilie Boulanger -
14:30 – 15:30
Improving data management strategies, sharing and FAIRness of DNA-derived Biodiversity Data (Part 1)
Saara Suominen, Erika Montoya Cadavid -
14:30 – 15:30
Matching decision-making needs with actionable data product to drive biodiversity monitoring impact
Laurent Chmiel, Silas Principe -
16:00 – 17:30
Improving data management strategies, sharing and FAIRness of DNA-derived Biodiversity Data (Part 2)
Saara Suominen, Erika Montoya Cadavid
22 October 2025
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10:45 – 12:45
Community Engagement and Capacity Building for Increased Biodiversity Data Accessibility (Part 1)
Katherine Tattersall, Elizabeth Lawrence -
14:00 – 15:30
Integrating (and increasing the use of) additional data types
Silas Principe, Elizabeth Lawrence -
16:00 – 17:00
Developing capacity through regional cooperation: how regional hubs enhance local scientific voices
Laurent Chmiel, Ana Carolina Peralta -
16:00 – 17:00
Taxonomy and DNA Technologies: Shaping the Future of Biodiversity Inventories for Action
Saara Suominen
23 October 2025
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8:30 – 10:00 Globally Trusted Data for Ocean Conservation, Management and Biodiversity Action A general presentation of OBIS during the plenary. Dan Lear
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10:45 – 12:45
Community Engagement and Capacity Building for Increased Biodiversity Data Accessibility (Part 2)
Katherine Tattersall, Elizabeth Lawrence -
14:00 – 15:30
Trust, Traceability & Transparency: Tackling biodiversity data provenance
Dan Lear, Elizabeth Lawrence, Pieter Provoost -
16:00 – 17:30
Enhancing Data Policy & Biodiversity Monitoring: Quality, Gap Analysis & Environmental Integration
Clara Baringo Fonseca, Keila Macfadem Juarez, Silas Principe, Pieter Provoost, Maria Cornthwaite, Jonathan Pye -
16:00 – 17:30
The Power and Pitfalls of Civic Science
Dan Lear
24 October 2025
- 09:00 – 10:00
Organizational Meeting: OBIS
Katherine Tattersall, Dan Lear
