Representatives of the University of Sarajevo Participated in the Global Workshop of the National Ecosystem Assessment Initiative

The Global Workshop of the National Ecosystem Assessment Initiative (NEA Initiative) was held in Cambridge, United Kingdom from September 16 to 19, 2025. The event was organized in partnership with UNEP-WCMC, UNDP, and UNESCO, with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

The University of Sarajevo was represented by Prof. dr. Senka Barudanović and MSc Ena Hatibović, as representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their participation focused on exchanging experiences and presenting the results of the project and book Assessment of the State of  Nature and Governance of Natural Resources in  Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the context of validating and using assessment findings in decision-making processes.

The workshop gathered representatives from participating countries across different regions of the world, including Azerbaijan, Botswana, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Malawi, and Thailand, as well as international experts from Cameroon, Colombia, and Vietnam. Over the four-day program, special attention was given to strengthening the capacities of participating countries, exchanging scientific and practical knowledge, and enhancing the global community of practice in biodiversity and ecosystem services assessments.

The participation of the University of Sarajevo representatives holds particular significance, as they were part of the team that implemented the project Assessment of the State of  Nature and Governance of Natural Resources in  Bosnia and Herzegovina (PSP BiH). The project was implemented through the Center for Ecology and Natural Resources "Academician Sulejman Redžić" at the Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment. Technical support was provided by UNEP-WCMC, in line with the principles of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Prof. Dr. Senka Barudanović served as the project coordinator, while MSc Ena Hatibović contributed actively with technical and editorial support and as a member of the authoring team. The project involved more than 100 scientists from across Bosnia and Herzegovina and aimed to integrate scientific and traditional knowledge on the state of nature, ecosystem services, environmental drivers, future scenarios, and governance options for natural resource management.

The project results included the preparation of a monograph titled Assessment of the State of  Nature and Governance of Natural Resources in  Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as a Summary for Policymakers. These documents represent a valuable tool for decision-makers, experts, and the wider public. They provide a foundation for sustainable planning and management of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s natural wealth, and the experiences gained through this process were recognized and presented globally at the Cambridge workshop.

Through this participation, the University of Sarajevo has once again confirmed its role as a key scientific and professional institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.