Keynote speakers​​​​​​​​

Throughout the week, esteemed keynote speakers will explore the theme “Advancing ecosystem services knowledge for achieving a nature- and people-positive Europe.” They will share insights, experiences, and forward-looking perspectives on how ecosystem services can help reduce social inequalities, strengthen climate resilience, and drive sustainable development. Following each keynote, a diverse panel of experts from across disciplines deepens the discussion, addressing key questions and offering a range of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Below, you will find an overview of confirmed keynote speakers.

• Zuzana Harmáčková - The Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences

• Aveliina Helm - University of Tartu, and Chair of the Society for Ecological Restoration Europe

• Jakub Kronenberg - University of Lodz

• Alessandra La Notte - Senior consultant

Biographies

Zuzana Harmáčková

Zuzana leads the Department of Social-Ecological Analysis at the Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, after previous research roles at Stockholm Resilience Centre and UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. She works with stakeholders, experts and policy-makers across geographic and cultural contexts (Africa, Central Asia, Europe) to co-develop scenarios of potential future development, and pathways to just and sustainable futures for people and nature. Zuzana has been involved in science-policy interfaces related to biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainability challenges and contributed to the futures chapters of the IPBES Nexus Assessment (coordinating lead author), IPBES Values Assessment (lead author) and IPBES Regional Assessment for Europe and Central Asia (fellow). She is involved in lecturing and supervision at the Faculty of Science at Charles University in Prague and the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University in Brno.

Jakub Kronenberg

Jakub has always been fascinated by nature. He decided to pursue an academic career in economics rather than environmental studies, seduced by the vision that, as an economist, he could have a significant impact on nature conservation. This led him to become an ecological economist and a sustainability scientist. His specific research interest in environmental values enabled him to combine his personal interest in nature with his professional interest in economics. He is interested in how people interact with nature and how the different conservation arguments arise from the broader socio-economic context in which they are expressed. His current research focuses on how the 150 years of bird conservation can inform our modern way of framing the environment in economics and politics (BirdEcon project); how nature-based solutions and civic ecology practices can support the recovery from disasters and conflicts (ResilientUrbanNBI); and how everyday cultural and caring practices foster trust, belonging, and civic engagement in the green transition (INFRA-CARE). He is a Professor at the Social-Ecological Systems Analysis Lab at the University of Lodz, Poland.

Alessandra La Notte

Alessandra holds a PhD in Environmental Economics from the University of Trento (Italy) and a Master Degree in Environmental Management and Development from the Australian National University (Canberra, Australia). She is specialized in environmental and ecosystem accounting and in the monetary valuation of ecosystem services. She is a member of the System of Environmental and Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounts (SEEA EA) Technical Committee and serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Ecosystem Services (Elsevier). While working at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission, Alessandra worked intensively on the “Integrated system of Natural Capital Accounts” (INCA) specifically developing an operational approach to assessing the value of, and accounting for, different types of ecosystem services. She has also launched the LISBETH (Linking Ecosystem Services and Benefits to the Economy Through Bridging) initiative, which aims to determine how and by whom ecosystem accounts can be used in the economy and finance.

Aveliina Helm

Aveliina is Professor of Restoration Ecology at the University of Tartu, Estonia, and Chair of Society for Ecological Restoration Europe, a network that brings together scientists, practitioners, and policymakers to advance ecological restoration across Europe. Her research bridges landscape-scale biodiversity dynamics with ecosystem processes and services, exploring how the restoration of species-rich environments—from grasslands to agricultural and urban landscapes—can enhance both ecological resilience and human well-being.

Aveliina works to embed restoration and ecosystem services into real-world governance and landscape management, collaborating with stakeholders ranging from farmers and landowners to the wider public and policymakers. She has served as an expert for IPBES, contributing to both the Regional Assessment for Europe and Central Asia and the Invasive Alien Species Assessment. She has recently worked as scientific advisor to Estonia’s Minister of Climate and is currently involved in developing Estonia’s national restoration plan. She also led the scientific component of the national MAES assessment in Estonia, integrating biophysical and economic approaches to ecosystem condition and ecosystem services.

She leads the Landscape Biodiversity Workgroup at the University of Tartu and develops applied solutions for the general public and policymakers, including Greenmeter, a decision-support tool for ecological landscape assessment. As an active science communicator in Estonia, she has published over 100 popular science pieces and promotes the concept of “Everyone’s Nature Conservation,” supporting biodiversity mainstreaming beyond protected areas. Through her interdisciplinary research and active science–policy engagement, Aveliina is committed to advancing ecological restoration as a foundation for a sustainable, resilient, and nature- and people-positive Europe.

Ben Delbaere

Ben Delbaere is Project Monitor with LIFE Programme contractor ELMEN EEIG. In this role, since about ten years he guides LIFE-funded nature projects in the Benelux region. Ben is also hub leader on ecosystem services, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions for the LIFE Programme, compiling knowledge on the contribution that LIFE projects make to support EU policy in relation to these subjects. Before joining ELMEN and starting as independent ecological consultant, Ben worked for over 20 years at the European Centre for Nature Conservation, including on projects covering ecosystem services.