News published: 16 March 2026

In response to BGCI’s recent statement and the related publication in Nature Plants, the Climate Change Alliance of Botanic Gardens is pleased to host an open discussion with main author Prof Sam Brockington.

Record keeping is a fundamental aspect of a botanic gardens that sets them apart from other parks and gardens, and data is the backbone of climate change research. All of this information feeds into research and the creation of tools which empower botanic gardens to adapt to climate change.

The recent Cambridge University Botanic Garden publication in Nature Plants highlights that a lack of international standards for record keeping and the digitisation of records impinges both data quality and data access, which has ramifications for climate change research and action. Radical reformation and action is required to rectify this, to which BGCI has responded with a statement outlining their plan of action.

Please join us for an open conversation around the nuances and challenges involved in establishing such a global platform and contribute your context and point of view. The more diverse perspectives, the more useful the conversation. All are welcome.

The link to the session will be provided closer to the date. This forum will be primarily in English.

Recommended reading:
High-performance living plant collections require a globally integrated data ecosystem to meet twenty-first-century challenges –https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-025-02192-6

World’s vast plant knowledge not being fully exploited to tackle biodiversity and climate challenges, warn researchers – https://www.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/news/worlds-vast-plant-knowledge-not-being-fully-exploited-tackle-biodiversity-and-climate

Statement on Living Collections Data Ecosystem planning, development and management for botanic gardens – https://www.bgci.org/news-events/living-collections-data-ecosystem/