Updated 3 June 2022: originally set to last at least three months, the cancellation of all travel, contracts and new activities that involve financial transactions with Russian institutions is now for an indefinite period of time.
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility is founded on the idea that international cooperation improves our understanding of biodiversity and the natural world while benefitting science and society. We leverage the convening power of scientific and technical collaboration, empowering scientific communities from many nations to fulfil a principled commitment to share knowledge, skills and data, regardless of political and cultural differences.
The Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine has violated these principles, as overwhelmingly supported by the UN General Assembly resolution, and GBIF can no longer conduct its collaborations as usual. As a result, effective today, we have directed the Executive Secretary to cancel all travel, contracts and new activities that involve financial transactions with Russian institutions indefinitely.
While we monitor events closely and make decisions as necessary, we urge leaders to move swiftly to a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict.