The beta version of BON in a Box (Biodiversity Observation Network in a Box) was launched in November at two events: the Convention on Biological Diversity’s SBSTTA19 meeting in Montreal, Canada and the Group on Earth Observation’s XII Plenary and Ministerial in Mexico City.
BON in a Box (boninabox.geobon.org) is a state of the art, customizable and continually updated online toolkit that connects scientists and tool developers around the world and lowers the threshold for the start-up or enhancement of a national, regional or local biodiversity observation system. It serves as a technology transfer and capacity building mechanism that ensures researchers around the world have access to the latest technologies and can build and implement biodiversity observation systems that are interoperable using international standards. It is currently available in three languages (Spanish, Portuguese, and English).
The beta version’s development was led by Colombia’s Humboldt Institute on behalf of GEO BON and was designed through an engagement process with experts from eight Latin American countries. The full version of BON in a Box will be available next December and targeted development engaging several countries in sub-saharan Africa will begin in 2016. Also, a marine version of BON in a Box will be developed in the future, serving as a delivery mechanism for promoting the establishment of coordinated and interoperable marine biodiversity observations around the globe.