The 62nd Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) drew to a close in Xishuangbanna on July 2, after five days of intense academic exchange and policy dialogue. Held under the theme “Achieving a Shared Ecological Civilization for Long-Term Resilience,” the conference brought together more than 700 scientists, conservation practitioners, and early-career researchers from over 60 countries and regions.

The participants had in-depth discussions on the future of tropical ecosystems and global biodiversity conservation pathways.

The highlight of the closing ceremony was the release of the Xishuangbanna Declaration, calling for building partnerships for ecological resilience and long-term sustainability in tropical Asia.

Xishuangbanna Declaration builds on the legacy of the Kunming Declaration issued two decades ago. It reviews progress made over the past 20 years in protectedarea expansion, scientific capacity building, and regional cooperation across tropical Asia, while candidly acknowledging persistent and emerging threats. It recognizes the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its “30×30” targets as a shared benchmark for regional action. It also highlights that new funding mechanisms established at COP15 of the UN Biodiversity Convention are now facilitating on-the-ground implementation and cross-border collaboration.

Prof. XING Yaowu, director of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), recognized the declaration as a road map for collective action. “ It reaffirms our commitment, under the vision of ecological civilization, to safeguard the natural heritage of tropical Asia through science, partnership, and inclusive action,” said XING in his closing speech.

The closing ceremony also paid tribute to outstanding contributions to global tropical biology and conservation. Prof. Chen Jin, former director of XTBG and founding chairman of ATBC Asian Chapter, was conferred an ATBC Honarary Award, recognizing his four decades of experiences in tropical biology, significant contributions to the study of plant-animal interactions, integrative conservation, environmental education, capacity building in tropical Asia, teh development of the Chinese Union of Botanical Gardens, and the global advancement of XTBG. Senior engineer Deng Xiaobao received a specially established Assistant Biologist Award. Indigenous parabiologists are recognized as indispensable forces in China’s tropical conservation.

Dr. Catherine Cardelús, executive director of ATBC, praised the meeting’s achievements and expressed gratitude to the XTBG staff. ”This conference has been more than a platform for academic exchange, it has served as a bridge for interdisciplinary and crossnational cooperation,’ she said.

Founded in 1963, ATBC is the world’s largest academic organization dedicated to tropical ecology and conservation, and its annual meeting is considered as one of the most influential conferences in the field.

The successful convening of the 62nd ATBC Annual Meeting showcases China’s concrete actions and sense of responsibility in advancing ecological civilization and biodiversity conservation.

The 2027 ATBC Annual Meeting will be held in Libreville, Gabon, from June 20 to 26, under the theme “Tropical Ecosystem Resilience in a Changing World: At the Crossroads of Planet, Policy, and Conservation.”

ATBC 2026 held in Xishuangbanna

Panel discussion on “30×30” targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Xishuangbanna Declaration released.

Prof. Xing Yaowu makes closing speech.

Prof. Chen Jin receives ATBC 2026 Honorary Fellow Award.

Prof Deng Xiaobao receives special award.