Dr. Hilde Eggermont (Board member)

Trained as a freshwater biologist, I investigated the impacts of climate change on Afrotropical mountain lakes between 2000 and 2012. In 2012, I became Coordinator of the Belgian Biodiversity Platform, a national science–policy interface connecting researchers, policymakers and practitioners. For more than a decade, I have played central roles in several European and global biodiversity initiatives that provide science-based policy support, including the European Biodiversity Partnership (Biodiversa+, funding transnational biodiversity research with societal impact) and IPBES (the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). Between 2021 and 2025, I also served as Vice-President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with a specific focus on shaping conservation policy & programmes. I am currently Director General of the Research Institute for Nature and Forest, supporting biodiversity policy in Flanders and Belgium with the best available science and data. 

In a world facing unprecedented environmental challenges, Future For Nature stands out as a beacon of hope. By empowering the next generation of environmental leaders, the organisation helps lay the foundations for a more sustainable future for people and nature alike. Future For Nature is a powerful reminder that positive change is possible, and an inspiration to all who care deeply about the natural world. I very much look forward to joining forces in the years to come.