15/07/2026

by Tatiana Ramos, ICLEI Colombia

The three-day Pollinator Network Week 2026 was held in Medellín, Colombia, from 18–20 June 2026.

The Pollinator Network Week 2026 brought together local governments, academia, environmental organizations, businesses, beekeepers, entrepreneurs, and citizens to strengthen collaboration for pollinator conservation while demonstrating how Nature-based Enterprises (NbEs) can contribute to biodiversity conservation and the transition towards a Nature-Positive Economy.

The three-day programme combined scientific knowledge, practical experiences, and stakeholder engagement through technical presentations, workshops, field visits, and a Green Business Fair. Participants explored successful local initiatives on urban biodiversity, ecological restoration, sustainable agriculture, pollinator-friendly habitats, and environmental education, while exchanging knowledge on how these approaches can be scaled across municipalities.

A central focus of the event was showcasing Nature-based Enterprises that generate economic value while delivering measurable environmental benefits. The Green Business Fair featured local NbEs working in sustainable beekeeping, native pollinator conservation, biodiversity-friendly products, ecological entrepreneurship, and environmental innovation.

These enterprises demonstrated how business models can simultaneously strengthen local livelihoods, restore ecosystems, enhance pollination services, and increase awareness of biodiversity conservation.

The event also provided an opportunity to engage directly with entrepreneurs, public institutions, researchers, and community organizations to discuss the barriers, opportunities, and enabling conditions required to strengthen NbEs in the Aburrá Valley.

These discussions directly contribute to the objectives of the GoNaturePositive! project by generating evidence and fostering collaboration around business models that support nature-positive transitions.

Overall, the event strengthened the Pollinator Network of the Aburrá Valley as a multi-stakeholder platform, promoted knowledge exchange across sectors, and reinforced the role of Nature-based Enterprises as key actors in delivering biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable local development.