Policies
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Access to UNEP-WCMC datasets is provided on the understanding that you read and consent to be bound by the Terms and Conditions set out in the policies below.
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Using science in decision making
The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services was set up to provide an interface between the scientific community and policy makers, so as to increase the use of science in policy making and was formally established in 2012 following a series of conferences and intergovernmental meetings.
IPBES has four main functions:
- To identify and prioritize key scientific information needed for policymakers and to catalyse efforts to generate new knowledge;
- To perform regular and timely assessments of knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem services and their interlinkages;
- To support policy formulation and implementation by identifying policy-relevant tools and methodologies;
- To prioritize key capacity-building needs to improve the science-policy interface, and to provide and call for financial and other support for the highest-priority needs related directly to its activities.
UNEP-WCMC has supported the previous discussions surrrounding IPBES through support to the interim secretariat, as well as making other contributions to IPBES negotiations, as detailed below.
UNEP-WCMC support to the interim secretariat
UNEP-WCMC provided substantial support to the interim IPBES secretariat in preparing the following, listed in reverse chronological order. The downloads below are to the English versions only. However many of these papers are available in all six UN languages, or an executive summary is available in all six languages: please visit the IPBES website and navigate to the meeting you require.
- IPBES/1/2*: Considerations for the preparation of an initial work programme of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the institutional arrangements that may be required to support its implementation(pdf, 245Kb)
- IPBES/1/INF/7: Regional structure and composition of the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel(pdf, 421Kb)
- IPBES/1/INF/8: Critical review of the assessment landscape for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services(pdf, 530Kb)
- IPBES/1/INF/10: Compilation of the capacity-building needs on the basis of input by Governments and other stakeholders and capacity-building needs identified in multilateral environmental agreement reports(pdf, 682Kb)
- IPBES/1/INF/14: Possible scenario for a work programme of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services(pdf, 484Kb)
- The Catalogue of Assessments(Link)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/2/2: Possible elements of the work programme of the platform(doc, 384Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/2/INF/3: Possible scenario for an intergovernmental science policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services work programme (doc, 284Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/1/INF/4/Add.1: Options for implementing the assessment function of the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services(pdf, 160Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/1/INF/6/Add.1: Options for implementing the capacity building function of the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services(pdf, 149Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES/3/INF/2: Current and future status of biodiversity and ecosystem service indicators(doc, 584Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES/2/2: Science-policy interface on biodiversity and ecosystem services: gap analysis (Executive Summary)(pdf, 68Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES/2/INF/1: Gap analysis for the purpose of facilitating the discussions on how to improve and strengthen the science-policy interface on biodiversity and ecosystem services(pdf, 931Kb)
Other UNEP-WCMC contributions to IPBES negotiations
UNEP-WCMC has also prepared a number of other information documents to support discussions and negotiations throughout the last few years regarding IPBES. These are listed below in reverse chronological order.
- IPBES/1/INF/15: Preliminary review of the motivations for participating in Platform assessments(pdf, 2.5Mb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/2/INF/14: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) - Net(doc, 221Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/1/INF/10: Final report of the international expert meeting on IPBES and capacity building, co-convened by the Governments of Norway and Brazil and held in Trondheim, Norway, on 25-27 May 2011(pdf, 6.1Mb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/1/INF/12: How the Sub-Global Assessment Network and the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services can be mutually supportive(pdf, 127Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES.MI/I/INF/15: Identifying how IPBES can build effectively on the work of existing organizations and initiatives(pdf, 36Kb)
- UNEP/IPBES/3/INF/11: The potential relationships between IPBES and existing institutions(pdf, 3.3Mb)
