IUCN - Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

Even farm biodiversity is declining as accelerating species loss threatens humanity

2013-05-31

The accelerating disappearance of Earth’s species of both wild and domesticated plants and animals constitutes a fundamental threat to the well-being and even the survival of humankind, warns the founding Chair of IPBES, a new global organization created to narrow the gulf between leading international biodiversity scientists and national policy-makers.

From words to action – key organizations team up to stop the extinction crisis

2013-05-28

With unprecedented species declines and more than 20,000 of the species assessed on The IUCN Red List threatened with extinction, IUCN and other organizations come together to support the achievement of a global biodiversity target to prevent further species loss.

Coming soon: Guidelines to engage contributors and users in IPBES

2013-05-21

Engaging the most relevant experts in the IPBES work is one of the greatest challenges that this new platform is facing. Following the invitation from the IPBES State Members, IUCN and the International Council for Science (ICSU) are proposing a strategy to ensure appropriate stakeholder involvement in line with the IPBES purposes and principles.

New study shows importance of IUCN’s Red List of Ecosystems

2013-05-08

A new global standard in assessing environmental risk, the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, has been trialled on 20 ecosystems spanning six continents and three oceans.

Bridging science and policy with the BiodivERsA network

2013-04-15

Successful conservation requires sound priority setting and decision-making based on the best available science. Science-policy interfaces are social processes, which encompass relations between scientists and other actors in the policy process, and which allow for exchanges, co-evolution, and joint construction of knowledge with the aim of enriching decision-making at different scales.

Beyond nature assessments for better decisions

2013-04-03

Dr Thomas Brooks, Head of IUCN Science and Knowledge Unit shares his expectations for IPBES and explains the way he sees IUCN as a Union contributing to this new global nature platform on biodiversity and its benefits.

IPBES is calling, how will stakeholders answer?

2013-03-19

IUCN and the International Council for Science (ICSU) have launched a survey to collect views on stakeholder engagement in IPBES, the top new nature platform on biodiversity and its benefits. All stakeholders, including the private sector, indigenous peoples, local, scientific and conservation communities, are invited to contribute to the development of the first draft of their engagement strategy.

Big steps for IPBES

2013-02-15

The final report of the first IPBES Plenary meeting (IPBES-1), held from 21 to 26 January 2013 in Bonn, Germany, is now available. This new international science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystems has put in place many of the administrative and staffing structures needed to implement its important work. The platform aims to assist governments and citizens to better understand the state, trends and challenges facing the natural world and humanity in the 21st century.

Achieving fruitful results on the ground

2013-01-30

Tamar Pataridze, a newly elected member of the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP) and IUCN Regional Councillor for Eastern Europe, North and Central Asia reveals her expectations for IPBES and explains the way she sees IUCN as a Union contributing to this new global nature platform on biodiversity and its benefits.

Compiling the best knowledge for IPBES

2013-01-26

At the peak of the first plenary meeting, Marina von Weissenberg, IUCN Vice President and Regional Councillor for West Europe shares her dream of IPBES and the way she sees IUCN as a Union contributing to this new global nature platform on biodiversity and its benefits.

Expert tips & hints for linking people and nature

2013-01-25

How to represent the links between nature and people in a simple way to facilitate decision making? A diverse group of experts suggest possible ingredients of such representation. The hope is that this 'recipe' will help the work of IPBES in relating biodiversity and its benefits to human well-being, sustainability and conservation.

A recipe linking nature and people

2013-01-25

Have you ever wondered how to represent the links between nature and people in a simple way to facilitate decision making? A diverse group of experts share their tips in addressing this very challenge and suggest possible ingredients of such a representation. The hope is that this 'recipe' will help the work of the top new nature platform (IPBES) in relating biodiversity and its benefits to human well-being, sustainability and conservation.

The power of integration

2013-01-24

Diego Juffe says that better integrating IUCN’s knowledge will improve the world’s ability to make informed decisions about the environment. IUCN’s wealth of knowledge is already central to the emerging IPBES. The aim is not to reinvent the wheel, but to make sure this knowledge is made easily available and most useful to those that can help tackle biodiversity loss.

Stakeholders - DNA of the new top nature platform

2013-01-24

This week, more than 100 governments are gathered in Bonn for the first plenary meeting of the new global platform linking science and policy on biodiversity and its benefits (IPBES). Right at the heart of the buzzing crowd, is also a diverse group of other stakeholders and partners, including IUCN and its Members. What are they calling for and will the governments answer?

Balancing biodiversity science and political authority

2013-01-23

Simon Stuart from IUCN's Species Survival Commission together with Günter Mitlacher from WWF Germany, an IUCN Member, Achim Steiner from UNEP and others share their expectations for IPBES at the historic first meeting of this new biodiversity platform in Bonn, Germany.

Bridging the science-policy gulf

2013-01-17

Next week, 21-26 January, will see the first plenary meeting of the new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). More than 600 delegates will descend on Bonn, Germany, to try to establish rules for how the platform will operate. Why the world needs IPBES?

Balanced, inclusive and grounded in reality?

2013-01-16

Dr Thomas Brooks, Head of IUCN’s Science and Knowledge Unit takes a look at some of the characteristics needed to make the new intergovernmental science-policy platform effective.

2013 - a constructive year for science-policy links

2013-01-10

IUCN experts are busy preparing their input to the first plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) that takes place 21 to 26 January in Bonn, Germany.

On a mission for more informed decisions about nature

2013-01-09

We start the year by taking a look at IUCN’s role in the newly-established ‘platform’ to assess the state of biodiversity, the Earth’s fragile ecosystems and the essential services they provide to all of us. Explore the content of the IUCN monthly focus on IPBES and follow IUCN at the First Session of the IPBES Plenary to take place from 21- 26 January 2013 in Bonn, Germany,.

Nature in 2012: a look back and a look ahead

2012-12-18

Message from IUCN’s Director General, Julia Marton-Lefèvre and President, Zhang Xinsheng.