IPBES

Towards full operationalization

Outline of the briefing

1. Process, mandates and basis for the

plenary meeting on IPBES

2. Agenda and documentation

3. Links to related initiatives and other

IPBES planning issues

What is IPBES?

• ‘Intergovernmental science-policy Platform

on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.’

• A two-way interface between the scientific

community and policy makers that aims to

build capacity for and strengthen the use of

science in policy making.

• IPBES has multiple stakeholders and will

have multiple users.

Process,

mandates and

basis for the

two sessions

Three intergovernmental and

multi-stakeholder meetings

• Building on the MA and the IMoSEB consultations

• Three intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder

meetings (Malaysia 2008, Kenya 2009, Republic of

Korea 2010) have been held to discuss ways to

strengthen the science policy interface.

• First two meetings: identification of needs and gaps

• Busan (June 2010), governments decided that IPBES

should be established.

The Busan outcome:

What has been agreed?

Four main functions of IPBES:

• Knowledge generation

• Regular and timely assessments

• Support policy formulation and

implementation

• Capacity building

Including:

• Independent intergovernmental body;

• Scientifically independent, credible, relevant and legitimate;

• Policy-relevant but not policy-prescriptive;

• Recognise regional contexts and needs;

• Full and effective participation of developing countries;

• Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach;

• Respect the contribution of indigenous and local knowledge;

• Address terrestrial, marine and inland water biodiversity and

ecosystem services and their interactions.

The Busan outcome:

key principles

Mandates for the plenary

meeting

UNGA 65/162:

17. …requests UNEP, without prejudice to the final

institutional arrangements for IPBES and in consultation

with all relevant organizations and bodies, in order to fully

operationalise the platform, to convene a plenary meeting

providing for the full and effective participation of all

Member States, in particular representatives from

developing countries, to determine modalities and

institutional arrangements for the platform at the earliest

possible opportunity.

Mandates for the plenary

meeting

UNEP GC 26 Decision 4:

2. Decides to, based on the request by [UNGA], without

prejudice to the final institutional arrangements of IPBES and in

consultation with all relevant organizations and bodies, in order to

fully operationalise the Platform, to convene a plenary meeting

providing for the full and effective participation of all Member

States, in particular representatives from developing countries, to

determine modalities and institutional arrangements for the

Platform at the earliest opportunity.

Agenda for the two

sessions and dates

The plenary meeting will be held in

two sessions.

Timings and Agendas

What’s required to fully operationalise

IPBES?

• Structure of the platform

• Principles and Procedures

• Hosting arrangements

• Work programme

• Election of officers

• Budget

• Legal basis for establishment

Timings and Agendas

First session: 3-7 October 2011, Nairobi,

Kenya

Second session: 16-21 April, 2012, Panama

City, Panama

Proposed Plenary

Scheduling

•Organizational matters.

•Institutional arrangements and modalities for IPBES

•Functions and structures of IPBES’ bodies;

•Functions and operating principles of IPBES

•Rules of procedure;

•Process for selection of host institution(s) and location for

the Platform’s secretariat;

•Initial consideration of the IPBES work programme

•Adoption of the report.

Provisional Agenda: 1st session

• IPBES work programme

• Governance issues in relation to work programme

• Additional procedures relating to work programme

• IPBES institutional and physical hosting arrangements

• Budget

•Legal basis

• Recommendations/Decisions of plenary

Provisional Agenda: 2nd session

Stakeholders

engagement

and communication

IPBES Stakeholders

A large variety of stakeholders-engaging with them is crucial

• 3 intergovernmental and multi-stakeholders meetings

• Busan outcome: IPBES should “collaborate with

existing initiatives” and “encourage and take into

account inputs and suggestions made by relevant

stakeholders”

• UNGA: consultation with all relevant organisations

• UNEP GC: cooperation with UNESCO, FAO and

UNDP

Stakeholder engagement

• UNEP Interdivisional Group

• UN agencies – UNEP, FAO, UNDP and UNESCO

• Stakeholder engagement through a Plenary

Planning Group

• Government Engagement

Plenary Planning Group

Composition:

• UNEP, UNESCO, FAO, UNDP.

• Secretariats and Chairs of Scientific Advisory Bodies of

MEAs: CBD, Ramsar, CITES, CMS, UNCCD, WHC, ITPGR.

• IUCN, WBCSD, GEF, CBD Alliance, ICLEI, CG

• ICSU (Diversitas/IHDP), UNU, TWAS, IAC, SCB, GEF STAP.

Functions:

• Informal feedback from scientific stakeholders.

• Feedback on the overall strategy for plenary.

• Inputs to and feedback on documentation.

• Support in engaging Governments and other stakeholders.

• Support outreach efforts with relevant constituency.

• Support in galvanizing funding.

Government Engagement

• Informal feedback on plenary planning

• CPR at UNEP, and Perm. Reps. to other UN agencies.

• Requests from IPBES policy leads in Capitals

• Open engagement with governments on plenary

preparations

• Opportunities from national and regional fora and

science-policy dialogues

• Through MEAs (including Chairs of Scientific

Advisory Bodies)

Communication tools:

• IPBES website www.ipbes.net

• Email updates

• IPBES Twitter page http://twitter.com/#!/ipbes

• Frequently Asked Questions (on IPBES website)

Dedicated inter-agency communications

strategy for IPBES.

Stakeholder engagement

Independent contributions

Expert workshops, including:

• Capacity Building (Norway and Brazil) Trondheim, 25-27 May

• Knowledge generation (ICSU), Paris, 10 June

• Linking science and traditional knowledge (SwedBio), 21/22

June; & EEA, Denmark (27-28 June 2011)

• Approaches to Assessment (Japan, UNU), Tokyo, 25-27 July.

Many National dialogues

Further information at www.IPBES.net

For more information

www.ipbes.net

or contact

ipbes.unep@unep.org