IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN Programme on IPBES

After years of international negotiations, in April 2012 more than 90 governments agreed to officially establish the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). It will be a leading global body providing scientifically sound and relevant information to support more informed decisions on how biodiversity and ecosystem services are conserved and used around the world.

IUCN has contributed to the negotiation process for the establishment of IPBES since 2008. Its extensive experience with science, knowledge and policy tools, as well as its nature as a multi-stakeholder union, put IUCN at the heart of the civil society involvement in IPBES.

Latest News

Beyond nature assesments for better decisions

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. …

03 Apr 2013 | Video

IPBES is calling, how will stakeholders answer?

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. …

19 Mar 2013 | News story

Big steps for IPBES

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. …

15 Feb 2013 | Article

Achieving fruitful results on the ground

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. …

30 Jan 2013 | Video

Compiling the best knowledge for IPBES

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. …

26 Jan 2013 | Video

Various experts on how to bake a conceptual framework for IPBES

Expert tips & hints for linking people and nature

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. …

25 Jan 2013 | Video

A recipe linking nature and people

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. …

25 Jan 2013 | News story

Pollination, an ecosystem service, worth billions of dollars each year.

The power of integration

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. …

24 Jan 2013 | Article

Stakeholders - DNA of the new top nature platform

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? …

24 Jan 2013 | News story

Simon Stuart on the science programme 'Nano' by 3sat, German TV

Balancing biodiversity science and political authority

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. …

23 Jan 2013 | Video