IUCN/IPBES strategic partnership: an alliance for nature and people

IUCN/IPBES complementarity

Since the creation of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in 2012, IUCN and the global biodiversity conservation community have gained a key partner in strengthening the science-policy interface for nature and people.

IUCN and IPBES share common goals and similar priorities: undertaking authoritative assessments, generating robust knowledge inclusive of local and indigenous perspectives, supporting policy and developing capacity-building across continents, for a just world that values and conserves nature.

Meanwhile, though, IUCN and IPBES have different but complementary governance structures. IUCN is a union of governmental, non-governmental and indigenous peoples’ organisation members, while IPBES is a fully intergovernmental body. The ability of IUCN to convene thousands of participants to its World Conservation Congress and to conduct high-level dialogues contributes to advancing new ideas and to strengthening stakeholder engagement in global biodiversity frameworks.

Jeju 2012: a clear mandate for collaboration

In Jeju, at the 2012 World Conservation Congress, IUCN members mandated IUCN to collaborate with IPBES through Resolutions WCC 2012 Res 117and WCC 2012 Res 118. Further to these decisions, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a strategic partnership between IUCN and IPBES was signed in 2016.

IUCN, with the support of the government of France, provides in-kind support to IPBES Secretariat for implementing the IPBES Stakeholder Strategy. During IPBES first work programme, multiple experts from IUCN’s Commissions, Members, and Secretariat have been involved in elaborating or reviewing the IPBES assessments. IUCN knowledge products and data are leveraged to contribute to global, regional and thematic IPBES assessments.

A two-way partnership for post-2020 global framework on biodiversity

In line with the Jeju Resolutions, IUCN will pursue its engagement with IPBES through IPBES second work-programme, in the context of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Conversely, IUCN will also facilitate the up-take of IPBES deliverables in the IUCN constituency, sharing methodologies, policy guidance, capacity-building tools and assessment key findings among IUCN members and experts.