News on IPBES
A step change for biodiversity knowledge
"The hopes are high for IPBES to become an authoritative global mechanism recognized by scientists and policy makers alike to pull together dispersed information, syntheses and analyses on biodiversity and ecosystems. By building on existing processes and initiatives, and only creating new ones as a last resort in case of glaring gaps, the intention is that decisions and research investment will be more efficient," writes Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General. …
04 Jul 2012 | Article
Reconnecting science to policy in Europe and beyond
“Scientific research is an essential foundation for the implementation of any policy in favour of biodiversity. We need to improve data on biodiversity and its dissemination between the scientific community, policymakers and civil society both at the EU and global levels,” urged Mr Gaston Franco, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) during the recent briefing session on IPBES, the new global science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services. The briefing report is now available. … | French
02 Jul 2012 | News story
Biodiversity research, a key to our future
The European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS) released a video about the essential role of biodiversity research in addressing societal issues. …
20 Jun 2012 | Video
Securing the web of life
The source of our food, medicines and clean water, as well the livelihoods of millions of people may be at risk with the rapid decline of the world’s animal, plant and fungi species. The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, released today on the eve of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, shows that of the 63,837 species assessed, 19,817 are threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 33% of reef building corals, 25% of mammals, 13% of birds, and 30% of conifers. The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. … | French | Spanish | Portuguese
19 Jun 2012 | International news release
Message from the Director General
Dear members of the IUCN network, after years of international negotiations, the world has just seen the establishment of IPBES, a top global platform that is to regularly assess the state of biodiversity, our fragile ecosystems and the essential services they provide to all of us. … | French | Spanish
25 May 2012 | Article
Establishment of IPBES: Implications for global, regional and national policy
In a recent article, Ibrahim Thiaw and Richard Munang from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have outlined a number of ways forward for the newly created IPBES. Those include finding innovative ways to combine existing knowledge systems, engaging civil society and integrating economic thinking into biodiversity and ecosystem protection. …
10 May 2012 | News story
Scientific Body of CBD concludes its 16th session
On 5 May 2012, SBSTTA concluded its 16th meeting with the adoption of eight recommendations for COP11 after an intense week of negotiations. …
09 May 2012 | News story
Top global platform on biodiversity and its benefits established
After several years of international negotiations, the final operational design of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was agreed upon during the Second Plenary Session to build IPBES held in Panama City, Panama, from 16-21 April 2012. …
24 Apr 2012 | News story
Hand in hand with IPBES
This week, in Panama, at the core of the current plenary session to establish a global platform on biodiversity and its benefits (IPBES), GBIF, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC showcased some examples of existing initiatives which the platform could build upon. More than 50 delegates attended the side event and gained an understanding of the data, information and knowledge already available to policy-makers. …
21 Apr 2012 | News story
Germany to host IPBES secretariat
The secretariat of IPBES, a global platform on biodiversity and its benefits, will be located in Bonn, Germany. The German offer won the voting which took place during the second plenary session to build IPBES, in Panama City, Panama. …
20 Apr 2012 | News story
