CMS Takes Part in the Fourth IPBES Plenary Meeting

Kuala Lumpur, 25 February 2016 - the Fourth Session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-4) opened on Monday, 22 February 2016 in Kuala Lumpur. In the morning, participants met to hear opening statements from dignitaries and were updated on the implementation of the IPBES work programme.

On sub-regional, regional and global assessments, the IPBES Executive Secretary, Anne Larigauderie, noted that IPBES-4 was calling upon the Plenary to approve the scoping report for a global assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services. With regard to thematic assessments and methodological issues, IPBES highlighted the development of reports on: pollinators, pollination and food production; land degradation and restoration; invasive alien species; scenarios and models of biodiversity and ecosystem services; and a methodological assessment on the diverse conceptualization of values of biodiversity and nature’s benefits to people. On the communication and evaluation of Platform deliverables, the IPBES Secretariat highlighted, inter alia: an online catalogue of relevant assessments; a revised catalogue on policy support tools and methodologies; and activities on the strategies for communications and outreach and stakeholder engagement.

During the ensuing discussion, participants observed that capacity-building needs were two-sided globally and always required a linkage to learning resources, including the importance of equal availability of different knowledge sources and the complex challenge of inclusion of Indigenous and Local Knowledge systems (ILK) in the assessments, to equip institutions in developing countries.

Francisco Rilla, Capacity-Building Officer attended IPBES-4 on behalf of CMS in order to promote the cooperation and building synergies between the platform and CMS.

For more information please visit http://www.ipbes.net/plenary/ipbes-4 or contact: [email protected]

Last updated on 25 February 2016