Outcomes of the IPBES-1 meeting
Background
Emerging from the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment follow-up processes, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was established in April 2012 in Panama to protect the planet’s biodiversity, its ecosystems and the services they provide to humanity. It provides a mechanism recognized by both the scientific and policy communities to synthesize, review, assess and critically evaluate relevant information and knowledge generated worldwide by governments, academia, scientific organizations, non-governmental organizations and indigenous communities. By doing so, it aims to strengthen capacity for the effective use of science in decision-making at all levels. The Platform focuses on four areas of work (Busan Outcome):
- To identify and prioritise key scientific information needed for policymakers and to catalyse efforts to generate new knowledge
- To perform regular and timely assessments of knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem services and their linkages
- To support policy formulation and implementation by identifying policy-relevant tools and methodologies
- To prioritise key capacity building needs to improve the science-policy interface, and to provide and call for financial and other support for the highest-priority needs related directly to its activities
Centering on these key tasks, IPBES aims at a strong collaboration with existing initiatives on biodiversity and ecosystem services, including Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), United Nations bodies and networks of scientists and all knowledge holders (including indigenous peoples and local communities), to fill gaps and build upon their work, while avoiding duplication. It also strives to be scientifically independent and ensure credibility, relevance and legitimacy through peer review of its work and transparency in its decision-making processes. As such, it hopes to gain similar global scientific authority and policy influences for biodiversity to what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has for climate change.
The First Plenary meeting of IPBES
In Panama, decisions were made about the IPBES functions and guiding principles, but many issues regarding funding, expertise, institutional design, and working programme remained unresolved. This first plenary (IPBES-1), held in Bonn, was therefore set up to put in place many of the administrative and staffing structures needed to implement the work. Over 500 participants attended the meeting, representing IPBES member and non-member governments, UN organizations and conventions, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and various stakeholder groups. A regional and stakeholder consultations took place one day prior to the meeting.
Major results of the First Plenary meeting of IPBES
Delegates actively participated to obtain several concrete achievements, most importantly:
- M. Zakri, Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Chairman of the Malaysian Professors’s Council was elected as first Chair of the Platform, and Robert Watson as Vice-Chair for the first three-year term. Both are renowned for his extensive experience in biodiversity governance at the national and international levels. Western Europe and Other States will provide the next Chair.
- The election of the Bureau members, and Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP; 25) for a three-year term. The link between the Bureau and the MEP was also thoroughly discussed to guarantee the independence of the MEP and for the MEP to focus on science leaving political considerations to the Bureau and Plenary.
- An agreement on steps toward the development of an initial IPBES work programme (2014-2018), the role of the MEP in the initial work programme, the procedure for receiving and prioritizing requests put to IPBES, and possible institutional arrangments for its implementation. The latter included further establishment of the link with the UN system. More specifically, it was decided that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will provide the Secretariat for the Platform, which will operate from Bonn in Germany. The Platform also requested UNEP, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish an institutional link with the Platform through a collaborative partnership arrangement for the work of IPBES and its Secretariat.
- The adoption of the draft decision on the status of contributions and initial budget for the Platform for 2013.
Delegates lauded the spirit of cooperation and dedication displayed. They felt optimistic that now fully operationalized, IPBES would be ready to bridge the science and policy gap to tackle challenges related to biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Remaining obstacles
Yet, despite the positive spirit among the delegates, some issues remained unresolved. Major obstacles include:
- Rules of procedure on the admission of observers, with debate centered on rejection procedures (i.e. consensus vs. voting procedure)
- Membership of the European Union, and Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs) in general. Delegates expressed concerns regarding proxy voting of absent members, and possible “enhanced participation rights”, as for example the EU spans three UN regions.
- Various opinions on the flexibility and organization of the MEP (including the development of a code of practice) to fulfill its programme of work
- Nailing down of the relationship to the UN system
- A straightforward Stakeholders Engagement Strategy to be drafted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and International Council for Science (ICSU), in consultation with all relevant stakeholders
These issues will be addressed in the intersessional period and at IPBES-2, tentatively scheduled for December 2013, with the exact dates and venue to be determined.
The Future of IPBES
It was clear from the start that IPBES would aim to go further than IPCC, playing a role not just in conducting assessments, but also in, inter alia, capacity building and bringing together different knowledge systems, such as the scientific community and other knowledge stakeholders. The extent to which the IPBES can evolve to play this complex role depends largely on the manner in which it is positioned in the international system, including the link with the UN system and its ties with the larger international biodiversity-related community.
IPBES in Belgium
With Belgium as full founding member, IPBES will clearly impact on Belgian scientist and policy makers, and vice versa. The Belgian community will provide advice on key scientific information on biodiversity, ecosystem services and emerging issues; and will also be involved in the assessments, capacity building, and development of policy tools and methodologies. Being a science-policy interface and acting as an efficient information and communication hub, the Belgian Biodiversity Platform will take the leading role in coordinating IPBES-related tasks. The Belgian Biodiversity Platform has been involved in IPBES negotiations since the very beginning at the “Biodiversity Science and Governance” meeting in Paris, France, in 2005. Our organisation now coordinates the Belgian scientific network in support of IPBES work, through the Community of Practice on Ecosystem services, and represents Belgium at IPBES meetings
References:
IPBES takes big steps for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - Press Release, Bonn 27 January 2013 (http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=2702&ArticleID=9380&l=en)
E. Turnhout, B. Bloomfield, M. Hulme, J. Vogel & Brian Wynne, 2012. Conservation Biology: Listen to the voices of experience. Nature 488: 454-455. (doi: 10.1038/488454a)
Summary of the first plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: 21-26 January 2013. Earth Negotiations Bulletin, iisd reporting services: http://www.iisd.ca/ipbes/ipbes1/