Call for relevant organizations to conduct workshops to catalyse further work on scenarios and models, including on testing the Nature Futures Framework

Dear IPBES members, observers and other interested stakeholders,

As you will recall, the Plenary, at its tenth session, welcomed the progress made by the task force on scenarios and models of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the implementation of objective 4 (b) of the IPBES rolling work programme up to 2030 (“Advanced work on scenarios and models”). Progress included an update to the foundations of the “Nature Futures Framework, a flexible tool to support the development of scenarios and models of desirable futures for people, nature and Mother Earth”, and its methodological guidance, which are available here.

In decision IPBES-9/1, the Plenary invited the scientific community and other relevant actors, in particular Indigenous peoples and local communities, to discuss the opportunities and limits of, as well as test, as appropriate, the Nature Futures Framework. There is currently a growing community of practice on scenarios and models discussing and testing the Nature Futures Framework, as can be recognised through the growing body of literature on the Nature Futures Framework compiled here.

As part of its current workplan approved by the Plenary at its tenth session, the task force on scenarios and models will undertake a number of activities to promote dialogue between IPBES and the communities of practice on scenarios and models. This includes mobilizing existing communities on scenarios and models and on other futures studies, to facilitate the development of scenarios and models relevant to the work of IPBES and thereby also support the work of biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements.

In this context, the task force on scenarios and models herewith invites relevant organizations to conduct, as part of their own work, workshops to catalyse further work on scenarios and models, including on testing and applying the Nature Futures Framework. Organizations are invited to notify the secretariat at [email protected] of any workshops being held. The task force stands ready to provide guidance and information on the work of IPBES with regard to scenarios and models, including the Nature Futures Framework, at such workshops.

I thank you for your continued support to IPBES.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Anne Larigauderie | Executive Secretary
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)