Work on scenarios and models, including 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

Dear IPBES members, observers and other interested stakeholders,

As you will recall, the Plenary, at its ninth 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”), including 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”, which is set out in Annex VI to decision IPBES-9/1, and now available here. The Nature Futures Framework was developed by the task force on scenarios and models of biodiversity and ecosystem services to address the gaps identified in the Methodological Assessment Report on Scenarios and Models of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by catalysing new scenarios and models. 

I would like to reiterate the invitation by the Plenary to 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.

The task force on scenarios and models will present an update on the Nature Futures Framework foundations and a synthesis of catalysed work on scenario development across knowledge systems, as well as further developed methodological guidance on the use of the nature futures framework to the Plenary at its tenth session (28 August-2 September 2023; Bonn, Germany).

I thank you for your continued interest in IPBES.

Yours sincerely,

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