Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following their review of the IPBES Land Degradation and Restoration and Global Assessments, the Science-Policy Interface of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) drew six main conclusions related to their own efforts to avoid, reduce and reverse land degradation. They then offered a list of subsequent recommendations for parties at UNCCD CST 14 on how to incorporate Land Degradation Neutrality into policy and planning across sectors in an integrated way to safeguard biodiversity, ecosystem services, and livelihoods.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) In Chapter 3. 15 of their think piece “Land Restoration for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” the International Resources Panel and its Science-Policy Interface cite and analyze the IPBES Land Degradation and Restoration Report.This analysis provided a scientific basis for exploring solutions to address land degradation, meaning opportunities for transformative change in the way human beings engage with land. Chapter 3.15 on Land Restoration for Achieving SDG 15 explores how to protect, restore and promote use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity los

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) On September 16, 2019, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and the Environmental Law and Policy Centre will jointly host a bi-national symposium on the IPBES Global Assessment . This symposium will explore the findings of the Assessment with the aim of understanding their relevance to the Great Lakes region of Canada and the USA. The event will feature remarks and addresses from the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and former Executive Director of UNEP, as well as Global Assessment Co-Chair Eduardo S. Brondizio and Coordinating Lead Author Kai Chan.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, shared key findings of IPBES Global Assessment at the inaugural Phoenix Park Biodiversity Festival and Honey Show. The Festival is an initiative of the Irish Office of Public Works (OPW), with the aim of celebrating Phoenix Park’s rich and natural biodiversity through a programme of events consisting of free activities, including walks, talks, tours, documentaries, music and art.

President Higgins situated Ireland's national biodiversity initiatives within the context of Irish international efforts, as evidenced by the work of IPBES. The President said: "The Report makes it clear that the current response from the international community to loss of biodiversity is insufficient and that deep, sustained, shared, transformative changes are needed to restore and protect nature and the benefits and essential services that are derived from it."

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) The Scottish Government has presented its detailed Government's Programme for Scotland for 2019-2020, which includes a robust section on biodiversity commitments and participation in the Convention of Biological Diversity post-2020 Biodiversity Framework negotiations. In addition to 'carefully considering' the IPBES Global Assessment and committing to provide Parliament with recommended policy changes, Government has also stated that the Global Assessment will inform their work programme to address biodiversity loss and promote pollinators with the "B-lines" project forming a network of pollinators.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) In their announcement of biodiversity-positive projects integrated into the development project, Smithson Hill has set the IPBES Global Assessment and Former IPBES Chair Sir Robert Watson front and center and championed "revolutionary practices to improve biodiversity in our cities, towns and farms" "in order to address the issues underlying these findings." Commercial developer Smithson Hill plans for their agri-tech development 'ARC Cambridge' to include sustainable water management and as extensive regeneration of the hedges and woodlands on the site in order to increase biodiversity and improve the environment for employees on the site. The creation of parkland is intended to contribute to the community-based space and enhance natural habitats, and therefore achieve the goal of contributing to tackle the biodiversity emergency.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) In the words of the authors, "the assessment process under IPBES (the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) has however shown that the current predominantly biophysical and economic models and scenario processes for exploring the future of biodiversity, ecosystem services and their contributions to human wellbeing are insufficient to capture the complexity and context-specific nature of the problems facing these sectors."

The authors focused on the "(IPBES) process that is attempting to explore more diverse and participatory scenario methodologies to provide useful guidance to decision-makers around the challenges of biodiversity conservation and management. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the ongoing IPBES scenario development process design by highlighting different ways of introducing imagination as a key component in the scenario co-development process. We specifically explore four examples of different scenario approaches that creatively engage arts and harness imagination as a tool for thinking about more transformative future trajectories."

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) More than 1600 scientists from Defenders of Wildlife and universities have authored and endorsed a letter calling for increased funding to address the biodiversity crisis and prevent the stark findings of the IPBES Global Assessment from coming to pass.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Global Wood, a timber industry news and market research company, is using the Brazilian IPBES Platform in their business forecasting for the furniture industry.

From their website:
"New report – recovery of 12 million ha. of native vegetation possible by 2030
The Brazilian Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BPBES), supported by the Research Programme on Biodiversity Characterisation, Conservation and Sustainable Use (-FAPESP-BIOTA) and the International Institute for Sustainability (ISS), has released the document “Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration”, which states that it is possible to recover 12 million hectares of native vegetation of the country by 2030.


Brazil has lost about 71 million hectares of native vegetation in the last 30 years as a result of deforestation and forest fires among other factors according to MapBiomas. This damage can be repaired through enabling the recovery of 12 million hectares of native vegetation across the country by 2030 as set out in the National Ecological Restoration Plan.


Through this it would be possible to sequester 1.4 megatons (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, interconnect natural fragments in the landscape and further increase biodiversity conservation without impairing agriculture output.


Brazil has the opportunity to develop a unique native vegetation recovery programme for forested areas of the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon rainforest.


This is because the country can count on a great diversity of species in restoration projects.

See:
https://www.ipbes.net/news/launch-summary-policy-makers-1st-brazilian-assessment-biodiversity-ecosystem-services"

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) A research article explores the application of imagination in scenario development that stimulates “a reflective process that can contribute to more informed decision-making”. The article both examines the role application of imagination in existing IPBES assessments and offers suggestions for how it can be better applied in future ones.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has published brief for business on the IPBES Global Assessment Report, which highlights the main points from the report relevant to business and puts it in the context of other landmark reports, such as the World Economic Forum’s New Nature Economy report series and the upcoming Dasgupta Economics of Biodiversity review.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) The South Hams District Council in Devon, England has unanimously declared both a Climate Change and a Biodiversity Emergency following the IPBES Global Assessment. Subsequently, the district will collaborate with various agencies to address the emergencies and will develop an action plan to assess the viability of a 2030 carbon neutral target. To do this, a working group will bring a recommendation to the full council, which will include an assessment that addresses concerns related to global species and habitat loss, as explored in the Global Assessment.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) In a statement opposing a tabled bill in California, a spokesperson for the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) cited the IPBES Global Assessment and its finding that the direct exploitation of species poses a major threat to biodiversity. The spokesperson opposed the Assembly Bill 719 in the Californian State Legislature, which would allow the commercial import and sale of crocodile and alligator parts and products in California to continue until 2025. These activities are currently scheduled to be banned on 1 January 2020.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Nathaniel Mulcahy, a 2020 US Congressional candidate from Massachusetts, decided to run in part because of the IPBES Global Assessment, as well as the recent IPCC reports. In designing his campaign poster, Mulcahy also drew inspiration from one of the Global Assessment’s key findings: that one million species are threatened with extinction. Consequently, his campaign poster features the faded silhouettes of many different species that are currently at risk, as well as the coloured outlines of several species that have gone extinct since he was first asked to run. As a congressional candidate, Mulcahy intends to bring attention to the IPBES report.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Dr. Robert Fowler, a University of South Australia Professor of Law, has proposed a legally-binding international legal instrument for advancing Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) as part of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal target 15.3. In light of the stark findings of the IPBES Land Degradation and Restoration Assessment - and further evidence provided by the Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services - Fowler has proposed the adoption of Paris Agreement-like National Determined Contributions and mandatory review and reporting requirements within the United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD), the inclusion of sustainable soil use within the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) post-2020 biodiversity framework, and the development of a soil target within the forthcoming decadal biodiversity targets for 2021-2030. The Professor's forthcoming publication (Fowler and Hannam, "Critique of the Report “Improving International Soil Governance: Analysis and recommendations”) is expected for publication in the International Yearbook of Soils Law and Policy in late 2020.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, two US states announced plans to sue the government, citing findings of the Global Assessment. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra both referenced the finding that 1 million species are at risk of extinction.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) During the lead up to the 18th CITES Conference of the Parties, the Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States urged world leaders to act on species extinction, citing the IPBES Global Assessment. Together, these societies compose the largest global animal protection charity in the world. In a statement, the president of Humane Society International, Jeffrey Flocken, said “With UN experts warning that one million of the world’s estimated 8 million species are threatened with extinction, the time for timid policy making is over.”

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) The Bristol Museum, which houses one of Britain’s largest natural history collections, decided to shroud its exhibits of extinct and endangered species in black mourning veils to highlight the global biodiversity crisis. Explaining the rationale behind this move, senior curator Isla Gladstone said that the museum was responding to the seriousness of the threats to wildlife and plants as identified in the IPBES Global Assessment. The museum drew its inspiration from a group of visiting schoolchildren who were moved by the exhibit.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, US Presidential candidate Joe Sestak Tweeted out his opposing stance. In his statement on Twitter, he cited the finding from the Global Assessment that 1 million species are at risk of extinction, arguing that this proves the importance of preserving biodiversity.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, US Presidential candidate Julián Castro Tweeted out his opposing stance. In his statement on Twitter, he cited the finding from the Global Assessment that 1 million species are at risk of extinction, arguing that this proves the importance of preserving biodiversity.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, US Presidential candidate Julián Castro Tweeted out his opposing stance. In his statement on Twitter, he cited the finding from the Global Assessment that 1 million species are at risk of extinction, arguing that this proves the importance of preserving biodiversity.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, US Senator Dianne Feinstein voiced her opposing stance. In her statement, she cited the finding from the Global Assessment that 1 million species are at risk of extinction, arguing that this proves the urgent importance of preserving biodiversity. “Now is not the time to back away from this monumental challenge,” she wrote.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, former US Presidential candidate Jill Stein Tweeted out her opposing stance. In her statement on Twitter, she cited the finding from the Global Assessment that 1 million species are at risk of extinction. In so doing, she voiced support for expanding the Endangered Species Act in conjunction with the implementation of a Green New Deal. Jill Stein was the US Green Party Presidential nominee in 2012 and 2016.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following news that the Trump administration plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act, a group of American scientists from across disciplines sent a petition to Congress urging them to fully fund wildlife conservation programs to protect biodiversity from severe and growing threats. In the letter accompanying the petition, the union references the findings of the IPBES Global Assessment at length, stating that “in light of the unprecedented global biodiversity crisis identified by the IPBES, we urge the United States to join governments around the world in immediate action.”

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) The third session of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) began on 19 August 2019. The Coordinator for the High Seas Alliance, Peggy Kalas, delivered an opening statement in which she referenced the IPBES Global Assessment at length. Referring to one finding of the Global Assessment—that transformative change is needed to halt the dangerous decline of nature—Kalas said that the BBNJ treaty “can be that transformative change for the ocean” and that this IGC session needs to make tangible progress on the draft, incorporating provisions that will “legally protect the biodiversity in nearly 70% of the global ocean and almost half of our planet.”

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Microsoft announced that the University of Western Australia will benefit from an AI for Earth Microsoft Compute Grant to support its work to protect threatened species, undertaken as part of the global DNA Zoo initiative. The grant will develop the concept of using scat retrieval drones (SRDs) to collect samples that can be used for DNA-based species monitoring. Microsoft made the announcement in response to the Global Assessment’s finding that one million species are at risk of extinction, as a means of demonstrating their commitment to sustainability.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Julián Castro, a US Presidential candidate, cited the IPBES Global Assessment in his Protecting Animals and Wildlife (PAW) Plan, which seeks to advance animal welfare and protect endangered species. Castro references one finding of the report—that one million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction—as proof of the urgent need to prioritize the protection of endangered species.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) In response to the devastating forests in the Amazon rainforest, ONU Info—the French-language version of UN News, released a statement to be used as the official UN response that referenced IPBES. Alongside statements from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the World Meteorological Organization. The article reference a Tweet from IPBES that cited one finding from the Global Assessment: deforestation is responsible for around 10% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Drawing on findings from the IPBES Global Assessment, experts from the Society for Conservation Biology have proposed a novel concept for global biodiversity financing, which can serve as a starting point for more specific policy dialogues on intergovernmental burden and benefit-sharing mechanisms to halt biodiversity loss. Given the lack of progress on the Aichi biodiversity targets, the authors advocate for better targeted financial resource mobilization and, consequently, develop three potential designs for a global-scale financial mechanism to support biodiversity conservation through intergovernmental transfers. They determine that the socioecological design would provide the strongest median incentive for states which are farther from achieving the target. It would also be intended to provide input to current efforts within IPBES to identify policies that could help to slow down, halt and potentially reverse the current decline in biodiversity.

Description of Impact(s) (English Only) Following the launch of the IPBES Global Assessment and his subsequent meeting with some of its experts, French President Emmanuel Macron said publicly that he would put pressure on the United States to sign the Metz Biodiversity Charte during the 2019 Group of 7 meeting in Biarritz. Macron stressed the importance of protecting biodiversity, saying “It is for the first time, at this G7, that we will sign a charter for biodiversity, we are committed to this, it will be signed by all.” The Metz Charter officially welcomes the IPBES Global Assessment and commits to addressing the main pressures on biodiversity “as informed by the best available science and knowledge, including the thematic, regional and global assessments by the IPBES.” Its three central commitments are to accelerate and intensify efforts to halt biodiversity loss, encourage the engagement of other actors and stakeholders and support the development and implementation of post-2020 global biodiversity framework.