Call for nominations for experts for the methodological assessment on monitoring biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people assessment

Dear IPBES members, observers and other interested stakeholders,

The IPBES Plenary, in decision IPBES/10/1, approved the undertaking of the methodological assessment on monitoring biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people (“monitoring assessment”).

The objective of the monitoring assessment is to support national and global efforts to (a) monitor biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people and the direct and underlying causes of the observed changes; and (b) specifically monitor progress towards the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in support of a balanced and enhanced implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The assessment will also contribute to the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals and other relevant multilateral environmental agreements, processes and efforts. 

In accordance with decision IPBES-10/1 and the procedures for the preparation of IPBES deliverables, the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel herewith invites Governments and other relevant stakeholders to nominate experts to participate in the monitoring assessment. 

The assessment will be conducted in line with the procedures for IPBES deliverables set out in decision IPBES-3/3, annex I (available here) and based on the scoping report for the assessment (available here). 

IPBES is seeking experts and practitioners from academia, government, and civil society with expertise in: 

• A range of disciplines, including but not limited to, ecology, evolution, social science, economics, statistics and biodiversity modelling; 
• Monitoring biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems;
• The use of in-situ and remote sensing measurements, community-based monitoring and citizen science; 
• Diverse and new technologies for estimating and monitoring biodiversity, such as environmental DNA, ecological acoustics, camera-traps, hyperspectral imagery and artificial intelligence; 
• National and subnational monitoring programmes and systems (including those led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities), global observing systems, and citizen science initiatives; 
• Indicators and the use of indicators in policy and decision-making; 
• Institutional and financial requirements to strengthen monitoring systems. 

Governments and relevant stakeholders are invited to ensure gender balance in their nominations. 

All nominated experts (Nominees) need to be available to attend the relevant author meetings, with the first author meeting tentatively scheduled for October 2024. 

All Governments and relevant organizations or institutions are encouraged to submit nominations. Nominating organizations or institutions are not required to have been admitted to the Plenary of IPBES as an observer. Please help us to disseminate this call for nominations of experts widely. 

Please follow the below procedure for nomination: 

• Nominees are invited to complete the application form and attach their curriculum vitae through the dedicated web portal at https://www.ipbes.net/application/monitoring-assessment-experts (to access this page you will need to login with your IPBES website log in credentials. Nominees not yet registered on the IPBES website will need to do so at https://ipbes.net/user/register). Please note that the nomination form is in English only and applications should be submitted in English, as the assessment process will be conducted in English; 
• The nominating government or organization (Nominator) indicated by the Nominee will receive an email with a link to the nomination form and will be invited to approve and submit the nominations in the web portal;
• Nominators and Nominees will receive confirmation via email once the nomination has been submitted. 

Experts wishing to be nominated by a Government are encouraged to contact their IPBES National Focal Point (https://www.ipbes.net/national-focal-points) regarding any country specific processes or deadlines and are requested to fill out their application form by 19 December 2023. Interested experts are highly encouraged to review the information document summarizing IPBES assessment conditions and roles prior to submitting their application (link).

Experts that are selected for a role within an IPBES assessment accept the relevant conditions for the assessment, including that the time contributed to IPBES is committed on a pro-bono basis. Experts from developing countries will receive support to attend author meetings and possibly other relevant meetings. Experts from developed countries are to secure their own funding to participate in the meetings.

Nominators (Governments or organizations) should submit the nominations of all Nominees, which they would like to support, before 6 January 2024. Early nominations ahead of this deadline are encouraged.

I thank you in advance for your nominations and your continued support to IPBES.  

Yours sincerely, 

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