Call for nominations for scoping experts for the second global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Dear IPBES members, observers and other interested stakeholders,

The IPBES Plenary, in decision IPBES-10/1, approved a scoping process for a second global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The second global assessment will be broadly similar in scope to the first global assessment while building on it to avoid repetition or unnecessary duplication.

For more detailed information, please see the initial scoping report set out in annex II of document IPBES/10/10 (available here).

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 assist with the scoping of this assessment.

The scoping process 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 initial scoping report.

Nominated experts should have expertise relevant to a global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services in one or more disciplines within natural science, social science or humanities. IPBES is, in particular, seeking experts with an interdisciplinary background with experience working at various scales (e.g., global, regional, subregional, national, and ecosystem-level scales). Governments and organizations nominating experts are therefore encouraged to promote this multidisciplinary approach, which is fundamental to the success of IPBES. IPBES is also looking for experts on Indigenous and local knowledge, for policy experts and for practitioners in a relevant field. Governments and relevant stakeholders are invited to ensure gender balance in their nominations.

All nominated experts (Nominees) need to be available to attend the scoping meeting that is part of the scoping process, tentatively scheduled for March 2024.

All Governments and relevant organizations or institutions are encouraged to submit nominations. Organizations or institutions wishing to nominate are not required to have the status of an observer to the Plenary of IPBES to make a nomination. 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/second-global-assessment-scoping-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 12 November 2023. 

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 the scoping meeting and possibly other relevant meetings. Experts from developed countries are to secure their own funding to participate in the meeting. 

Nominators (Governments or organizations) should submit the nominations of all Nominees, which they would like to support, before 19 November 2023. 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)