Assessment
The Regional and Subregional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa
IPBES is to perform regular and timely assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services and their interlinkages at regional and subregional levels under deliverable 2(b) of the first IPBES Work Programme.
Within an IPBES assessment there are two external review processes. Firstly, an independent external peer review of the first order draft, by experts with relevant knowledge who are not involved in the assessment. Secondly, an independent external peer review by governments, observers and any interested external expert on the second order draft of the full report and the first draft of the summary for policymakers.
The Africa Assessment Report is a critical evaluation of the state of available knowledge on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people in the region. It covers the status, trends, and threats to biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, as well as policy and management response options.
The Assessment Report highlights the uniqueness and richness of African biodiversity and ecosystem services, and the wealth of indigenous and local knowledge. It highlights the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, including rapid population growth and urbanization, inappropriate economic policies and the illegal wildlife trade. It highlights climate change as a major threat, as it increases extreme weather events and land degradation. It advocates governance responses that emphasize the importance of transboundary cooperation, traditional institutions, cross-sectoral initiatives and synergies.