Introduction: the IPBES, Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Abstract

Conservation biology is to save the diversity of life on our Planet. This diversity contributes to the functioning of ecosystems, thus also to the well-being of the human societies. The decline of biodiversity has long been recognised by the scientific community, and was widely publicized. Unfortunately, these voices and actions (e.g., Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) initiated by the scientific and NGO communities did not effectively bridge the gap between science and policy. IPBES is different from previous efforts, as it originates from the governments and not the scientific community. More than hundred and twenty governments are members of this intergovernmental platform. Nevertheless, the accomplishment of the platform’s work programme involves over 1000 researchers and experts, thus the mutual cooperation of both sides of the bridge of the science – policy gap now actively participates. One of the objectives of IPBES is to assess the interactions between the living world and human societies. Probably the most important for Europe is the regional assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services for Europe and Central Asia, covering Europe, whole Russia, Turkey, and five Central Asian countries. The assessment contributes also to the identification of needs for capacity-building, generation of new knowledge and development of policy support tools. Compared to previous works, the assessment has higher level of involvement of experts from the post-soviet countries, and brings in knowledge from non-academic knowledge systems (e.g. Indigeneous and Local Knowledge), as well. This symposium will provide an introduction to IPBES, with special emphasis on its novelties and on the Europe and Central Asia Regional Assessment. The following workshop will provide forum for discussing how to use the results of the assessment to guide research, research funding, and other activities of the European conservation biologists’ community.