6. IPBES

Question 1

What kind of actors are in The Plenary and how often do they meet?

Answer 1

• Member states
• They meet once per year

Question 2

What kind of actors are in the group Observers to the Plenary?

Answer 2

1. States that are not yet members
2. Related UN bodies (e.g. CBD)
3. Other accredited organizations

Question 3

Who are the actors that are classified as Stakeholders?

Answer 3

All contributors to and end-users of IPBES outputs.

Question 4

What does the Bureau do?

Answer 4

Oversees admin

Question 5

What does MEP stand for and what does it do?

Answer 5

• Multidisciplinary Expert Panel
• Oversees scientific & technical functions

Question 6

What do the Expert Groups & Taskforces do?

Answer 6

Write the assessments and other knowledge work.

Question 7

What does the Secretariat do?

Answer 7

Implementation

Question 8

What is the goal of IPBES?

Answer 8

Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development.

Question 9

What is the most important element of the IPBES conceptual framework?

Answer 9

It explicitly includes multiple knowledge systems.

Question 10

What does IPBES do? Name two of four.

Answer 10

1. Expert assessments
2. Policy support
3. Building capacity & knowledge
4. Communications & outreach

Question 11

Name 2 conclusions from the recent Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Answer 11

• 1 million species at risk of extinction
• Abundances of native species declined by over 20% since 1900
• 75% of the land surface is significantly altered
• Benefits form nature are in decline

Question 12

What are Visions?

Answer 12

A desirable state in the future.

Question 13

What are Scenarios?

Answer 13

Plausible, often simplified descriptions of how the future may develop.

Question 14

What are Pathways?

Answer 14

Strategies from moving from the current situation towards a desired future or target.

Question 15

Why does the IPBES want to develop new scenarios? Name 1 reason.

Answer 15

1. Most global scenarios are limited to assessing the impact of drivers on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
2. Most global scenarios have been developed for other purposes (e.g. climate change)
3. Most global scenarios have had limited stakeholder participation

Question 16

What are the names of the 3 corners in the draft Nature Futures Framework?

Answer 16

1. Nature for Nature
2. Nature for Society
3. Nature as Culture

Question 17

What does the IPBES hope to achieve with new scenarios? Name 2.

Answer 17

• Generate an increasing diversity in public policy tools
• Increase inclusiveness and legitimacy by bringing in perspectives of the less powerful

Question 18

What are the IPBES reports based on?

Answer 18

1. Published international peer-reviewed literature
2. Reports
3. Indigenous and local knowledge

Question 19

Name 2 of the 4 ingredients of a Summary for Policymakers.

Answer 19

1. Synthesis of results
2. Understandable
3. Scientifically defendable
4. Politically palatable

Question 20

True or false: IPBES is different from treaties because it doesn’t say what someone has to do.

Answer 20

True.

Question 21

True or false: IPBES was inspired by the IPCC to use ILK.

Answer 21

False. It is the other way around.

Question 22

Why is ILK valueable?

Answer 22

A lot of knowledge is in the hands of indigenous and local communities living close to nature, and not in written papers.

Question 23

How does the IPBES attempt to integrate ILK?

Answer 23

Through workshops where they try to let indigenous peoples steer the agenda.

Question 24

What does free prior informed consent (FPIC) mean?

Answer 24

That at any time, if indigenous peoples want to withold knowledge, they may do so.

Question 25

Name 1 characteristic of “Nature for Nature”

Answer 25

* Instrinsic value of nature * Space allocated to nature * Nature is important on its own, without people * Valueing nature as it is * Nature should maintain its ability to function autonomously * Preservation of nature’s diversity and functions is of primary importance

Question 26

Name 1 characteristic of “Nature for Society”.

Answer 26

* Nature’s benefits to people * Ecosystem Services * Wellbeing, economy, food * Valueing contribution of nature to people

Question 27

Name 1 characterstic of “Nature as Culture”.

Answer 27

* Living in harmony * People one with nature * Almost exclusively by indigenous * Valuing the reciprocal harmonized relationships between people and nature * Nature and people as one including NCP

Question 28

Name 2 characteristics of the NFF.

Answer 28

* Nature Futures Framework * Adopted by the IPBES plenary in 2022 * A tool that can be used to see what values dominate * Supports the development of scenarios * Places people and nature at its core * Heuristic tool

Question 29

True or false: the NFF triangle is meant to point out inevitable trade-offs between the different value perspectives.

Answer 29

-True.

Question 30

What was Bolivia’s response to the draft version of the NFF and how did the IPBES change the tool?

Answer 30

* Bolivia found the triangle too rigid and not reflective of people’s holistic worldview * The triangle changed to spiraling image

Question 31

Name 2 characteristics of the Three Horizons Framework

Answer 31

* A tool for collaboratively exploring the future * Graphical approach * Uses stakeholder input to discuss future visions and pathways * Welcoming to people with different views of the future

Question 32

What is the first horizon?

Answer 32

The status quo.

Question 33

What is the second horizon?

Answer 33

Tensions, innovations and transformations.

Question 34

What is the third horizon?

Answer 34

Desirable visions.

Question 35

What does MEB stand for and what is it?

Answer 35

* Multiple Evidence Base * An approach that proposes parallels between indigenous, local and scientific knowledge systems that can complement each other

Question 36

How may knowledge from diverse systems be used? Name 3.

Answer 36

1. Integration of knowledge 2. Cross-fertilization of knowledge 3. Co-production of knowledge

Question 37

Name 2 critiques on scientific validation of traditional or local knowledge.

Answer 37

* One-way process * Validation methods may be inappropriate * There be exclusion of relevant locally legitimate knowledge * Disempowerment of local communities * May damage legitimacy of outcomes