IPBES TT Platform
IPBES
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an independent intergovernmental body established by States to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being, and sustainable development. It was established in Panama City, on 21 April 2012 by 94 Governments. It is not a United Nations body but at the request of the IPBES Plenary and with the authorization of the UNEP Governing Council in 2013, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services to IPBES.
The work of IPBES can be broadly grouped into four complementary areas:
- Assessments: On specific themes (e.g. “Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production”); methodological issues (e.g. “Scenarios and Modelling); and at both the regional and global levels (e.g. “Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services”).
- Policy Support: Identifying policy-relevant tools and methodologies, facilitating their use, and catalysing their further development.
- Building Capacity & Knowledge: Identifying and meeting the priority capacity, knowledge and data needs of our member States, experts and stakeholders.
- Communications & Outreach: Ensuring the widest reach and impact of our work.
More on IPBES and its work can be found here.
National Platforms
IPBES encourages the establishment of national and regional biodiversity platforms, including those that specifically address the use, uptake, and integration of its activities and products as strengthening national and regional capacities is a key component of the work of IPBES on building capacity under the rolling work programme up to 2030. Reasons for developing national platforms include bringing together national actors building capacity, bring together national actors, including scientists and other knowledge holders, policymakers and decision-makers, practitioners and other stakeholders, and provide an arena for coordination and collaboration among national actors on joint activities related to IPBES and other biodiversity-related topics.
These platforms are able to disseminate information about IPBES’ activities and products, as well as engage stakeholders on issues related to these activities and products, encourage the involvement of persons in the IPBES process, including the nomination of experts and fellows, and integrate the information from the assessments into decision-making throughout all sectors of government and society at large. Additionally, national platforms are in a position to develop capacity to effectively engage with the IPBES process, and allow for the collaboration between science, policy and practice sectors.
National platforms can engage with the IPBES process in the following ways:
- Identification, review and mobilisation of experts and other stakeholders to take part in the production, review and use of IPBES products;
- Organization of uptake events to disseminate information about IPBES and key messages from IPBES products;
- Mobilisation of national/(sub)regional efforts to address knowledge gaps identified in IPBES assessments;
- Organization of capacity-building events to strengthen individual and institutional capacities at the national/(sub)regional level for engaging with the work of IPBES; and
- Coordination and implementation of national/(sub)regional activities related to the work of IPBES and the wider biodiversity agenda, such as the undertaking of national/(sub)regional ecosystem assessments.
Currently registered national platforms can be found at https://ipbes.net/national-regional-platforms-networks.
Goal of the IPBES TT Platform
The goal of the IPBES TT Platform is to improve biodiversity and ecosystem service conservation, sustainable use, and management and improve human well-being through improving the use, uptake and integration of IPBES activities and outputs, consistent with national policies, into all sectors of society.
Objectives of the IPBES TT Platform
Improve the review of IPBES-generated documents on a national scale by engaging diverse stakeholder groups in the process;
- Increase Trinidad and Tobago nominations for various IPBES roles and events through the engagement of diverse stakeholder groups;
- Share and promote IPBES-generated documents and opportunities;
- Contribute to the reduction of the science-policy gap in Trinidad and Tobago;
- Improve access to national, regional and international opportunities in biodiversity, conservation and related fields for Trinidad and Tobago nationals, residents and organisations; and
- Improve uptake of IPBES-generated documents and frameworks across sectors.