17 January 2015: The third session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-3), held from 12-17 January in Bonn, Germany, has adopted the revised draft stakeholder engagement strategy (SES) and implementation plan. With stakeholder engagement viewed as an important element for the relevance, effectiveness, credibility and overall success of IPBES, the strategy aims to encourage the participation of scientists and other knowledge holders in the Platform’s work and facilitate the use of the IPBES products, such as its policy support tools.

The much anticipated decision was extensively debated by IPBES-3 delegates during plenary and contact group sessions. Contentious issues included: the legal and operational structure of the proposed self-organized and open-ended stakeholder forum and its relationship with the IPBES Secretariat and Plenary; eligibility criteria; and whether governments should also be considered stakeholders. In a late compromise, delegates agreed to language defining the stakeholder coordination body as a “network” rather than a “forum.”

In its final decision, IPBES-3: welcomes the revised SES; requests the Secretariat to embark on activities identified in the initial implementation plan; and “encourages all stakeholders representing, inter alia, their regional, disciplinary and knowledge systems in their diversity, to collaborate with the Platform.”

During the Stakeholder Days held just prior to IPBES-3 on 10-11 January 2015, participants exchanged views on changes on the revised draft of the strategy and how to ensure its adoption, following postponement of discussion of this item at IPBES-2 in Antalya, Turkey. Other issues covered included how to: coordinate stakeholder participation at IPBES-3; improve stakeholder activities during the intersessional periods; enhance stakeholder contributions to the IPBES Work Programme, in particular the three task forces on indigenous and local knowledge, capacity building, and knowledge and data; and articulate stakeholder views on relevant IPBES rules of procedure, including on admission of observers and conflict of interest. [IISD RS coverage of IPBES-3] [IPBES Stakeholder Days webpage] [IISD RS coverage of Stakeholder Days Prior to IPBES-3]