September 2011: The report of the International Science Workshop on Assessments for the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is now available. Participants considered the draft of scientific assessments for IPBES, and issued a document containing recommendations and options for policy makers.

The workshop was held from 25-27 July 2011, in Tokyo, Japan, and was organized by the UN University’s Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP) and the Ministry of Environment of Japan. The resulting document provides, inter alia, recommendations on the scope and nature of IPBES assessments, and number and type of working groups needed to effectively carry out these assessments.

This document is intended to be proposed to policymakers at the meetings of the IPBES plenary to be held in October 2011 and February 2012. It also has been submitted to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). [UNU News Release] [Publication: Workshop Report]