Preparations for the first major meetings of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in late 2011 and early 2012 are underway. Expert meeting on IPBES and capacity building in Norway at the end of May - report is available in rough outline.
The UK National Ecosystem Assessment has just been published. This will tie in with the imminent publication of the new White Paper on environment and a new England biodiversity strategy.
Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation is a UK Department for International Development, NERC and ESRC-supported research programme - developing research on biodiversity and ecosystem services in a number of world regions.
Comment piece in Science on IPBES. The UN agreed recently to the formation of the International Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Science-Policy Interface (IPBES) as a cross-cutting initiative to provide more effective integration of biodiversity science and policy. The article's authors argue for good definition of policy needs on appropriate geographical scales and point to the need to build capacity in science as part of the initiative.../more.../ The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Science-Policy Interface Charles Perrings, Anantha Duraiappah, Anne Larigauderie, and Harold Mooney Science 4 March 2011: 331 (6021), 1139-1140. Published online 17 February 2011 [DOI:10.1126/science.1202400]
A UK research strategy for global food security is published from government and various agencies - some references to the impact of agriculture on biodiversity, and the reliance on ecosystem services. Little bit on pests, but not much on genomes of wild related species.
Biodiversity information and taxonomy are considered in light of the established and emerging approaches to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services after the International Year of Biodiversity. Knapp and Boxshall (2010) 'Biodiversity and systematics: how have we fared in the International Year of Biodiversity?', Systematics and Biodiversity, 8: 419—422 DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2010.543008.
The UK government Foresight programme has just published a horizon-scanning and policy advice report on Global Food and Farming Futures. A good overview of the issues and challenges, including the interface of food production and biodiversity, in particular the potential impact of food production on ecosystem services. A knowledge gap on the ecological basis for ecosystem services is identified. Essential reading in strategic planning.
The UN General Assembly has agreed to the formation of the Intergovernmental Science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) - announced by UNEP. It is said that this will be similar to IPCC, but for biodversity rather than climate. Lot of rather interesting questions to be answered as to remit, approach and governance, but UNEP now moving to organise a first plenary.
Very interesting site from Sciencewise ERC on public engagement and citizen science relating to environment and landscapes - Public engagement on landscape & ecosystem futures in England, Scotland and Wales /...
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This is from the ScienceWise Expert Resource Centre (a UK government initiative for dialogue on science in society). Of particular interest is that this focuses on citizen science in the sense of a direct engagement of the public in decisions and interpretation of science in a policy framework - in contrast to the use of citizen science to mean public participation in field monitoring and so forth. This particular initiative also connects to the UK National Ecosystem Assessment which will be released in the early part of 2011.
The proposed Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has received initial approval from the UN General Assembly, according to the UK government in a announcement. No details and no obvious response elsewhere yet, but there appears to be discussion on reporting and governance arrangements.
