Our Ref: EM/2016/22

Dear IPBES Member States and Observers,

 Following the outcome of the fourth session of the Plenary (Decision IPBES-4/1, section III, para. 3, and section IV, para.5) and in line with the agreed procedures for the preparation of the Platform’s deliverables, Governments and other relevant stakeholders are invited to nominate experts to participate in:

  1. the Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Deliverable 2c);
  2. the workshop to further scope the thematic assessment of the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (Deliverable 3biii).

In addition, following decision IPBES-4/1, section I, para.1, Governments and relevant institutions and organizations are invited to nominate fellows to:

  1. the IPBES Fellowship Pilot Programme, to participate in the Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

The IPBES Fellowship Pilot Programme targets early career experts who wish to gain experience by participating in the work of IPBES. More information on the IPBES Fellowship Pilot Programme and nomination process can be found here.

Member States and Observers are invited to disseminate this call for nominations widely to relevant institutions and organisations. Nominations from a broad range of organizations/institutions are encouraged. Self-nominations will not be accepted. Nominators are expected to give their consent to the time commitment required from the candidate, as appropriate.

All nominated individuals (nominees) need to be available to attend the meeting to which they are applying to be experts.
Meeting dates:

  • The First Author Meeting for the Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services will be held in August 15-19, 2016 in Bonn, Germany (Experts and Fellows);
  • The scoping meeting for the thematic assessment of Sustainable Use of Biodiversity will be held August 2-4, 2016, Bonn, Germany (Scoping Experts).

Importantly, nominated experts should have expertise in one or more disciplines within natural science, social science or humanities, represent or have expertise in indigenous and local knowledge systems, or be policy experts and practitioners. We strongly encourage nominations to reflect this broad range of expertise which is needed for both assessments.

In particular, for the Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, we are seeking experts with an interdisciplinary, international and/or global background and experience. Governments and organisations nominating experts are therefore encouraged to promote this multidisciplinary approach, which is fundamental to the success of IPBES. For the scoping meeting for the thematic assessment of Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, we are seeking experts that have expertise in integrative approaches to human-nature relations, in ethics, trade, as well as in the relevant institutions and governance.

The nomination process of experts will follow these steps:

  1. Nominees will be invited to fill out an application form and attach their curricula vitae through the dedicated web portal (http://www.ipbes.net/applicationform)
  2. The application form will automatically be sent to the nominating Government or Organisation (Nominator) indicated by the Nominee with an email, which will provide a link to a nomination form inviting the Nominators to approve and submit their nominations.
  3. Nominators and Nominees will  receive an acknowledgement message once the nomination form confirming the nomination has been submitted

Interested experts (nominees) are requested to fill out their application form no later than 05 May 2016. Nominators (governments or organisations) should submit approved applications by 15 May 2016 at the latest. Early nominations ahead of the deadline are encouraged. Experts interested in being nominated are encouraged to contact their IPBES National Focal Point (http://www.ipbes.net/about/members/nfps) or organisational contact point as they may be operating under their own timeline.

I look forward to your positive response to this letter and for your continued support towards the implementation of our work programme in 2016.

Yours sincerely,

This document has been signed electronically and contains no handwritten signature

Sir Robert T. Watson
Chair, Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Our mailing address is:
IPBES Secretariat

UN Campus
Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1

Bonn 53113

Germany