Expert meeting on IPBES and capacity building

An international expert meeting on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and capacity building was convened in Trondheim, Norway, from 25 to 27 May 2011.

The meeting was co-hosted by the Governments of Brazil and Norway, and was planned and organized by the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management.

Following the “Busan Outcome” from June 2010, and the decisions relating to IPBES taken by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2010 and the UNEP Governing Council in February 2011, the intention with this meeting was to help inform and prepare for the plenary meetings being organized by UNEP to operationalize IPBES. This expert meeting was organized with the full knowledge of UNEP.

The aim of the meeting was to convene a group of government representatives and other experts in order to consider how IPBES might most effectively address capacity building. The discussions considered in particular how capacity building will support other work areas of IPBES, including knowledge generation, assessment and policy support.

The intention was not to take decisions, all of which will be taken by the IPBES plenary, but rather to increase understanding of the needs, options and key players, to start to identify what the priorities might be, and to consider further potential mechanisms for delivering capacity building in the context of the IPBES.

Approximately 60 participants came from Government organizations, NGOs, scientific programmes and organizations, IGOs, ILOs, MEA secretariats and other intergovernmental organizations.

Working documents

Information documents

Presentations

Meeting report