Sir Robert Watson, Chair, IPBES.
Most scientists and conservationists agree the planet is on the verge of an unprecedented biodiversity crisis. Human societies around the world depend on nature and the benefits it provides in countless ways, and if nature continues to degrade everybody will suffer.
Addressing this issue, and the interdependent issue of human-induced climate change, requires Governments, private sector and the public to become engaged in changing the policies, practices, technologies and behaviors that are currently undermining the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity and changing the Earth’s climate. Addressing the interdependent issues of human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity is critical if efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be successful.
Informed decision making requires credible scientific knowledge, produced and assessed through open and transparent processes, and accepted by all stakeholders. Therefore, the active involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, knowledge holders and decision-makers from a diversity of geographical, gender and disciplinary backgrounds (natural and social sciences, the humanities, and local and indigenous knowledge), is key to the successful co-design and co-production of scientific knowledge and the critical assessment of that knowledge. Multi-stakeholder involvement in the production of national, regional and global assessments is essential for their credibility and legitimacy and for the uptake of their findings.
Intergovernmental assessment processes such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services play a critical role in providing an inclusive process for expert inquiry distinguished by a plurality of perspectives and values. Healthy, inclusive and constructive discussions are key to better understanding and coming to a consensus on key issues for global challenges such as human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity.
The universal and common goal within the academic community is to provide the knowledge needed for governments, private sector and civil society to secure a sustainable future for nature and people.
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