1. What is the IPBES?

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was established in 2012 and is comprised of 130 member governments. Its objective is to provide up-to-date and independent scientific assessments on biodiversity and ecosystems, so that governments, the private sector and civil society can make better-informed decisions.

2. What are the services provided by Nature?

The term « Nature » is a concept that includes ecosystems, their biodiversity, and goods and services contributions to people, which encompass a variety of things vital for human existence.

Nature distributes fresh water, regulates the climate, provides pollination and pest control and reduces the impact of natural hazards. Nature also underpins all dimensions of human health and contributes to food, energy and materials more than ever before.

Services provided by ecosystems range from water quality regulation to a sense of place and from material aspects such as genetic resources and a variety of materials to aspects vital to the maintaining of culture such as inspiration, learning, and physical and psychological experiences that are central to quality of life and cultural integrity, even if their aggregated value is difficult to quantify.