Notification 2023-113

Dear Madam/Sir, I would like to draw your attention to recent notifications issued by the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which are relevant to the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols. The notifications invite Governments and relevant organizations to nominate experts and fellows to support different areas of work and to participate in external review processes. Details are provided in the IPBES notifications cited below: Nomination of experts or fellows - Call for nominations of experts to assist with the scoping of the second global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Deadline: 12 November 2023 (Individuals), 19 November 2023 (Governments or organizations) (EM/2023/35) - Call for nominations of experts for the methodological assessment on monitoring biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people assessment. Deadline: 19 December 2023 (Individuals), 6 January 2024 (Governments or organizations) (EM/2023/36) - Call for nominations of fellows for the methodological assessment on monitoring biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people assessment. Deadline: 19 December 2023 (Individuals), 6 January 2024 (Governments or organizations) (EM/2023/38) - Call for nominations of experts to IPBES Task Forces. Deadline: 12 November 2023 (Individuals), 19 November 2023 (Governments or organizations) (EM/2023/37) - Call for nominations of fellows for the IPBES task force on scenarios and models. Deadline: 19 December 2023 (Individuals), 6 January 2024 (Governments or organizations) (EM/2023/39) External reviews of draft assessments - Second external review of two IPBES assessments currently in preparation (EM/2023/34): o The second draft of the chapters and the first draft of the summary for policymakers of the thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health (nexus assessment); open for review from 20 November 2023 to 14 January 2024 (8 weeks). o The second draft of the chapters and the first draft of the summary for policymakers of the thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 vision for biodiversity (transformative change assessment); open for review from 4 December 2023 to 28 January 2024 (8 weeks). In view of the relevance of the work of IPBES to the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols, I encourage all Parties and relevant organizations to consider the invitations contained in the above notifications. Lastly, I would also like to take this opportunity to advise that the decisions adopted by the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services at its tenth session (IPBES 10), held in Bonn, Germany, from 28 August to 2 September 2023, are now available online at: https://www.ipbes.net/events/ipbes-10-plenary . Please accept, Sir, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Acting Executive Secretary

To: CBD national focal points, ABS focal points, Cartagena Protocol focal points, SBSTTA focal points, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations