Notification 2023-013

Dear Madam/Sir, I would like to draw your attention to several opportunities to participate in processes under 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. These include the following: - 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), will be open for a first external review from 3 February to 17 March 2023 (see notification EM/2023/03). Experts wishing to participate in the review processes need to first register at the IPBES website: https://ipbes.net/user/register, if they have not already done so, and then register to review the draft assessment here. - IPBES is organizing a series of online regional dialogue workshops aimed at better understanding and promoting the use of IPBES products in policymaking. Workshops for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific were held in 2021 and 2022. The dialogue workshop for Western European and Other States (WEOG) will be held online on 13 March 2023 from 20:00 to 22:00 (CET). The dialogue workshop for Eastern Europe will be held online on 17 March 2023 from 14:00 to 16:00 (CET). Invitations have been sent to IPBES National Focal Points from these two regions. CBD National Focal Points interested in participating may wish to contact their IPBES counterparts. Further dialogues will be organized and communicated by IPBES in due course. - IPBES Members and Observers and observer organizations have been invited to the tenth session of the IPBES Plenary (IPBES 10), which is planned to be held from 28 August to 2 September 2023 in Bonn, Germany, and will be hosted by the United States of America. IPBES Members and Observers and observer organizations wishing to participate should register as soon as possible, and no later than 30 June 2023 (see notifications EM/2023/04 and EM/2023/05). - IPBES has invited IPBES Members to submit nominations of candidates for the Bureau of the Plenary of IPBES. Nominations should be sent to the IPBES Secretariat by 28 April 2023. Elections for membership of the Bureau will be held during IPBES 10 (see notification EM/2023/07). Considering the relevance of the work of IPBES to the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols, I encourage all Parties and observers to the Convention and its Protocols to participate in these processes. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Acting Executive Secretary

To: CBD Focal Points, ABS National Focal Points, Cartagena Protocol Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations