Abstract
The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an expert institution expected to transform the governance of biodiversity and ecosystem services. IPBES expands on previous initiatives and positions itself as a knowledge-policy interface open to different ways of knowing biodiversity. In this contribution, we analyze how the principles of regional, gender, and disciplinary balance that were adopted by IPBES have been applied to the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP): the body of experts responsible for the scientific and technical functions of IPBES and embedded in its knowledge-making practices. In doing so, we compare the selection of the interim MEP in 2013 with the new MEP in 2015 and find a small improvement in gender and disciplinary balance that varies across the United Nations regional groupings. According to the ambition of IPBES, there is significant room for improvement, but opening-up expertise in an intergovernmental setting proves challenging.
Highlights
The global governance of biodiversity and ecosystem services is currently being transformed with potential consequences for research and policy agendas the world over
It is similar in structure to the long-standing Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has a much broader mandate
In contrast to previous global environmental assessments (GEAs), IPBES aims for expert participation that takes account of gender balance, ensures representation from both developed and developing countries, and includes a diverse range of disciplines and knowledge systems
Summary
The global governance of biodiversity and ecosystem services is currently being transformed with potential consequences for research and policy agendas the world over. In contrast to previous GEAs, IPBES aims for expert participation that takes account of gender balance, ensures representation from both developed and developing countries, and includes a diverse range of disciplines and knowledge systems. We reflect on the attempted opening up of expertise in IPBES, which has adopted guiding principles to achieve regional, gender, and disciplinary balance in all of its work.
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