by Nathalie Rutz (Pro Natura/Friends of the Earth Switzerland)
In the past two years IPBES has approved three major assessments:
- Transformative Change Assessment on the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and the determinants of change;
- Nexus Assessment on the interlinkages between bio-
diversity, water, food and health; - Business and Biodiversity Assessment on business impacts and dependencies on biodiversity and nature's contributions to people
They offer practical guidance on how to achieve KMGBF targets 14 (integrate biodiversity in decision-making), 15 (business assessment and disclosure), 16 (sustainable consumption) and 18 (harmful subsidies). According to the Global Review, these targets are among those with the lowest coverage in national target setting - so much remains to be done.
Under item 17(e), the COP is discussing how to take up these assessments and encourage Parties to use them nationally. Building on the draft coming from SBSTTA, the non-paper contains several paragraphs (2, 5 and 9) with corresponding suggestions. Some Parties now want to delete these paragraphs and only name the assessments. This would reduce their visibility and understanding, slow their uptake, and therefore delay progress on targets 14-16 and 18. The assessments were jointly commissioned and endorsed by all IPBES members, including those now asking to shorten the text. What is the point in ordering and financing assessments whose findings are later concealed?
The main question in Yerevan is how to accelerate progress on the KMGBF. Spelling out actions based on the assessments shows Parties what they can do. Therefore paragraphs 2, 5 and 9 should remain as detailed as they are now (non-paper on item 17(e), version 3, 26 October 2026).