1. Overview of global initiatives and their relevance for the EU context
Workshop on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services - Brussels, 22 September 2011
Claire Brown, UNEP-WCMC

2. The Aim of this Presentation
To provide a background on global initiatives relating to ecosystem assessments. To highlight aspects of these relevant to the EC and the 27 members states.
Ecosystem Assessments
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3. What is an Ecosystem Assessment?
Links ecosystems, services and people
Connects different sectors
Communicates complex information
Engages stakeholders
Is not primary research!
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4. A Range of Assessment Process
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)
Global Environment Outlook (GEO 5)
Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO 3)
Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA 2010)
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)
Regular Process for GRAME (Marine)
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5. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Launched in 2001 and released in 2005
Provided an evidence base - linking ecosystem change to HWB
24 Ecosystem services assessed
A global assessment and with a number of SGAs completed
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6. The MA Follow-up Process
2009 to 2011
Global strategy to turn knowledge into action based around 4 objectives
Continuing to build and improve the knowledge base (SGA network)
Promoting the systematic application of ecosystem service considerations
Disseminating the findings of the MA and its conceptual framework
Exploring the needs, options and modalities of a 2nd assessment (IPBES)
Ecosystem Assessments
24 November, 2018

7. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)
Launch in 2007 and completed in 2009
A global assessment with small scale case studies
Focus on the value of ecosystems and their services
Provided a series of reports for different end users:
for ecologists and economists (TEEB D0)
for international and national policy makers (TEEB D1)
for local and regional policy (TEEB D2)
for business (TEEB D3)
for citizens (TEEB-D4)
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8. TEEB Phase III – 2011 - Will focus on the following three areas:
Policy
Business
Communications/outreach
The objective :
to mainstream TEEB beyond the biodiversity policy sphere while ensuring scientific credibility.  
Many national studies have begun throughout Europe
Workshop on exchange of TEEB process in European Countries – led by the German Government
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9. The AoA & Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment
AoA was a review of the global marine assessment landscape for the purpose of determining possible options and a framework for a Regular Process
Includes ecosystem services
First Integrated Assessment due in 2014
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10. 2008-2010 Ad-hoc intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder meetings
To strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well‑being and sustainable development.
Ad-hoc intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder meetings
June 2010 Countries reached agreement on the establishment of IPBES
Busan Outcome
UN General Assembly (16/162) and UNEP Governing Council (Decision 26) instructed UNEP to identify how to operationalise IPBES
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11. Next Steps... 1 Plenary over 2 sessions:
How to operationalise IPBES
1 Plenary over 2 sessions:
3 – 7 October 2011 – principles and procedures, governance structure, processes for nomination and selection of host institution(s) and country and initial discussion on the work programme
Early 2012 – Determine the modalities and institutional arrangements and detailed draft work programme.
Work Programme: knowledge generation, assessment, policy support tools and capacity building
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12. Busan Outcome (UNEP/IPBES/3/3)
“The new platform should perform regular and timely assessments of knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem services and their interlinkages, which should include comprehensive global, regional and, as necessary, subregional assessments and thematic issues at appropriate scales and new topics identified by science and as decided upon by the plenary. These assessments must be scientifically credible, independent and peer-reviewed, and must identify uncertainties. There should be a clear and transparent process for sharing and incorporating relevant data. The new platform should maintain a catalogue of relevant assessments, identify the need for regional and subregional assessments and help to catalyse support for subregional and national assessments, as appropriate”.
(UNEP/IPBES/3/3 paragraph 6c)
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13. Options for Assessment (UNEP/IPBES.MI/1/INF/4/Add.1)
Number of options for implementing assessment under IPBES
Things to be considered:
Priorities for assessment, including information at the most useful scale and integration of assessments
Incorporation of different knowledge types
Valuation and it communication
Models, scenarios and indicators
New topics
Selection of authors and peer review
Inter linkages between the elements of the work programme
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14. Where are the SGAs?
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15. Sub-global Assessment Network
Secretariat hosted at UNEP-WCMC & The Cropper Foundation
Objective:
Create a common platform for practitioners to:
Build capacity
Training
Examples of best practice
Developing e-learning tools
Interactions between assessments
Website and resource materials
Linking SGAs to the scientific community
Support global processes – providing building blocks
Ecosystem Assessments
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16. Sub-global Assessment Network
Who is the network aimed at:
Current ecosystem assessment
New ecosystem assessments
Initiatives using specialised assessment approaches for decision-making
Project developing tools and approaches for assessments
Contact:
Ecosystem Assessments
24 November, 2018