Call for nominations of experts to assist with the scoping of a thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health

The rolling work programme of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) up to 2030 includes, under its first objective, a thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health. 

This assessment will use a nexus approach to examine the strong interlinkages among the Sustainable Development Goals related to food and water security, health for all, protecting biodiversity on land and in the oceans and combating climate change, among others. Interlinkages take various forms, including synergies, co-benefits and trade-offs. The challenge is to achieve good health for all with food and water security, including through the enhanced use of biodiversity, without adversely impacting biodiversity, water quality or climate and in the context of global change, including climate change.

Addressing the nature of the interlinkages between biodiversity and other relevant issues reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development may advance the understanding of biodiversity-related impacts, dependencies, synergies and trade-offs across the Sustainable Development Goals and of options for integrated and cross-sectoral approaches to achieving this Agenda.

The scoping process will be based on the initial scoping report for this assessment.

Importantly, nominated experts should have expertise in one or more disciplines within natural science, social science or humanities, or in indigenous and local knowledge systems, or be policy experts or practitioners.  We strongly encourage nominations of experts with inter- and multi-disciplinary expertise and would like to stress that expertise beyond the natural sciences is essential given the fact that this assessment would identify and assess the full range of multi-sectoral response options. IPBES is seeking, in particular, experts, practitioners or policy experts knowledgeable on interlinkages between: biodiversity and agriculture/food, aquaculture, animal production and nutrition; biodiversity and human physical and mental health and infectious diseases; biodiversity and water quality; biodiversity and climate mitigation and adaptation; and experts knowledgeable on multiple interactions among these issues. 

All nominated experts (Nominees) need to be available to attend the scoping meeting that is part of the scoping process, tentatively scheduled for 24-27 March 2020.
 
Deadline for nomination of experts is 15 October 2019.

For more info on how to apply check IPBES' website.