Engaging the Norwegian research and policy community in international reporting on biodiversity and ecosystem services

The Inter-Governmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) aims to be an important mechanism for the understanding and communication of the role biodiversity plays in the benefits that the natural environment provides for people and as such has been described as an 'IPCC for nature'. The role of IPBES is to 'assesses the state of biodiversity and of the ecosystem services it provides to society, in response to requests from decision makers' (IPBES website). The first set of the large-scale regional IPBES assessments were published in 2018. Norway's geography means that certain ecosystems are overrepresented here, specifically arctic-alpine systems and coastal systems. It is particularly important for Norway that these systems are well-represented in IPBES assessment. Key areas of concern are fisheries policy and arctic areas exploitation. Concurrently, Norway's strong research and innovation sector means that we have much to offer the IPBES process in return. Norway?s political position in Europe, as a member of the EEA but not the EU, means that Norwegian interests and characteristic Norwegian ecosystems and species may 'miss out' in representation in reporting. For example, Norwegian statistics are not reported in output linked to the EU Habitats Directive and such outputs are often used as a 'shortcut' in reporting at the Whole-Europe level. It is therefore critical to ensure that the Assessment Report authors and technical services of IPBES are aware of, and have access to, Norwegian national reporting. The aim of this project was therefore to assist in i) publicising Norwegian data and examples by inclusion in IPBES reports; ii) engage a greater number of Norwegian researchers in roles in the IPBES process iii) better inform the research community and Norwegian stakeholders about the IPBES process.

We have facilitated widespread contact between Norwegian researchers and data and the IPBES ECA process, resulting in better representation of Norwegian systems, data, and interests in the IPBES ECA report. We have also publicized the IPBE report versus Norwegian experts, resulting in better representation as Contributing Authors and Reviewers. Finally, we have been, and are continuing to, publicize the IPBES ECA outcomes and process vs Norwegian stakeholders and the public, resulting in better use fo the report outcomes and more commitment to IPBES in particuar and evidence-based conservation in general.

The Inter-Governmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services aims to be an important mechanism for the understanding and communication of the role biodiversity plays in the benefits that the natural environment provides for people and as such has been described as an 'IPCC for nature'. The role of IPBES is to ?assesses the state of biodiversity and of the ecosystem services it provides to society, in response to requests from decision makers?. One hundred and twenty five governments have signed up to participate and over 1000 scientists are involved in one or another capacity. There are three Norwegian scientists participating in the IPBES regional assessment for Europe and Central Asia as lead authors. Norway's geography means that certain ecosystems are over-represented here, specifically arctic-alpine and coastal systems. At the same time, Norway's political position in Europe means that Norwegian interests and characteristic Norwegian ecosystems and species may miss out in representation in reporting. From the Norwegian standpoint it is important that during the current finalisation of the regional IPBES reports: - the Norwegian authors' contributions are both extensive and excellent; - Norwegian ecosystems and Norwegian challenges are well covered in the reports, and ideally that Norwegian examples are incorporated; - the Norwegian research community beyond the current authors is engaged in the IPBES process. The NOR-IPBES project will make a key contribution to this by supporting a 33% coordinator position for eight months in 2017 that will enable collaboration, involvement, and integration of these various of Norwegian Research and Nature Management processes and collaborations with IPBES-ACA and other international processes well above and beyond what the key contributors can manage without such support. Targeted information material and a report on research needs and opportunities will ensure sustained future interest and integration.