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

FN's Naturpanel har til formål å øke kunnskap om og forståelse av naturen og naturgodenes uunnværlige betydning for liv, helse, og velferd. Naturpanelets rapporter tar pulsen på naturen; de undersøker tilstand og trender i biologisk mangfold, økosystemer, og naturgoder; de kartlegger de bakenforliggende driverne; og de utforsker fremtidsscenarier. De første store regionale Naturpanelvurderingene ble utgitt i 2018. Norges geografi betyr at visse naturtyper er overrepresentert hos oss, spesielt arktisk-alpine systemer og kystnatur. Det er viktig for Norge at disse systemene er godt representert i Naturpanelets rapporter. Viktige politikkområder som fiskeri, hav, og arktis er også av spesiell interesse for Norge. Norges politiske stilling i Europa, som medlem av EØS men ikke EU, betyr at norske interesser og karakteristiske norske økosystemer og arter kan "glippe" i rapporteringen. For eksempel rapporteres ikke norsk statistikk i produksjon knyttet til EUs habitatdirektiv, og slike utdata brukes ofte som en "snarvei" i rapportering på Europa-nivå. Det er derfor kritisk å sikre at Naturpanelrapportens forfattere og tekniske tjenester til IPBES er klar over, og har tilgang til, norsk forskning og norsk nasjonal rapportering. Samtidig har Norges sterke forskningsmiljøer mye å tilby IPBES-prosessen i retur. Målet med dette prosjektet var derfor å bistå til at i) norske data og eksempler ble inkludert i naturpanelets Europe-rapport; ii) et større antall norske forskere engasjerte seg i forskjellige roller i Naturpanel-prosessen iii) forskningsmiljøet og norske interessenter vr godt informert om Naturpanel-prosessen.

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.