Introduction and background

Dear IPBES stakeholders,

The plenary, at its eighth session, held online from 14 to 24 June 2021, approved the undertaking of the following two assessments, for consideration by the plenary at IPBES 11 (decision IPBES-8/1):

• The thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health (nexus assessment), as outlined in the scoping report set out in annex I to the decision [PDF - 129.88 mb]; and
• The thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and the determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity (transformative change assessment), as outlined in the scoping report set out in annex II to the decision. [PDF - 218 kb]

Purpose / objective of this communication

The DFFE invites submission of nominations of experts to participate in the nexus and transformative change assessments.

All governments, national, sub-national and local and relevant organisations, academia or other institutions are encouraged to submit nominations. 
Nominated experts should have strong multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary expertise, expertise in one or more disciplines of natural science, social science or the humanities, be indigenous and local knowledge experts or have expertise in indigenous and local knowledge systems. IPBES also encourages policy experts and practitioners to apply. All nominees should have experience in working within interdisciplinary, international and/or global contexts. IPBES is particularly looking for experts with a scientific and/or practical background in:

• For the nexus assessment: environmental, ecological, biological, economic, or social science research on interrelations among biodiversity (including terrestrial, marine, and freshwater) and one or more elements of the nexus—water, food systems, human health and climate change mitigation and adaptation including relevant aspects of the energy system. Relevant areas of expertise include agroecology; habitat restoration; sustainable resource management; systems analysis; land and resource tenure; natural resource governance; resource economics; distribution, equity and/or justice related to effects of policy or response options; indigenous knowledge of natural systems, ways of relating to them, and management options; behavioral and decision sciences; sustainable development; conservation planning and implementation; sustainable finance; water, sanitation and hygiene; integrated water resource management; watershed management; planetary health, One Health, or other integrated approaches to health; environmental determinants of infectious and non-communicable diseases; sustainable and nutritious food systems; biosafety; climate and health; climate change impacts; climate mitigation and adaptation options; energy and/or transportation infrastructure; energy system transformation; anthropology; urban and/or landscape planning and design; development, planning or implementation of policy, finance and/or other socio-political response options for sustainable futures; local, regional, or national management in sectors associated with the nexus; multi-objective planning, sustainable development scenarios and pathways analyses within the nexus sectors.

• For the transformative change assessment:  environmental, ecological, biological, economic, technological, social, cultural, political or behavioural science, as well as arts and humanities research related to transformative change needed for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human wellbeing, and sustainable development; indirect drivers of biodiversity change; development or use of scenarios and pathways of transformative change; the theory of transformative change and the role of transformative change in the context of different value systems and knowledge systems, worldviews and paradigms; the personal and philosophical dimensions of transformations; decision-making for, or implementation of transformative change at local, regional, national, or international scales.

Procedure for nominations

The DFFE supports disciplinary, regional, gender and expertise balance through their nominations.

Please follow this procedure for nomination:

• Nominees are invited to complete the application form and attach their curriculum vitae through the dedicated web portal at the links below (to access this page you will need to log in with your IPBES website log in credentials. Nominees not yet registered on the IPBES website will need to do so at https://ipbes.net/user/register).  Please note that the nomination form is in English only and applications should be submitted in English, as the assessment process will be conducted in English:
  • Nexus assessment: https://ipbes.net/applications/nexus  
  • Transformative change assessment: https://ipbes.net/applications/transformative-change
•  The nominating government or organization (nominator) is the DFFE, represented by Dr Kiruben Naicker, the IPBES National Focal Point. Submit your nominations online using the above details.  
• Nominators (DFFE) and nominees will receive a confirmation via email once the nomination has been duly submitted.

Enquiries and closing date

Interested experts wishing to be nominated by a government are encouraged to contact the IPBES National Focal Point Dr Kiruben Naicker (knaicker@dffe.gov.za) regarding further information. The closing date is the 13 September 2021.

DFFE will evaluate nominations and submit their nominations to the IPBES secretariat by 13 September 2021. Early nominations ahead of the deadline are encouraged.

I thank you in advance for your nominations and your continued support to IPBES.