IPBES approves new report with strong INBO input
At the twelfth plenary meeting of IPBES in Manchester, several important decisions were made. The Business and Biodiversity Assessment was officially approved by more than 140 member states. This report maps out how businesses depend on biodiversity, how they contribute to biodiversity loss, and how they are part of the solution. It provides governments, businesses and financial institutions with tools to measure impact, mitigate risks, identify opportunities and target investments towards nature restoration. It also clearly shows what changes are needed to turn the negative impact of companies into a positive contribution, with concrete actions for all actors in the economy. Jomme Desair, together with Catherine Debruyne from the Service Public de Wallonie, participated in the negotiations on behalf of INBO.
The work programme and associated budgets were also adopted, setting the priorities for the coming years. Hilde Eggermont was at the negotiating table and, together with Els Van de Velde (Department of Environment) and Divija Jata (Biodiversity Platform), made substantive contributions. In addition, Sander Jacobs was elected as a member of the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP). This means that INBO is represented at the highest international science-policy level for biodiversity.
IPBES provides an important scientific basis for international nature policy. Through its participation in the Belgian delegation (led by Hendrik Segers, KBIN), INBO contributed its expertise and further strengthened cooperation with Flemish, federal and international partners. Meanwhile, INBO remains involved in the ongoing IPBES assessments on ecological connectivity and monitoring, both scheduled for the end of 2027, and in the second IPBES Global Assessment, planned for the end of 2028.
Sander Jacobs, Jomme Desair
(Image above: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulo)