Abstract:

Background: The first work programme of IPBES has received extensive attention from the international community, laying down its important role as the first intergovernmental mechanism in the field of biodiversity. Since its establishment, IPBES has successively released a series of assessment reports and summary for policymakers, which have attracted widespread attention from the international community. Therefore, its fairness, impartiality, scientificity and transparency have always been the focus of attention from all walks of life, and directly determine the credibility and future development of IPBES assessment report. In order to effectively improve the scientificity and efficiency of IPBES deliverables, IPBES conducts internal and external reviews regularly to identify problems, optimize institutional settings, and guide future work plans.
Problems: IPBES has made significant progress in improving its organizational structure, rules and procedures, promoting the generation of new knowledge, and the effective management of financial resources. However, there are certain shortcomings in transparency, science and policy linkage, discipline and geographical balance, and policy support. And there are deficiencies in stimulating the enthusiasm and capacity of member states.
Recommendations: To further exert IPBES’s special intergovernmental status and role in the future to promote scientific functions, especially to strengthen the interaction between science and policy, it is needed for IPBES to promote multi-stakeholder participation, to form a stable financial system, and to enhance the transparency of its working mechanisms. As to China, it is suggested to strengthen the domestic interpretation of the IPBES assessment report, increase publicity, and strengthen the selection of multidisciplinary experts to fill up the domestic vacancies in the research field.

Key words: biodiversity, ecosystem services, reviews, functions, IPBES