Scientists ready to engage policy-makers in the new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

PRESS RELEASE – 2.9.2012

“IPBES, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, is established and we welcome the initiative”, said Carlo Rondinini of the Global Mammal Assessment program at the European Congress on Conservation Biology in Glasgow. “We believe that IPBES could provide the global coordination that according to our forecasting studies will be fundamental for avoiding future biodiversity loss”, continued Piero Visconti of Sapienza University of Rome. Henrique Pereira from University of Lisbon, illustrated what are these cutting-edge methodologies to forecast scenarios of global change in socio-economic and biophysical factors. “These, in conjunction with biodiversity indicators, are the most advanced tools that scientist can provide to make socio-economic decisions and develop biodiversity conservation strategies” concluded Rondinini.

The consensus among the participant to the symposium is that the scientific community is ready to engage with IPBES to draft a road map of socio-economic and conservation policies for addressing present and future challanges for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

For more details, contact Dr. Piero Visconti: pierovisconti@gmail.com, www.globalmammal.org