The biodiversity crisis attracts increasing attention on the global environment agenda and the need to address environmental challenges in a cross-sectoral way is gaining momentum. To address the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, policies and actions need to be underpinned by sound science. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is widely recognized as a credible source for sound multidisciplinary science on biodiversity and ecosystem services and its crucial role in providing relevant information to policy makers is more evident than ever.

Since its establishment in 2012, IPBES has fulfilled its role as an independent intergovernmental body established by governments to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Through its assessments it provides evidence-based, objective, and policy-relevant information to decision makers regarding the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems, and the benefits they provide to people, synthesizing policy-relevant knowledge.

IPBES assessments, in addition to increasing public awareness and pointing to key relevant policy making, have attracted unprecedented media attention, including:

• Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services as well as the relevant Regional Assessments;
• Assessment Report on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production; and
• Assessment Report on Land Degradation and Restoration.

The Platform’s main governing body is the IPBES Plenary, which is composed of representatives of Member States. Non-Member States, UN organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other organizations can attend as observers. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the normal flow of work, but did not disturb its overall direction. The eighth session of the IPBES Plenary (IPBES-8) was held virtually due to the COVID-19-related restrictions, in June 2021. IPBES-9 will take place from 3-9 July 2022 in Bonn, Germany and will be the first time the Platform’s Members will meet in person in three years.

The focus of IPBES-9 relates to two assessments under the Platform’s work programme, namely:

• the thematic assessment of the sustainable use of wild species; and
• the methodological assessment regarding the diverse conceptualization of multiple values of nature and its benefits, including biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services (assessment of the diverse values and valuation of nature).

Discussions under these assessments are expected to attract considerable discussion in one of two working groups. The Plenary will eventually consider the chapters of the assessment reports for acceptance and the summaries for policymakers for approval.

The second working group will also have a full agenda, including:

• the approval of the scoping process for a methodological assessment of the impact and dependence of business on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people with a view to undertake the assessment following IPBES-10;
• the work programme deliverables and workplans for each of the five IPBES task forces for the rolling work programme up to 2030 and the intersessional period 2022-2023;
• the report on progress on engagement with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), including further action; and
• the note by the Secretariat on improving the effectiveness of the Platform.

IPBES-9 will be preceded by the IPBES-9 Stakeholder Day on 2 July. Stakeholder Days have been organized prior to every session of the IPBES Plenary to provide a forum for stakeholder engagement. They bring together stakeholders from scientific, Indigenous and local communities, and civil society organizations to receive updates about the work and intersessional activities of IPBES, exchange views regarding the issues on the agenda, and coordinate general statements and positions on specific issues.