Notification 2021-032

Dear Madam/Sir, I refer to three recent notifications issued by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) regarding opportunities to participate in the eighth session of the IPBES Plenary and in ongoing and planned assessments and other work conducted by the Platform. • Notification EM/2021/07 (https://ipbes.net/sites/default/files/2021-03/em_2021_07_ipbes-8_invite_members_observers_en_0.pdf) contains the invitation to IPBES members, observers and stakeholders to participate in the eighth session of the IPBES Plenary, which will be held online from 14 to 24 June 2021, and to complete the online registration form no later than 17 May 2021; • Notification EM/2021/09 (https://ipbes.net/sites/default/files/2021-04/em_2021_09_live_sustainable_use_assessments_en.pdf) concerns the IPBES assessment of the sustainable use of wild species. The external review by Governments and experts of the second order draft of the chapters and the first order draft of the summary for policymakers is open from 16 April to 10 June 2021. Further information on this review process is available at https://ipbes.net/sustainable-use-wild-species-assessment/sod; • Notification EM/2021/10 (https://ipbes.net/sites/default/files/2021-04/em_2021_10_IPBES_8_final_comments_prep_documents_en.pdf) concerns the preparations for IPBES 8. Governments are invited to submit, by 24 May 2021, final comments on the scoping report for the nexus assessment (IPBES/8/3), the scoping report for the transformative change assessment (IPBES/8/4) and the interim work plans of the task forces (IPBES/8/7), available at: https://ipbes.net/event/ipbes-8-plenary. The notification also informs about the start of the external review of a draft of the study on the use and impact of the IPBES conceptual framework being conducted by the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel, open from 1 June to 31 July 2021. Considering the relevance of these IPBES deliverables for the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity, I encourage Parties and observers, as appropriate, to participate in these processes. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations