The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) implemented “the Capacity building Project for the implementation of IPBES Asia Pacific Regional Assessment” from 2016 to 2020. This project was supported by the Japan Biodiversity Fund (JBF), which was contributed by the Japanese government to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) to contribute to the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
Overview of the JBF-IPBES Capacity Building Project
At the first meeting of the Asia Pacific Regional Assessment held in Tokyo in August 2015.The following three points were recognized as the main issues for capacity building in the region.
- 1. Integration of indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) into implementation of regional assessment;
- 2. Application of outputs of scenario analysis and modelling to the regional assessments;
- 3. Policy support for decision-making by policymakers and stakeholders.
In light of this situation, IGES, which hosting the IPBES Technical Support Unit for Regional Assessment in Asia and Pacific (IPBES-TSU-AP), has launched the project which aims to strengthen the science–policy interface through building capacity for the implementation of the regional assessment and through enhancing the use of IPBES deliverables in decision-making on national policies for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Asia-Pacific region. This project consists of three components related to the identified three key challenges.
Component1Integration of ILK into Regional Assessment
Three workshops were held to identify available indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) documentation across the Asia-Pacific region by networking with ILK holders and experts, and engaging them in the Asia-Pacific Regional Assessment (APRA) process.
| Target area | Venue | Number of participants | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast and Northeast Asia | Chiang Mai (Thailand) | 38 persons | October 14-17, 2016 | Report |
| Oceania | Whangarei (New Zealand) | 24 persons | November 1-4, 2016 | Report |
| South and West Asia | Dhulikhel (Nepal) | 43 persons | November 29 -December 2, 2016 | Report |
Component2Application of outputs from scenario analysis and modelling assessments (Deliverable 3c) to the regional assessments
A workshop was held at IGES Headquarters (Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan) on November 15-17, 2016 to Share the outputs from the methodological assessment on scenarios and models (Deliverable 3c) with authors of the scenario analysis and modelling Chapter in the APRA and other regional assessments, and provide guidance to deepen their analyses
Component3Policy support for decision-making by policymakers and stakeholders
Three science-policy dialogues were organized in the sub-regions of the Asia-Pacific to provide guidance on knowledge and policy support tools developed by the APRA and other deliverables of the IPBES Work Programme for decision-makers and stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region. Based on the discussions in these dialogues, two policy briefs were published on challenges and solutions for biodiversity conservation specific to the Asia-Pacific region, and measures to disseminate IPBES assessment in the Asia-Pacific region.
| Target area | Venue | Number of participants | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia | Bangkok (Thailand) | 61 persons | October 22-23, 2019 | Report |
| Oceania | Canberra (Australia) | 50 persons | April 4-5, 2019 | Report |
| South Asia and West Asia | Kathmandu (Nepal) | 57 persons | February 27-28, 2019 | Report |
