Locations
Focus Areas
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net)
Since 2016, the Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GC-RED) has been managing Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net), a capacity sharing ‘network of networks’ that promotes dialogue between science, policy and practice for more effective management of biodiversity and ecosystems, contributing to long-term human well-being and sustainable development. BES-Net complements and contributes to the capacity building work of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) by aligning its activities with the IPBES global assessment themes and applying the related IPBES guidance documents. In implementing its mandate, BES-Net follows an inclusive approach, collaborate with Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and draws on the support of other partner organizations.
Photo: BES-Net
BES-Net officers
- Face-to-face capacity building support through Trialogues: Trialogues bring together BES-Net’s three target communities of science, policy and practice for face-to-face dialogue. Fostering mutual learning, inter-cultural understanding and inter-institutional coordination on specific policy-relevant questions at the national and regional levels, the trialogues strengthen the interface between these communities, and enhance national capacity, to integrate scientific findings into policy, decision-making and on-the-ground practices.
- National Ecosystem Assessments (NEA): BES-Net supports the development of capacity in selected countries to conduct NEAs, complementing the global assessment being undertaken by IPBES. Leveraging the expertise of the Sub-Global Assessment Network (SGAN), the NEA process encompasses not only the production of national assessment reports but also the development of a set of policy support tools to integrate assessment findings into decision-making.
- Online Platform for networking: The BES-Net web portal provides a comprehensive knowledge resource library on biodiversity and ecosystems services, and a rich database of organizations and experts working on the IPBES thematic assessment areas. The latest news and updates from BES-Net and its network partners are circulated via social media channels and disseminated through bi-monthly e-newsletters.
- Post Trialogue/NEA uptake support: BES-Net provides the target countries which have participated in the Regional Trialogue process and/or completed NEA with catalytic seed fund. This support, called the BES Solution Fund, is to assist the country team’s efforts in implementing the key action points generated through the Regional Trialogue for the IPBES assessment uptake or the key NEA recommendations in policy, science and practice fields.
BES-Net is implemented in partnership with the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization with financial support from the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Customer Protection (BMUV) and SwedBio.
