SWEDEN

HOW IS SWEDEN ORGANISED TO GET ENGAGED IN IPBESS

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) holds the national focal point of IPBES and coordinates the IPBES related work in Sweden. To support the work of IPBES, SEPA established a Scientific Council for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in 2013, (Vetenskapliga rådet för biologisk mångfald och ekosystemtjänster) aiming to advise SEPA on IPBES and CBD related questions and providing scientific evidence to these processes. Members of the council are selected and appointed by SEPA for a two years term with the possibility of an additional term. The council consists of38members from universities and scientific institutions with a broad range of expertise and backgrounds in natural science, social science and indigenous and local knowledge as well as some representatives from national agencies. The council is meeting 2-3 times are year and should serve as a link between the research community and decision makers. 

NOMINATION PROCESS 

About 20 researchers from Swedish universities, scientific institutions and organisations have been involved in various parts of IPBES work program, as experts and authors of IPBES assessment reports.

Call for experts from Swedish universities and scientific institutions, is spread by the Scientific Council for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services reaching out to wide range of experts.

The SEPA, National focal point, is nominating qualified experts and send them to IPBES secretariat.  

CONTRIBUTION TO THE IPBES WORK PROGRAMME

SEPA represents the Swedish interests at the IPBES plenary meetings and stakeholder workshops. Other activities consist of organising review process and arrange yearly national stakeholder seminar.  SEPA also supports IPBES work financially through contributions to IPBES trust fund and by partly finance the participation of Swedish experts in author meetings and for Marie Stenseke as member in Multidisciplinary Expert Panel of IPBES.  

SPECIFIC PROJECTS

Biodiversity and ecosystem services in Nordic coastal ecosystems: an IPBES-like assessment

A Nordic IPBES-like study has been conducted by Nordic countries, led by SEPA and financially supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers and Nordic countries. 

The first step was the scoping study:  Framing a Nordic IPBES -like study: Introductory Study including Scoping for a Nordic Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, based on IPBES methods and procedures (TemaNord report 2016:525)

The scope of the full assessment was on biodiversity and ecosystem services, risks and possible measures along the Nordic coastal areas. The work has been carried out according to IPBES reporting structure and has the same objective: providing scientific information in support of decision-makers and administrations in the Nordic countries. 

The summary for policy makers was released at the IPBES plenary in Colombia in March 2018.

The two parts of the final report have been published by the Nordic Council of Ministers and can be downloaded here:

Biodiversity and ecosystem services in Nordic coastal ecosystems: an IPBES-like assessment. Volume 1. The general overview

Biodiversity and ecosystem services in Nordic coastal ecosystems: an IPBES-like assessment. Volume 2. The geographical case studies

TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH STAKEHOLDERS

SEPA organises interdisciplinary seminars for stakeholders to provide information of IPBES and to share experience related to biodiversity research and indigenous knowledge. 

First public seminar in October 2017 in Stockholm

SEPA organised the seminar in cooperation with the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA) to inform about IPBES, its first assessment report and Sweden’s engagement in the process. The participants were asked to share their views on IPBES and how its results could be useful for them (Live Survey Results in Swedish) Presentations in Swedish are available online.

Second public seminar in 2018, 17 October, Stockholm

SEPA together with the Swedish Biodiversity Centre (CBM), The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA) and the Swedish Museum of Natural History are co-organising a conference with the title “Biodiversity and social development - New ways forward?”. The aim of the conference is to inform about and to discuss the IPBES Regional assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services for Europe and Central Asia, the Thematic assessment report on land degradation as well as the IPBES-like assessment on Nordic coastal ecosystems.

Further information in Swedish about the conference.