Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands and Eurosite member in the south of France, together with MedWet, the regional initiative of the Ramsar convention, have prepared a proposition on how the new working programme of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) could be used to render IPBES more impactful and relevant for private and societal actors and inspire engagement to improve the state of biodiversity, as it is believed that IPBES can play an important role in the conservation of wetlands.

The IPBES plenary meeting is currently taking place in Paris, with the proposal for the next work programme on the agenda. During the meeting, country delegations will negotiate the focus of the assessments for the coming five years. Therefore, this is the opportunity to try and ensure that the conservation and sustainable management of wetlands are acknowledged in these planned assessments.

Photo credit: Marc Thibault, Tour du Valat