PBES NL needs your expertise to review the 2nd Global Assessment, which will evaluate new knowledge since 2019 and assesses the progress towards the UN’s 20250 Vision for Biodiversity.
This assessment will be presented at IPBES 14 in 2028 and will help governments, businesses and other actors identify the most effective actions and policies needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2050. Your input will have a direct impact on global policy.

What expertise are we looking for?

Diverse disciplines, from ecology and biodiversity, social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, economics, governance and law, earth and environmental sciences, public health, climate science and indigenous and local knowledge. Scope of the assessment is terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine ecosystems. Reviewers from government, industry, civil society and indigenous and local knowledge are also encouraged to apply!

What we’re asking

Review any portion—a full chapter, section, or even specific paragraphs. All contributions matter.
Review period: 15 June 2026 – 8 August 2026 23.59 pm (CET)

Why this matters

This assessment builds on the 2019 Global Assessment with new evidence on the status, trends and drivers of biodiversity loss across terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, integrating scientific and Indigenous knowledge systems, scenario analysis and policy evaluation to support transformative change towards living in harmony with nature. Whether you work on ecosystem integrity, extinction risk, genetic diversity, climate-biodiversity interactions, scenario modelling, environmental governance or Indigenous knowledge — your expertise directly contributes to this landmark global synthesis.

How to participate

1. Register for IPBES account
2. Register as reviewer (opens on June 15th)
3. Access draft documents (you’ll receive confidential access via email)
4. Submit comments using the Excel template by 8 August 2026

We would appreciate it if you let us know, when you plan to participate as reviewer. As PBES NL, we will coordinate the review from Dutch experts, to ensure comprehensive coverage of the assessment.
We can help with difficulties you might encounter in the registering and/or review process.
PBES NL will organize an information session with all Dutch reviewers on mid-June (probably Wednesday 24^th in Utrecht (more information to follow). During the session we will explain how IPBES and their reviews work and coordinate the reviewing so we can cover as much as possible of the assessment.

Chapter overview

Summary for Policymakers (SPM): Presents key messages and policy options for approval by the IPBES Plenary, i.e. all governments involved in IPBES. The SPM ensures alignment between scientific findings and actionable recommendations for decision-makers.

Ch. 1 – Setting the scene: Introduces the IPBES conceptual framework, explains the evolving global policy context for biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, and outlines the structure and narrative thread of the assessment.

Ch. 2 – Different knowledge systems and the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities: Assesses the diverse world views, values and knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and their relevance for driving transformative change towards a just and sustainable world.

Ch. 3 – Status and trends: Describes the current status and trends in biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people, drivers of change and quality of life across terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine ecosystems at regional and global scales.

Ch. 4 – Future pathways: Scenarios and models to assess the urgency of action and explore transformative pathways needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and achieve the 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.

Ch. 5 – Options for action: Critically reviews past biodiversity action, identifies successful examples and presents a portfolio of policy, financial and governance options for all actors to support the achievement of global biodiversity goals.

Need more information before you decide to review? Have a look at the Full scoping report for this assessment.

Important Review guidelines

Critical confidentiality requirement: All draft documents are strictly embargoed. You may not cite, quote, share, or publish findings from these drafts. The assessment is still under scientific review—conclusions may be revised or refuted. This embargo protects the integrity of both the scientific and policy processes leading to IPBES 13 in 2027.

What to focus on:

• Be specific and detailed. General comments like “this approach isn’t right” are difficult to act on. Instead, pinpoint exactly what needs attention: “Line 15 on page 23 states X, but this conflicts with Y” or “Section 3.2 is missing reference to Z methodology.” See also tab “2. Example” in the Excel file that is provided by IPBES.
• One targeted comment is valuable. You don’t need to review everything—even feedback on a single line can significantly improve the assessment.
• Include literature references. Authors are experts but cannot know everything. Suggest specific citations to strengthen the evidence base, especially for emerging methods, underrepresented regions, or Indigenous and local knowledge systems.
• Review only where you have expertise. Your specialized knowledge in specific taxonomic groups, ecosystems, monitoring methods, or regions is exactly what’s needed.

What to skip:

• Style and spelling. Grammar, punctuation, and formatting will be addressed in later stages. Some sentences may receive dozens of comments—that comma doesn’t matter yet.
• Broad, overarching critiques. While potentially valid, general statements like “this framework has limitations” are hard to operationalize. Save comprehensive analyses for other venues; here, precision drives improvement.

Questions? Contact pbesnl@biodiversity.org or mea-ipbes@un.org (technical issues)