Transformative change assessment

Thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 vision for biodiversity

The IPBES Plenary, at IPBES 7 (April/May 2019, Paris), adopted a new work programme (2019-2030; available here), following up on the first IPBES work programme 2014-2018.

This new work programme includes a thematic assessment of transformative change whose objective would be to understand and identify factors in human society at both the individual and collective levels, including behavioural, social, cultural, economic, institutional, technical and technological dimensions, that may be leveraged to bring about transformative change for the conservation, restoration and wise use of biodiversity, while taking into account broader social and economic goals in the context of sustainable development. 

The IPBES Plenary, at IPBES 8 (June 2021) approved the undertaking of the transformative change assessment as outlined in the “Scoping report for a thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, and the determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity (transformative change assessment)” set out in annex II to its decision IPBES-8/1 (available here), for consideration by the Plenary at its eleventh session.

The first external review of the first draft of the chapters was held from 3 February – 15 March 2023. The experts of the transformative change assessment are now working on the second draft of the chapters. The second author's meeting was held from 22-26 May 2023 at Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Turrialba, Costa Rica, followed by the first meeting to advance the summary for policymakers. The second meeting to advance the summary for policymakers was held from 27-29 September 2023 at the Norwegian Environment Agency in Trondheim, Norway.

The second external review of the second drafts of the chapters and the first draft of the summary for policymakers was held from 8 December 2023 to 31 January 2024. The third author’s meeting was held from 19-23 February 2024, in Montpellier, France. The third meeting to advance the summary for policymakers was held one day before and two days after the author’s meeting.

The fourth, and last, meeting to advance the summary for policymakers will be held from 24-26 April in Santa Barbara, United States of America. The experts of the transformative change assessment are now working on the third draft of the chapters and the second draft of the summary for policymakers.