IPBES Response to Reports about Possible Nobel Peace Prize Nomination
We have been made aware of reports in the media that mention IPBES as having been nominated for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. Should these reports prove accurate, such a nomination would be entirely due to the tireless work, over the past six years, of the thousands of experts who have contributed so freely to IPBES of their time, energy and knowledge – as well as to the support of our 137 member States ensuring the uptake and impact of this work, strengthened by our community of IPBES stakeholders and collaborators.
In other words – should IPBES have been nominated for this award – the credit goes to you.
Our understanding of the nomination process is that it remains confidential, unless those who have made the nominations confirm publicly that they have done so – which to our knowledge is not yet officially the case for IPBES. The Peace Prize Laureates are then selected by a majority vote of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and they will be announced on 9 October 2020.
To even be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize would be prominent recognition of the importance of better science and expert knowledge for decisions about biodiversity – at a time when the value of expertise and evidence is under unprecedented assault. It would also be a valuable acknowledgement of the fact that our peace and security depend very directly on the contributions of nature to people. The timing of this news is also significant – amidst a global health crisis directly related to our increasingly-frayed relationship with nature, and with the UN Summit on Biodiversity just hours away – leading to the global negotiations next year for a new biodiversity framework to 2030 and beyond.
Even unconfirmed news of this nature is both humbling and gratifying. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your strong support to the work of IPBES. Irrespective of nominations and awards, strengthening the knowledge base for better-informed policies and actions remains among the most important priorities for the sustainable future we want – for people and nature.