Summary
The closing plenary of IPBES-4 convened on Sunday morning, 28 February 2016. The Co-Chairs of the two contact groups reported that they had completed their work.
Delegates then approved the Summary for Policy Makers of the Methodological Assessment on Scenarios and Models for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and adopted other decisions on the work programme, including: capacity-building; knowledge foundations; global, regional and subregional assessments; and the catalogue of policy tools and methodologies. They also approved decisions on global, thematic and methodological assessments and the independent review with minor changes.
After some modifications to reflect changes in the decisions on the global and methodological assessments, delegates also approved the budget for 2016-2017.
Plenary elected Bob Watson (UK) as new Chair of IPBES, and IPBES-4 Chair Zakri gaveled the meeting to a close at 1:41pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Stakeholder Days and 4th Session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-4). Our summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF.
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Closing Plenary
The dais during plenary
Delegates congratulate Robert Watson on his election as the incoming IPBES Chair
Incoming IPBES Chair Robert Watson
Thomas Spencer, Co-Chair of the contact group on the budget
Ivar Baste, Co-Chair of Contact Group II
Christine Dawson, US
Benoît Nzigidahera, Burundi
IPBES-4 Chair Abdul Hamid Zakri and incoming IPBES Chair Robert Watson in consultations with panelists during plenary
José Luis Echeverría Tello, Guatemala; Sorka Jannet Copa Romero and Danitza Mariaca Vaca Guzman, Bolivia
Unai Pascual, MEP; José Romero and Eva Spehn, Switzerland
Kyle Gracey, Coordinated Stakeholder
Rashad Zabid Oglu Allahverdiyev, Azerbaijan
Fundisile Mketeni, South Africa
David Cooper, CBD
IPBES-4 Chair Abdul Hamid Zakri gavels IPBES-4 to a close.
Thomas Koetz, IPBES Secretariat
IPBES Executive Secretary Anne Larigauderie congratulates IPBES-4 Chair Abdul Hamid Zakri
IPBES-4 Snapshots
Delegates from Caribbean region
Delegates from Europe
Bureau Members
Delegates from UNDP and other UN organizations
IPBES Secretariat team
Around the Venue
IPBES Executive Secretary Anne Larigauderie
View of the Petronas Towers outside the IPBES-4 venue