Highlights and images for 8 February 2026

Mission accomplished! Delegates at the 12th session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES 12) approved the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) of the Business and Biodiversity Assessment. It synthesizes current insights on businesses’ impacts and dependencies on biodiversity and outlines options for nature-positive private sector engagement – as well as opportunities for governments to foster such engagement. 

Reflecting on the preparation of the Platform’s first fast-track assessment, the Assessment’s Co-Chairs Ximena Rueda Fajardo, Matt Jones, and Steve Polasky emphasized the magnitude of the task to respond to over 6,000 comments from a wide spectrum of reviewers and the commitment of all who contributed to the process. They highlighted that the report provides guidance on different ways of doing business and opportunities for reconciling the private sector’s relationship with nature.

IPBES Executive Secretary Luthando Dziba said the key message of the Business and Biodiversity Assessment is that all businesses depend and impact on biodiversity, but they can also be positive agents of change. He thanked Members for their constructive engagement on the SPM, noting the final version is much better for these contributions. Recognizing that the primary audience for this report is governments and organizations in the financial system, he underlined that “all of us have a role to play” in taking up its findings.

IPBES Chair David Obura lauded the respectfulness and collegiality of discussions and stressed the need to integrate Indigenous and local knowledge even more in upcoming assessments. He highlighted IPBES’ unique role in informing evidenced-based decision-making.

Delegates also adopted a number of other decisions. For example, they mandated the Bureau and Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP) to develop, for consideration by IPBES 13:

• a costed proposal for the implementation of the review panel’s recommendation; 
• a holistic indicator framework, including performance and impact indicators, to monitor the implementation of the Platform’s work programme; and
• a proposal for the nature, topics, and timing of future deliverables across work programme objectives.

Members also agreed that IPBES 13 will be held in the second half of 2027, with a decision on the session's venue to be taken within the six months following IPBES 12, and that IPBES 14 will be held in the second half of 2028.