Research Projects

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an independent intergovernmental body established to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development. It was established in April 2012 by 94 Governments, and now consists of more than 145 member states. A large number of NGOs, organisations, conventions and civil society groupings participate in the formal IPBES process, with several thousand individual stakeholders, ranging from scientific experts to representatives of academic and research institutions, local communities and the private sector, contributing to and benefiting from the work of IPBES.

The Transformative Change Assessment aims 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.

Prof Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs serves as coordinating lead author for “Chapter 3: How transformative change occurs,” of the Transformative change assessment. Prof Laura Pereira (CST fellow) is a lead author for Chapter 5 “Realizing a sustainable world for nature and people: means for transformative strategies, actions and roles for all”.