Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) won the Blue Planet Prize for 2024.IPBES was awarded as “the leading global authority on the state of knowledge and science about biodiversity, ecosystem services and nature’s contributions to people”.The other awardee is Robert Costanza from the Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London, for his contributions to the field of ecological economics.
Blue Planet Prize
- It was established in 1992, the year of the Rio Earth Summit.
- This award is given annually by Japan’s Asahi Glass Foundation for outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application which have helped to solve global environmental problems.
- Two winners are chosen every year and the prize includes an award of USD 500,000.
IPBES:
| About | An independent intergovernmental body aimed at strengthening the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services. |
| Established | In Panama City in 2012 by 94 Governments (including India)Currently has more than 145 Member States.Secretariat – Bonn, Germany. |
| Goal | To provide the best expertise from across all scientific disciplines and knowledge communities to provide policy-relevant knowledge and to catalyse the implementation of knowledge-based policies at all levels in government, the private sector and civil society. |
| Relations with UN | It is not a United Nations body, however, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services to IPBES. |
Significance of IPBES’s Contributions
- People around the world recognize IPBES as the most important source of information on the environment, especially when it comes to biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- The group’s studies and findings are very important for making sure that policies and actions at many levels and in many areas are well-informed.
- They are also useful tools for businesses that want to improve their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance and sustainability plans.