A global inception and Capacity Building Meeting was held in Kribi, Cameroon, from 13-15 June 2017.

The event marks the beginning of the implementation of a project funded by the German International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre, through the Sub-Global Assessment Network, and the United Nations Development Programme’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net). The project is looking at developing capacity for undertaking national ecosystem assessments using the IPBES methodology.

Participants from Cameroon, Colombia, Ethiopia and Viet Nam discussed the rational and process of undertaking national ecosystem assessments, tools and data for ecosystem assessments, and an initial scoping for assessments in each country.

Assessments will be undertaken over the next three years to be completed in 2020 and will include a national BES-Net Trialogue.