BES-Net’s journey began in 2016 when UNDP, through its Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification (GC-RED), and UNEP-WCMC joined hands with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety’s (BMUV) International Climate Initiative (IKI) and SwedBio at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. As a result, BES-Net’s first phase (2016–2022) has successfully strengthened institutional coordination between science, policy and practice communities in more than 20 countries. Building capacity and awareness about the latest assessments, BES-Net’s work is instrumental in national decision-makers adopting key recommendations that emerge from IPBES’ global, regional and thematic assessments and discussions around protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.

Building on this demand and enthusiasm, BES-Net’s second phase kicked off in 2020 with the continued support from BMUV/IKI and SwedBio and brought in UNESCO as a new partner in the BES-Net consortium. Continuing to support countries with national ecosystem assessments and Trialogues to foster collaboration, this new phase also prioritizes greater inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local voices in decision-making, as well as channelling catalytic investments for biodiversity solutions that are locally led.