This guidebook provides an overview of processes for establishing and managing National Biodiversity Platforms (NBPs). It outlines characteristics shared by NBPs around the world and describes reflections about their main elements: objectives, institutional structure, processes and activities, provided by NBP staff from different countries interviewed for generating this guidebook.

This guidebook was produced as part of the project “Supporting decision making and building capacity to support IPBES through national ecosystem assessments”, which was funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection based on a decision of the German Bundestag. The project was implemented by UNEP-WCMC’s National Ecosystem Assessment Initiative, with support from UNDP’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net). The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ was a scientific partner in the project and responsible for the preparation of this guidebook.