Assessment of pollination and China’s implementation strategies within the IPBES framework

Abstract

Pollination is an important ecosystem services closely related to grain products and food security. Recent research has shown that pollinator declines directly affect human wellbeing, which has attracted widespread attention from the global community. Fittingly, the "pollinator, pollination and food production assessment" was listed as a high priority rapid assessment in 2014-2018 work programme of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The summary for policymakers was adopted at the fourth plenary meeting of IPBES. Within the IPBES framework, we introduce the start point and main contents of the thematic assessment report and explored the relationship between this assessment and other processes and its potential impacts. We also analyze what was learned and current shortcomings. We propose the following actions: (1) to survey pollinator diversity and to assess the value of pollination services; (2) to establish pollination monitoring system; (3) to analyze the risk factors and formulate pollinator conservation and restoration activities; (4) to optimize farming modes and to enhance policy support; and (5) to expand publicity and increase public participation.