What is IPSI ?

The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) is a partnership made up of hundreds of member organisations dedicated to working together to realize societies in harmony with nature. In many parts of the world, people have developed ways to utilize and manage their surrounding natural environment to sustain and improve their daily lives and production activities such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Based on knowledge and practices locally accumulated in such human-nature interactions over a long time, production activities and their management mechanisms have created elaborate systems that have continued to support local communities by providing foods, fuels, and other materials, nurturing traditions and culture, and maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity. However, they have been increasingly threatened by rapid socio-economic changes in recent years. Many have been converted into more uniform, efficient and large-scale production systems that often cause environmental degradation and loss of cultures and traditions. Therefore, it is important to explore ways and means for using and managing natural resources sustainably that benefit current and future generations. To tackle this critical issue, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ) and the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS: formerly the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies) jointly initiated the Satoyama Initiative. This international effort promotes activities consistent with existing fundamental principles including the Ecosystem Approach. IPSI was established in 2010 in order to undertake and facilitate a broad range of activities to implement the concepts of the Satoyama Initiative by diverse stakeholders.
  • History of IPSI

    The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) was established on 19 October 2010, during the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 10) held in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. A total of 51 organisations entered into partnership as founding members of IPSI, and the COP took note of IPSI in its Decision X/32, inviting parties to the CBD and other relevant organisations to participate in the partnership. This international effort promotes activities consistent with existing fundamental principles including the Ecosystem Approach. Our core vision is to realize societies in harmony with nature, that is, built on positive human-nature relationships.
  • Our members

    As an international platform open to organisations dealing with “socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes” (SEPLS), IPSI has sought to foster synergies in the implementation of their respective activities, as well as other activities planned under the Initiative. Since its inception, an inclusive spirit has been fostered in recognition of the multi-sectoral and international dimensions of sustainable use of biodiversity and natural resources. Since its launch in 2010, the number of organisations within the diverse IPSI membership has grown rapidly, from 51 founding members to more than five times that number.

  • IPSI Steering Committee

    The Steering Committee serves as the executive body acting on behalf of IPSI, and is responsible for governance and management functions. The Steering Committee reviews and provides guidance on the implementation of IPSI activities, makes decisions on its own initiative and in response to requests from the Assembly, reviews and approves membership applications, provides recommendations for consideration by the Assembly, gives guidance to the IPSI Secretariat, and helps to catalyse partnership building and resource mobilization for IPSI.

  • Secretariat

    The IPSI secretariat is hosted by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) in Tokyo, Japan. It supports IPSI and its members in achieving its missions and objectives and is responsible for undertaking the preparation of the IPSI Global Conference and other IPSI related meetings, facilitating communication within IPSI and with other stakeholders, promoting Collaborative Activities, carrying out awareness-raising and public outreach activities, and assisting in partnership-building.

How to become a member

IPSI is open to all organisations committed to promote and support socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being. Membership application need to be approved at a meeting of the IPSI Steering Committee, held once every several months. Members of IPSI are expected to submit at least one case study report on their areas of expertise or activities in relation to one or more SEPLS, within six months of the successful approval of their application for IPSI membership. See our How to Apply page for more detailed information on application. Please contact the IPSI Secretariat should you wish to have more information regarding membership and application procedures.