Policy Instruments | IPBES secretariat
Policy instruments may take the shape, among others, of environmental standards and regulation, economic incentives to correct resource allocation failures, education, capacity building and awareness raising activities, monitoring mechanisms, diverse cultural arrangements and holistic approaches taking account of ILK systems. Policy instruments are generally used in combination, as a policy mix, which “has evolved to influence the quantity and quality of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision in public and private sectors” (Ring & Schröter-Schlaack, 2011). For example, economic incentives are based on laws; laws are implemented with the support of information instruments and monitoring is frequently needed to guarantee compliance with other instruments. Enforcement mechanisms are also part of the policy toolkit that ought to fit the social and cultural context. Finally, those instruments can be selected, designed, evaluated, implemented, monitored and reviewed throug