The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is now starting its operations. To date, IPBES counts 109 member countries and has held the first IPBES plenary in Bonn, Germany (also the site of its Secretariat) in January 2013. With the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel in place, and the first intersession period underway, the U.S. needs to engage its scientific community as full participants in the process. The session speakers will discuss the changing landscape in global environmental science initiatives, present the latest updates in the IPBES process, share current and future opportunities for input, and discuss ways to broadly engage the U.S scientific community and other stakeholders, such as business coalitions and the engineering community, in preparation for the December 2013 second IPBES plenary. This session will include an extensive question and answer period.