Neben den IPBES-Mitglieds-Staaten nahmen als Beobachter weitere Nationen und zahlreiche Organisationen teil, mit denen der "Weltrat für Biologische Vielfalt" zusammenarbeitet: Unter anderem Delegierte der Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), von Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Ramsar Convention, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UNEP EUROBATS, UNFCCC, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), United Nations University, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity European Union, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), Group on Earth Observations, Global Environment Facility, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO),