The article "Assessing Nature's Contributions to People: Recognizing Culture, and Diverse Sources of Knowledge, Can Improve Assessments" by Diaz Sandra, Pascual Unai, Stenseke Marie, Keune Hans, et al., published in Science, discusses the importance of an inclusive approach to assessing nature's contributions to people (NCP). The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has developed the NCP framework, which builds on the ecosystem service concept but differs in several key ways. NCP recognizes the central role of culture in defining links between people and nature and emphasizes the importance of indigenous and local knowledge. The NCP approach encompasses both positive and negative contributions of nature to people's quality of life, such as food provision, water purification, and artistic inspiration, as well as disease transmission and predation. Unlike the original ecosystem services framework, which was dominated by natural sciences and economics, NCP incorporates a broader range of perspectives, including those from social sciences, indigenous peoples, and local communities. The article proposes two lenses for viewing NCP: a generalizing perspective and a context-specific perspective. The generalizing perspective seeks a universally applicable set of categories of flows from nature to people, while the context-specific perspective focuses on specific geographical and cultural contexts. This approach facilitates respectful cooperation across different knowledge systems and enhances the legitimacy and effectiveness of environmental assessments and policies. Examples from IPBES regional assessments, such as the Europe and Central Asia assessment, illustrate how the inclusion of indigenous and local knowledge can lead to richer solutions and more equitable outcomes. The NCP approach aims to produce more legitimate and policy-relevant products, fostering a paradigm shift in environmental assessment and governance.The article "Assessing Nature's Contributions to People: Recognizing Culture, and Diverse Sources of Knowledge, Can Improve Assessments" by Diaz Sandra, Pascual Unai, Stenseke Marie, Keune Hans, et al., published in Science, discusses the importance of an inclusive approach to assessing nature's contributions to people (NCP). The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has developed the NCP framework, which builds on the ecosystem service concept but differs in several key ways. NCP recognizes the central role of culture in defining links between people and nature and emphasizes the importance of indigenous and local knowledge. The NCP approach encompasses both positive and negative contributions of nature to people's quality of life, such as food provision, water purification, and artistic inspiration, as well as disease transmission and predation. Unlike the original ecosystem services framework, which was dominated by natural sciences and economics, NCP incorporates a broader range of perspectives, including those from social sciences, indigenous peoples, and local communities. The article proposes two lenses for viewing NCP: a generalizing perspective and a context-specific perspective. The generalizing perspective seeks a universally applicable set of categories of flows from nature to people, while the context-specific perspective focuses on specific geographical and cultural contexts. This approach facilitates respectful cooperation across different knowledge systems and enhances the legitimacy and effectiveness of environmental assessments and policies. Examples from IPBES regional assessments, such as the Europe and Central Asia assessment, illustrate how the inclusion of indigenous and local knowledge can lead to richer solutions and more equitable outcomes. The NCP approach aims to produce more legitimate and policy-relevant products, fostering a paradigm shift in environmental assessment and governance.