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From 2001 to 2005 some 1360 experts involved in the MA provided a report for policy makers based on their scientific assessment. Since the publication of MA in 2005, the rarely used concept of “ecosystem service” (ES) was thus promoted to a central position in the analysis and formulation of environmental issues. In France, however, this concept appeared later. Our paper contributes to understanding French indifference regarding the concept of ES before the publication of the MA. Whatever their academic or research status or discipline (ecology, biology, economics...), French scientists were not involved in the MA. Yet, some years before the MA they were highly mobilized in the Global Biodiversity Assessment (1993-1995), the previous international assessment of biodiversity. To explain this lack of interest for the MA and ES concept, our paper analyzes the role of the Ministry of Research and Ministry of Environment and shows a structural cleavage between the world of research on the one hand and the world of politics on the other. In addition, the survey showed that the professional culture of French scientists and their strategic interests do not encourage them to actively invest in international assessments such as MA.