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United for Life & Livelihoods
===================================
Description 1
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. By harnessing the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of some 17,000 experts, IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
[Explore our work](/our-work) [Find a resource](/resources)
FEATURED WORK
News 29 Jan, 2025
[IUCN's Highest Governing Body Convenes for the First Time in Latin America, in…](https://iucn.org/news/202501/iucns-highest-governing-body-convenes-first-time-latin-america-guatemala)
The 112th IUCN Council Meeting takes place in the historic colonial city of La Antigua Guatemala, from 28 to 30 January 2025.
Story 28 Feb, 2025
[Salvation through harmony: Multilateralism revived with CBD COP16](https://iucn.org/story/202502/salvation-through-harmony-multilateralism-revived-cbd-cop16)
A three-day meeting on the Convention on Biological Diversity that just wrapped up in Rome will go down in history as a landmark, reviving hope on multilateral decision-making to address the greatest…
Press release 16 Dec, 2024
[New GEF program will scale up environmental solutions from youth, women, and…](https://iucn.org/press-release/202412/new-gef-program-will-scale-environmental-solutions-youth-women-and-indigenous)
The Global Environment Facility’s Council approved today the CSO Challenge Program – a new global program led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to recognise and scale up…
DG Statement 03 Mar, 2025
[IUCN Director General’s message on World Wildlife Day](https://iucn.org/dg-statement/202502/iucn-director-generals-message-world-wildlife-day)
Today, on UN World Wildlife Day 2025, we come together to celebrate the incredible diversity of life on our planet—its beauty, resilience, and the essential role it plays in sustaining humanity.Â
Who we are
A powerful Union
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Heading
Our Members
Description 1
IUCN Members include national and subnational governments and government agencies as well as non-governmental and indigenous peoples’ organisations from over 160 countries.
[Learn more about our members](/our-union/members)
The latest from our members
[Rivers are connected. Actions to protect them…](/crossroads-blog/202410/rivers-are-connected-actions-protect-them-must-be-connected-too)
The health of freshwater systems is core to the health of surrounding landscapes —…
[Bridging the gap: A call for collaboration in…](/crossroads-blog/202408/bridging-gap-call-collaboration-african-conservation)
In the wake of this year's Africa Regional Conservation Forum hosted by IUCN, African…
[Read our magazine 'Unite for Nature'](/our-union/members/unite-nature-iucn-members-magazine)
IUCN Secretariat
Hundreds of committed staff in more than 60 countries provide data, analysis and convening support to Members, and implement direct conservation action.
[Director General and leadership](/our-union/secretariat-and-director-general)
IUCN expert Commissions
IUCN Commissions are networks of scientists and experts providing IUCN and its Members with technical and policy advice to drive conservation and sustainable development.
[Learn more about IUCN Commissions](/our-union/commissions)
What we do
Our knowledge and tools are based on the most up-to-date science. They enable society, economies and nature to thrive together.
[Science-led approach](/our-work/science-led-approach) [Informing policy](/our-work/informing-policy) [Find a resource](/resources)
Biodiversity
[Biodiversity](/our-work/biodiversity)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Assessing ecosystems](/our-work/topic/assessing-ecosystems)
* [Biodiversity and health](/our-work/topic/biodiversity-and-health)
* [Ecosystem restoration](/our-work/topic/ecosystem-restoration)
* [Freshwater species](/our-work/topic/freshwater-species)
* [Invasive Alien Species](/our-work/topic/invasive-alien-species)
* [Managing ecosystems](/our-work/topic/managing-ecosystems)
* [Marine species](/our-work/topic/marine-species)
* [Species conservation action](/our-work/topic/species-conservation-action)
* [Species conservation science](/our-work/topic/species-conservation-science)
IUCN monitors species and ecosystems, and steers policy and action to protect and restore the natural world.
Biodiversity
Business, finance and economics
[Business, finance and economics](/our-work/business-finance-and-economics)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Biodiversity net-gain](/our-work/topic/biodiversity-net-gain)
* [Extractive, energy and infrastructure](/our-work/topic/extractive-energy-and-infrastructure)
* [Fisheries and aquaculture](/our-work/topic/fisheries-and-aquaculture)
* [Livelihoods and sustainable use](/our-work/topic/livelihoods-and-sustainable-use)
* [Plastic and other pollution](/our-work/topic/plastic-and-other-pollution)
* [Tourism and sport](/our-work/topic/tourism-and-sport)
Human wellbeing depends on nature and economic development can no longer come at nature’s expense. IUCN works to help countries mainstream nature into economic decisions, including making the private sector part of the solution for people and nature.
Business, finance and economics
Climate change
[Climate Change](/our-work/climate-change)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Climate change impacts on nature](/our-work/topic/climate-change-impacts-on-nature)
* [Ecosystem-based Adaptation](/our-work/topic/ecosystem-based-adaptation)
* [Ecosystem-based mitigation](/our-work/topic/ecosystem-based-mitigation)
* [Nature-based Solutions for climate](/our-work/topic/nature-based-solutions-climate)
* [Ocean and climate change](/our-work/topic/ocean-and-climate-change)
IUCN monitors the impacts of climate change on nature, and guides the conservation and restoration of ecosystems to help mitigate and adapt to it.
Climate change
Freshwater and water security
[Freshwater and water security](/our-work/freshwater-and-water-security)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Fisheries and aquaculture](/our-work/topic/fisheries-and-aquaculture)
* [Freshwater species](/our-work/topic/freshwater-species)
* [Livelihoods and sustainable use](/our-work/topic/livelihoods-and-sustainable-use)
* [Plastic and other pollution](/our-work/topic/plastic-and-other-pollution)
* [Transboundary water governance and diplomacy](/our-work/topic/transboundary-water-governance-and-diplomacy)
IUCN works to provide everyone with fair access to clean water, and to protect the freshwater ecosystems on which humanity depends.
Freshwater and water security
Governance - law and rights
[Governance - law and rights](/our-work/governance-law-and-rights)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Gender equality](/our-work/topic/gender-equality)
* [Global and transboundary frameworks](/our-work/topic/global-and-transboundary-frameworks)
* [High seas](/our-work/topic/high-seas)
* [Indigenous peoples](/our-work/topic/indigenous-peoples)
* [Legal training](/our-work/topic/legal-training)
* [National legal systems](/our-work/topic/national-legal-systems)
* [Transboundary water governance and diplomacy](/our-work/topic/transboundary-water-governance-and-diplomacy)
Equality and equity underpin sustainable development. IUCN works to enhance the agency of all those who are marginalised due to factors such as gender, class, age, (dis)ability, ethnicity, race or sexuality, and to ensure environmental law is effective and just.
Governance - law and rights
Nature-based Solutions
[Nature-based Solutions](/our-work/nature-based-solutions)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Disaster risk reduction](/our-work/topic/disaster-risk-reduction)
* [Ecosystem restoration](/our-work/topic/ecosystem-restoration)
* [Nature-based Solutions for climate](/our-work/topic/nature-based-solutions-climate)
* [Nature-based Solutions for cities](/our-work/topic/nature-based-solutions-cities)
* [IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions](/our-work/topic/iucn-global-standard-nature-based-solutions)
Nature-based SolutionsTM leverage nature and the power of healthy ecosystems to protect people, optimise infrastructure and safeguard a stable and biodiverse future.
Nature-based Solutions
Ocean and coasts
[Oceans and coasts](/our-work/oceans-and-coasts)
* [Fisheries and aquaculture](/our-work/topic/fisheries-and-aquaculture)
* [High seas](/our-work/topic/high-seas)
* [Marine ecosystems](/our-work/topic/marine-ecosystems)
* [Marine species](/our-work/topic/marine-species)
* [Ocean and climate change](/our-work/topic/ocean-and-climate-change)
* [Plastic and other pollution](/our-work/topic/plastic-and-other-pollution)
IUCN works to conserve coastal, marine and polar ecosystems, and the many benefits they provide for humanity. Â
Ocean and coasts
Protected areas and land use
[Protected areas and land use](/our-work/protected-areas-and-land-use)
* [Sustainable food and agricultural systems](/our-work/topic/sustainable-food-and-agricultural-systems)
* [Drylands and land degradation](/our-work/topic/drylands-and-land-degradation)
* [Effective protected areas](/our-work/topic/effective-protected-areas)
* [Forests](/our-work/topic/forests)
* [Livelihoods and sustainable use](/our-work/topic/livelihoods-and-sustainable-use)
* [Marine ecosystems](/our-work/topic/marine-ecosystems)
* [World Heritage](/our-work/topic/world-heritage)
IUCN works to protect ecosystems, promote the sustainable use of landscapes and advance justice and equity in conservation.
Protected areas and land use
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[Learn more about our work](/our-work)
Marseille, France
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3-11 September, 2021
Description
The IUCN World Conservation Congress is where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action. More than 9,000 people participated in the 2021 Congress in Marseille. Experts shared the latest science and best practice, and IUCN Members voted on 39 motions to guide humanity’s relationship with our planet for the decades ahead.
[Congress website](https://www.iucncongress2020.org/programme/marseille-manifesto)
Our RESULTS
Driving policy and action for people and planet
166,061
species
Description
assessed on the
IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM
[Learn More](/resources/iucn-red-list-threatened-species)
210+
million hectares
Description
pledged for restoration under the Bonn Challenge
[Learn more](https://www.bonnchallenge.org/)
1,466
resolutions
Description
and recommendations passed at IUCN assemblies since 1948
[Learn More](/our-work/informing-policy/setting-conservation-priorities)
3,500+
reports
Description
published by IUCN
[Learn more](/resources)
600+
sites
Description
in 60 countries with or working towards certification on the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas
[Learn more](/resources/iucn-green-list-protected-and-conserved-areas)
Our history
75 years of vision and impact
-----------------------------------
Shortly after the Second World War, IUCN’s founders came together under the shared belief that no single government or organisation can address the challenges facing our planet alone. Each of the seven and a half decades since has reinforced the truth of that belief, and proved the value of a global Union dedicated to solving the issues facing humanity and its relationship with nature, on which humanity depends.
[Learn more about our history](/about-iucn/history)
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