Press releases

Paris climate deal increases hopes for a sustainable future
12.12.2015

Paris, France, 12 December 2015 (IUCN) – IUCN welcomes the new climate agreement adopted today by the world’s governments at the UN climate summit in Paris (COP 21), and its recognition of nature’s critical role in tackling climate change.

Leaders pledge to restore additional 18 million hectares of critical landscapes as part of global target
06.12.2015

Government and business representatives from Burundi, Honduras, India, Mexican States, KPK province of Pakistan and Asia Pulp and Paper have announced new pledges today to restore up to 18 million hectares of degraded forests, as part of the UN climate change...

Climate agreement must recognise nature’s solutions – IUCN
28.11.2015

Ahead of the UN climate conference, IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature – is calling for an agreement that recognises the role of nature in reducing carbon emissions and helping nations adapt to a changing climate.

New assessment highlights climate change as most serious threat to polar bear survival - IUCN Red List
19.11.2015

A global re-assessment of polar bears highlights loss of sea ice habitat due to climate warming as the single most important threat to the long-term survival of the species, according to the latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ released...

CITES and IUCN bolster collaboration in tackling poaching and illegal wildlife trade
28.08.2015

Geneva, 28 August 2015 – The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature have signed an agreement this week to strengthen the cooperation...

IUCN grants top management Green List award to iconic Doñana
22.07.2015

Gland, Switzerland, 22 July 2015 (IUCN) – One of the most biodiverse areas in Europe – Doñana National Park and Natural Reserve – was granted IUCN’s Green List status today in recognition of the successful conservation efforts of its managers.

Jamaica’s first World Heritage listing ups the number of natural sites to 229
03.07.2015

The Blue and John Crow Mountains has become Jamaica’s first World Heritage site today, following advice from IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, responsible for evaluating the site’s natural values. Extensions of South Africa’s Cape...

IUCN advice to keep close watch on Great Barrier Reef fully backed
01.07.2015

Bonn, Germany, 1 July 2015 (IUCN) – IUCN’s advice to continue close monitoring of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was adopted in full today at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting taking place in Bonn, Germany.

Climate change and dams threaten natural World Heritage, warns IUCN
25.06.2015

Climate change and large dam projects are putting natural World Heritage sites at risk, says IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, the official advisory body on nature to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, meeting this Sunday in Bonn,...

Underestimating the ocean: new evidence from IUCN highlights the carbon-regulating capacity of the ocean
09.12.2014

Gland, Switzerland, 9 December 2014 – Protecting key carbon-absorbing areas of the ocean and conserving fish and krill stocks are critical for tackling climate change. This is one of the findings of a report released today by the International Union for...

IUCN summit delivers major commitments to save Earth’s most precious natural areas
19.11.2014

Sydney, Australia – The IUCN World Parks Congress 2014, the once-in-a-decade global forum on protected areas, closes today with the release of The Promise of Sydney. The Promise sets out an ambitious agenda to safeguard the planet’s natural assets, ranging...

Global appetite for resources pushing new species to the brink – IUCN Red List
17.11.2014

Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Chinese Pufferfish, American Eel, Chinese Cobra and an Australian butterfly are threatened with extinction Fishing, logging, mining, agriculture and other activities to satisfy our growing appetite for resources are threatening the...

New UNEP report unveils world on track to meet 2020 target for protected areas on land and sea
13.11.2014

15.4% of terrestrial areas, 3.4% of oceans protected, but further progress needed to cover and effectively manage areas of importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services 

Governments still behind on commitments to avert biodiversity crisis
17.10.2014

Pyeongchang, Republic of South Korea, 17 October 2014 – Despite increasing recognition of the biodiversity crisis and its impacts on human well-being, the scale of the government response is far from commensurate with the magnitude of the calamity, says IUCN...

Inger Andersen named IUCN Director General
14.10.2014

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, announced today the appointment of Inger Andersen as the new Director General of the Union starting in January 2015.