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...

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...

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...

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.

More nations commit to fight climate change by restoring forests
23.09.2014

New York, 23 September 2014 – World leaders announced new pledges to restore over 30 million hectares of degraded forest lands today at the UN Climate Summit in New York. The commitments come from Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, and...

Iconic Okavango Delta becomes 1,000th World Heritage site
22.06.2014

Doha, Qatar, 22 June 2014 (IUCN) – Botswana’s Okavango Delta, one of the most iconic natural areas on the planet, has been listed as 1,000th World Heritage site today. The decision follows the recommendation of IUCN, UNESCO’s advisory body on nature.

Illegal trade puts more World Heritage sites in danger
18.06.2014

Doha, Qatar, 18 June 2014 (IUCN) – Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve has been listed as World Heritage in Danger due to unprecedented levels of illegal wildlife trade, as announced today at the 38th annual World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha, Qatar.

IUCN Red List raises more red flags for threatened species
12.06.2014

Almost 80% of temperate slipper orchids and over 90% of lemurs are threatened with extinction, according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The newly assessed Japanese Eel has been listed as Endangered, while the Brazilian Three...

Bad news for Europe’s bumblebees
02.04.2014

Twenty four percent of European bumblebee species are threatened with extinction according to a recent study assessing the species group at the European level.