Formed in 1948, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has since evolved to become the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, which brings people together to develop solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental and development challenges - from threatened species and habitats, to climate change and food security.

 

Today, IUCN is the world’s global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. 

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IUCN's Nature 2030 IUCN Programme, for the first time, sets its ambition in a decadal timeframe (2021–2030) and is a call for mobilisation to the entire Union, through a high-level, strategic document that includes and invites contributions from the IUCN Members, Commissions and Secretariat.

 

IUCN Members 

IUCN Members are a diverse group of organisations from 160 different countries. The membership is uniquely comprised of States, government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and indigenous peoples’ organisations who share a vision for a just world that values and conserves nature.

IUCN Commissions
IUCN’s Commissions unite more than 14,500 scientists and experts to provide the organisation and its Members with knowledge and policy advice to drive conservation and sustainable development across the planet. Experts are organised into six Commissions dedicated to species survival, environmental law, protected areas, social and economic policy, ecosystem management, and education and communication. 

 

Governance
The Members’ Assembly, held every four years as part of the IUCN World Conservation Congress, is the union’s highest decision-making body. Inbetween sessions of the congress, the Council, which is elected by IUCN Members acts as the principal governing body. Headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, the IUCN Secretariat comprises over 900 staff in more than 50 countries. 

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