Abu Dhabi, 1st Sept 2025: Organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and co-hosted by UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 will take place in Abu Dhabi from 9-15 October 2025. The congress is expected to see the launch of impactful international initiatives that are set to attract wide global attention, given their pivotal role in shaping the future of environmental action and advancing nature conservation worldwide.
The IUCN World Conservation Congress will bring together government leaders, indigenous communities, youth, researchers, civil society, and the private sector to catalyse a new era of transformative conservation, shaped by innovation, shared purpose, and bold environmental leadership.
The IUCN World Conservation Congress also presents an important opportunity to accelerate action and scale up collaborative solutions to address the interconnected needs of nature, people and sustainable development, as the 2030 deadline for the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the KM Global Biodiversity Framework approaches fast.
Among the announcements is a significant update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s most comprehensive source on the global extinction risk of species. This will be complemented by a new edition of the IUCN European Red List of Threatened Species, with a particular focus on pollinators and their vital role in ecosystems. The latest IUCN World Heritage Outlook will also be unveiled, providing a global overview of the state of natural World Heritage sites and the pressures they face.
IUCN will also announce the recipients of the Coolidge Memorial Medal and the John C. Phillips Memorial Medal, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to conservation, as well as the 2025 winners of the International Ranger Awards, which honour the heroes on the frontlines of protecting the planet’s most vulnerable ecosystems. The congress will also witness the announcement of the host country for the next IUCN World Parks Congress. These events reflect the scale of global ambition and the growing need to reconnect with nature and protect biodiversity.
The IUCN Congress 2025 will also convene the Members’ Assembly - its highest decision-making body - where member organisations will debate and vote on motions, which once approved, define the IUCN’s policy agenda. A total of 200 draft motions have already been proposed, reflecting the breadth and urgency of conservation action needed to meet global biodiversity and sustainable development goals.
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