IUCNs

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global union of states and non-governmental organizations working in the field of nature conservation. Founded in 1948 at Fontainebleau, France, it is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland. IUCN serves as a center for scientific research, policy guidance, and field-based conservation, bringing together governments, NGOs, scientists, and local communities to conserve biodiversity and promote sustainable use of natural resources.

A core function is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which assesses extinction risk for thousands of species and provides standardized categories and criteria. The organization also supports protected areas planning, ecosystem management, climate adaptation, and nature-based solutions, and it publishes guidelines, assessment reports, and data to inform policy at national and international levels.

IUCN operates through six commissions that organize substantive expertise: Commission on Environmental Law (CEL); Commission on Education and Communication (CEC); Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM); Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP); World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA); and the Species Survival Commission (SSC).

The IUCN is governed by a council and a director-general, with member organizations including governments and NGOs. It maintains partnerships with international conventions, regional bodies, and civil society to advance biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and evidence-based decision making.