The upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi presents an important opportunity for IUCN Member organisations to shape the future of global conservation. This year, organisations from Mediterranean countries have submitted a significant portion of the motions under consideration. Out of a total of 139 motions, 51 were put forward by Mediterranean organisations. France submitted 38 motions, followed by Spain with 10. Tunisia contributed 2, and Albania 1. This regional presence - spanning North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Balkans - shows a shared political and ecological commitment to addressing threats that are both global and uniquely Mediterranean.

The motions submitted by organisations from Mediterranean countries address both regional and global conservation concerns. A strong focus is placed on marine and coastal ecosystems, which face mounting pressures from pollution, tourism, and unsustainable use. 

Several motions show strong engagement from Mediterranean governments and local authorities. Motion 014, submitted by the French government with support from MITECO (Spain), promotes hedgerows in agriculture to enhance biodiversity and ecological connectivity. Motion 084, also from France, calls for advancing a circular and sustainable bioeconomy, encouraging resource efficiency and nature-based innovation. Motion 060, led by Tunisia, introduces nature conservation diplomacy, using conservation as a tool for dialogue in conflict-affected regions. Motion 103, submitted by the Ville de Paris, focuses on urban and peri-urban forests, urging their protection in line with the Global Standard Nature-based Solutions. Together, these motions reflect how Mediterranean actors are linking conservation with agriculture, urban resilience, diplomacy, and sustainable development. Particularly relevant is Motion 130, promoted by the Mediterranean Alliance for Wetlands, a network of 30 organisations across 18 countries, which calls for stronger protection of core zones in IUCN Category I and II protected areas from unsustainable tourism development. The motion highlights the urgent case of Albania, where recent legal changes allow infrastructure such as luxury hotels in core conservation areas, as a warning to the global community. Together, these motions reflect how Mediterranean actors are linking conservation with agriculture, diplomacy, urban resilience, and sustainable development.

💡 What’s new in 2025?

This Congress also marks a transition in how motions are handled. For the first time, Members can vote online, and at no cost. Removing the requirement for in-person attendance or paid registration allows for broader participation, especially for smaller organizations that have historically faced financial challenges to attend. This change reflects a shift in IUCN’s governance, one that seeks to ensure that decision-making is accessible and inclusive.

Why motions are important?

Motions are a foundational part of the Union’s decision-making process. They allow Members to introduce formal proposals that, if adopted by the Members’ Assembly, become Resolutions or Recommendations. These decisions help guide IUCN’s programme and policy positions and have practical consequences. They can initiate new areas of technical work, steer advocacy efforts, and provide Member organisations with a reference point for collaboration and alignment on emerging environmental issues.

Success story: embedding geodiversity in IUCN’s Global Agenda

Thanks to the persistent efforts of geoconservation advocates, especially from Spanish geological organisations, geodiversity and geological heritage have gained a prominent place on IUCN’s agenda. This movement began with the first motion on geodiversity at the 2008 IUCN Congress in Barcelona and has grown through continued advocacy at every Congress since.

Kuki Ladron De Guevara | Dreamstime.com

Desert landscape with badlands mountain formations in Granada Geopark. Desert landscape with mountainous formations of badlands in the Geopark of Granada, in Andalusia, Spain

As a result, for the first time, geodiversity and geological heritage are explicitly included in IUCN’s 20-year Strategic Vision and the draft Programme for 2026–2029. These documents, to be voted on in 2025, recognize the abiotic elements of nature as essential to effective, integrated, science-based conservation.

The motions’ process is more than a procedural requirement, it is the primary way that Members collectively shape IUCN’s agenda. For organisations based in the Mediterranean, submitting and supporting motions is a way to ensure that regional challenges are acknowledged and addressed in global conservation efforts. As the Congress moves forward and motions come to a vote, the Mediterranean region’s contribution offers both a model of engagement and a reminder of the importance of regional voices in international environmental governance.

Jesús Bellido

IUCN Spanish Committee Secretariat.

For more information:

Motions at WCC2025, (Abu Dhabi)

IUCN Resolutions and Recommendations Platform