News | 15 Oct, 2022

IUCN Leaders Forum closes with call to measure progress towards nature-positive future

Jeju, Republic of Korea, 15 October 2022 (IUCN) – The IUCN Leaders Forum Jeju 2022 closed today with the resounding conclusion that the world must measure progress towards a nature-positive future. Today’s Closing Ceremony ended three days of high-level debate, and presented key outcomes including partnerships, commitments and a roadmap for the future.

IUCN Director General Bruno Oberle and Young Hun Oh, Governor of Jeju Self-Governing Province at the closing ceremony of the IUCN Leaders Forum Jeju 2022.

Photo: IUCN

“Nature-positive is a challenging objective, but it is the only possible objective. This discussion here at the Leaders Forum, between leaders of very different vocational and cultural backgrounds, demonstrates that cooperation, common understanding and alliances are possible. With IUCN Leaders Fora in the future, we will continue bringing different perspectives together to support the journey towards a nature-positive future,” says IUCN Director General, Dr Bruno Oberle.

The event brought together private sector, civil society and government leaders to define a vision for a nature-positive future, and discuss how their sectors can take action to reach it. Participants highlighted the need for tools to measure progress, the need for a science-based approach with a baseline and timeline, and the need to leverage the potential of Nature-based Solutions.

At the Forum, IUCN proposed a Nature-Positive Approach to provide a pathway for organisations to become nature-positive. IUCN presented the Contributions for Nature Platform, a new online tool that measures the potential contribution of specific actions in specific places towards global biodiversity and climate goals. IUCN, in partnership with Jeju Self-governing Province, also launched the Nature Province Partnership.

Young Hun Oh, Governor of Jeju Self-governing Province said: “I hope that the IUCN Leaders Forum Jeju 2022 will be the beginning of a new history of restoring the vitality of nature. In particular, through the newly established Nature Province Partnership, Jeju, a leading member of IUCN, together with local governments around the world will create a sustainable ecological environment and a brighter global community.”

The IUCN Leaders Forum Jeju 2022 is co-hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.

While this is the first such event, the vision is for the IUCN Leaders Forum to become an annual meeting in the future.

Read the IUCN Leaders Forum Jeju 2022 outcomes document.