Celebrating 60 years of the IUCN Red List at COP29

“We can only make good decisions with reliable, scientifically accurate information. This is why IUCN is so proud of our internationally acclaimed Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s most complete source of information on the status of health, or threat to  animal, vegetal and fungi species. The IUCN Red List is the starting point of any effective conservation action, and numerous species have been saved from the brink of extinction thanks to the information and guidance provided by the IUCN Red List. To accelerate  assessments and updates, this 60th anniversary, IUCN has launched a public-facing campaign to raise awareness about the importance of saving species and to raise funds to accelerate the work of the IUCN Red List,” said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General. 

Oliver Avramoski, IUCN’s Regional Director for East Europe, North and Central Asia, welcomed guests to the celebration in Baku, Azerbaijan.  

Dr Aguilar gave a keynote address presenting how the IUCN Red List has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive source of information on the extinction risk of animals, fungi and plants. Through the work of the Red List Partnership, more than 160,000 species have been assessed, with the latest update revealing that over 46,000 species are now at risk of extinction. She also highlighted the Red List campaign, “Iconic Things are not Things”.  

The IUCN Red List guides conservation action, and influences policy and investments for the benefit of biodiversity. The Red List Index, which shows trends in species’ overall extinction risk, is a headline indicator for Goal A and Target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Over 2.8 million people access the IUCN Red List every year. The Red List guides donors regarding which species, habitats and sites need urgent attention. It is also a key educational tool for schools and universities. Through the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool, the private sector uses Red List data to understand the risks and opportunities of their business operations. 

The event acknowledged the impact of the IUCN Red List, highlighting conservation successes that have resulted from species assessments. Dr Aguilar highlighted the listing of the Crau Plain grasshopper as Critically Endangered in 2016, which has prompted a conservation plan, funding and collaboration that has led to its population increasing twenty-fold.  

Leyla Aliyeva, Founder of the International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA) association which co-organised the event with IUCN, gave a keynote address at the event.

Jason Funk, Senior Director of Forest Strategy at Conservation International, and Cathy Yitong Li, Senior Climate and Energy Policy Manager at BirdLife International and Deputy Chair of the IUCN Climate Crisis Commission, presented on further conservation achievements that have been informed by the IUCN Red List.

The IUCN Red List is an essential tool to guide conservation priorities as IUCN Members look towards the World Conservation Congress in 2025. As the number of assessments continues to rise towards its target of 260,000 species, the IUCN Red List is an increasingly strong barometer of life. With the incorporation of Green Status assessments, it provides an ever-richer picture of species’ potential for recovery. The Species Threat Abatement Restoration metric is also used to estimate the potential reduction in species extinction risk that could be achieved in an area or across a corporate footprint. 

The IUCN Red List is made possible through the work of the Red List Partners and their networks. It is a joint effort between IUCN and its Species Survival Commission, working with ABQ BioPark; Arizona State University; BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation International; Missouri Botanical Garden; NatureServe; Re:wild; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Senckenberg Society for Nature Research; Texas A&M University; and Zoological Society of London.