With a focus on the future of area-based conservation, day five of IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 comes to a close

The readiness of youth to overcome the challenges facing our world's biodiversity was set forth in a dynamic panel on digital storytelling at the IUCN Arabia Pavilion. Building on IUCN's Resolution 008 from 2012 on ‘increasing youth engagement and intergenerational partnership across and through the Union’, as well as the IUCN Youth Strategy 2022-2030, protected and conserved area team colleagues from IUCN's Regional Office for West Asia advocated for greater support and guidance for young people in communicating on topics relating to conserving the natural world. The session builds on the leadership of the global PCA team's youth focal point – Yves Olatoundji – who has integrated the topic throughout sessions at IUCN Congress 2025. 

Protected and Conserved Areas are a key piece of the puzzle for a planet in harmony, and the value of IUCN's work - beyond the horizons of 2030 - were set out. The event “PCA Vision for 2030” presented the IUCN’s Secretariat Value Proposition for GBF Target 3 to scale up protected and conserved areas under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. All regional coordinators shared their strategies and vision for 2030, outlining how IUCN Secretariat services will support countries within the International Union for Conservation of Nature Programme 2026–2029. The discussions focused then on accelerating implementation in the next five years through stronger policy frameworks, financing, partnerships, and site recognition. 

  Few initiatives inspire as much hope for the future of area-based conservation as the IUCN Green List, the global standard for effective and equitable protected and conserved areas. In the wake of hugely successful Green List Award Ceremony the night before, Monday 13th saw the official closure of the Green List Pavilion. Hosting 33 events - and a record total of 49 Green List events across all pavilions - is truly unprecedented. This achievement highlights how far the Green List has grown – and continues to grow - in visibility and impact, demonstrating real momentum and strong engagement from partners, countries, and practitioners. 

Unity in diversity - guiding us through the ever-changing world of conservation - are central to the movement for fair, effective and representative area-based conservation. At IUCN Congress 2025, this shared vision emerged as a key piece of the conservation puzzle, for our one protected planet.