IUCN Members adopt landmark motions at World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi

The IUCN Congress – one of the world’s largest and most democratic environmental decision-making forums – brought together governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations, scientists, and youth from around the world. Members adopted 144 motions, which now become Resolutions and Recommendations that constitute part of IUCN’s official policy, setting the tone for international conservation action until the next Congress.

Among these are motions shaping climate policy, promoting environmental justice, and strengthening Indigenous stewardship, which all have direct relevance for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil and the next Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of the Parties in Uzbekistan.

“Together, these and the other adopted motions reaffirm IUCN’s role as a bridge between science, policy, and practice. They provide a collective mandate for governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and the private sector to act decisively on the interconnected biodiversity and climate crises, which are already seriously affecting human-well-being,” said David Goodman, Senior Multilateral Policy Officer for IUCN’s Centre for Policy and Law. “As the world prepares for the upcoming UN Climate Change and CITES Conferences, the outcomes of the IUCN Congress will help shape more inclusive and effective global action for people and nature.”
 

Shaping policy responses to the climate crisis 

IUCN Members’ commitment to addressing the climate crisis from multiple angles – including by calling on States to honour and accelerate their climate commitments; promoting responsible wind energy development; advancing synergetic net-zero, nature-positive just transition pathways; mandating policy development on geoengineering; and analysing governance gaps in the supply of fossil fuels – is reflected in Motions 017, 034, 038, 041 and 042, among others.

These motions strengthen IUCN’s engagement on climate mitigation, adaptation, and governance. They call for greater protection of glaciers and post-glacial ecosystems, recognising their vital role in regulating climate and freshwater systems; and for marine spatial planning and sensitivity mapping to guide offshore wind development while safeguarding marine biodiversity.

Members also endorsed stronger alignment between net-zero targets, biodiversity and social equity, highlighted the need for precautionary governance in developing geoengineering policies, and supported measures to phase out fossil fuel supply to ensure a just and equitable energy transition.

Recognising ecocide as a crime against the environment 

By adopting Motion 061, IUCN Members recognised ecocide – severe, widespread or long-term harm to the environment – as an international crime. This motion declares such acts should be prosecutable under national and international law and tasks IUCN’s World Commission on Environmental Law with studying how criminalising ecocide could help restore and rehabilitate ecosystems.  

The motion also commends countries that have already adopted ecocide laws and encourages others to do the same, reflecting global momentum for legal accountability in environmental protection. 

Elevating Indigenous leadership, knowledge and languages 

Several adopted motions highlight the central role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in conserving nature. 

Motion 094 underscores the importance of Indigenous languages and traditional knowledge in biodiversity conservation, urging support for community-led initiatives to preserve languages and intergenerational ecological knowledge. It calls for collaboration with UNESCO, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), to ensure Indigenous knowledge is valued alongside scientific research. 

Indigenous leadership in protecting nature and sacred natural sites, species, and landscapes is the focus of Motion 107. By adopting this motion, IUCN Members called for wider recognition of sacred sites, landscapes, and elements within IUCN protected area categories and guidance that ensures continued Indigenous stewardship. 

Curbing the wildlife pet trade 

Motion 108 mandates IUCN to develop guidelines to control the commercial pet trade in wildlife, an issue with growing conservation, welfare, and health implications. 

This initiative is expected to inform discussions at the next CITES COP, where countries will negotiate measures to regulate and reduce unsustainable wildlife trade. 

Governing the use of AI and protecting digital evidence 

With Motion 143, Members have called for the development of a Union-wide policy and guidelines for the ethical and ecologically responsible use of artificial intelligence in conservation. The motion recognises AI’s potential for biodiversity monitoring, threat detection, ecological modelling and participatory science, while noting risks including environmental impacts, algorithmic bias, and threats to data sovereignty. 

The motion calls for an inclusive working group to co-develop the policy and recommends capacity-building programmes to strengthen ethical use, transparency, and equitable access. It also positions IUCN to ensure conservation priorities are considered in international AI governance. 

The full list of motions is available here, and the results of the motions adopted during the IUCN Congress 2025 are available here.  

All adopted motions will be added to the IUCN Resolutions and Recommendations Platform.