IUCN Members in China, Japan and RoK commit to advancing Nature-based Solutions

The meeting brought together key IUCN representatives including Dindo Campilan, IUCN Regional Director for Asia and Hub Director for Oceania, Charles Karangwa, IUCN Head of Nature-based Solutions, JongSoo Yoon, IUCN Councillor and Chair of the National Committee of IUCN Members in the Republic of Korea, Tsunao Watanabe, Chair of the National Committee of IUCN Members in Japan, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources of China and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources.

Dindo Campilan, IUCN Regional Director for Asia and Hub Director for Oceania, noted: “IUCN statutory countries in Asia and globally have always looked up to China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea for setting a positive example in leading the design and implementation of conservation policies and practices.”

Wu Jun, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Natural Resources, remarked: “We are willing to continue working hard with our colleagues from Japan and the Republic of Korea to jointly amplify the voice of Asia.”

Mark Salway, IUCN Chief Operations Officer and Raj Kumar, Membership Manager for the IUCN Asia Regional Office, provided comprehensive overviews of the IUCN 20-year Strategic Vision for the Union and the Programme 2026-29, the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2025 along with key membership matters.

The meeting reviewed the 2024 achievements of IUCN Members in China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, as well as plans for the coming year. Following the indoor discussions, participants visited the Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve and Dongtan Wetland Park to explore the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature in these landscapes.

"NbS in Action" was an initiative launched during the meeting by IUCN Members from China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea in response to participants’ call for greater regional cooperation in advancing Nature-based Solutions and other conservation efforts. Recognising their combined demographic, economic and environmental influence, the three countries committed to strengthening collaboration for future generations. Their priorities include:
i) promoting policy formulation,
ii) implementing conservation actions,
iii) fostering a whole-of-society approach, and
iv) enhancing capacity building and training.

In 2016, IUCN Members from China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, with support from the IUCN Asia Regional Office, jointly established the IUCN Tripartite Member Exchange mechanism. This initiative, hosted on a rotational basis among the three countries, has been pivotal in fostering collaboration. The IUCN Japan National Committee is set to host the next Tripartite Meeting.