Simon served as Chair of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2008 to 2016. He has undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the ...
IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership

Overview and description
Description:
Group leadership
Dr Simon STUART
Simon served as Chair of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2008 to 2016. He has undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of Cambridge, with fieldwork in Tanzania and Cameroon. He has 40 years of experience with the IUCN and the SSC, having started work on the African Bird Red Data Book in 1983. He joined the IUCN Secretariat in 1986, and was Head of the Species Programme (1990-2000), Acting Director General (2000-2001), Head of the Biodiversity Assessment Unit (2001-2005), and Senior Species Scientist (2005-2008). He was elected as Chair of the SSC at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October 2008. Simon recalls “My interest in conservation started as a child, earlier than I can remember. A fascination for wild animals and plants has always been in my blood. A career in conservation was the only option for me. The SSC is in many senses my home.” He played a key role in developing the quantitative IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, and he conceived and led the Global Amphibian (2001-2004), which highlighted the worldwide amphibian crisis. He has also produced numerous high impact reports and books. While SSC Chair, Simon was instrumental in founding the Amphibian Survival Alliance and the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP). After completing his term as SSC Chair, he joined Synchronicity Earth as Director of Strategic Conservation (2017-2020), and then became Executive Director of A Rocha International (2020-2022). In 2020 he won the Blue Planet Prize in recognition of his work on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and his promotion of amphibian conservation. He is currently Advisor to the SSC Steering Committee, Chair of ASAP, Chief Scientific Advisor to Synchronicity Earth, Senior Advisor to Conservation Programmes for A Rocha International, a member of the International Selection Panel for Future For Nature, and a board member of Fondation Segre, Mandai Nature Fund, and Mandai Nature International.
More about ASAP
We envision a number of Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) species (Critically Endangered land and freshwater vertebrates found in Southeast Asia) will have benefited from effective conservation action. ASAP will have: created an enabling environment to catalyse effective conservation action for ASAP species, with a focus on those most neglected and increased funding available for the conservation of ASAP species. ASAP Partners will be better able to improve conservation ...

The conservation needs of ASAP species will be more widely understood and acknowledged and greater conservation action occurring with the increased awareness of the urgent need to end ASAP species extinctions.
Asian Species Action Partnership work
ASAP recognises that Southeast Asia is a critical region that without more serious conservation intervention and immediate action, is likely to see the demise of much of its unique biodiversity.
Extensive knowledge on the threats facing ASAP species and their conservation needs through the Governing Council, Secretariat and network.
Ending species extinctions in Southeast Asia
ASAP is a species-specific emergency call to create conservation action where it is urgently needed.
Partnership platform to catalyse conservation action
ASAP is a network of >200 Partners for collective impact and collaboration to conserve threatened species.
Mobilising resources and strengthening capacity
ASAP supports Partners with grant and learning provisions to strengthen capacity and impact.
Annual Report
Learn about ASAP’s work and results in 2023.
Previous reports:
ASAP Annual Report 2022
ASAP Annual Report 2021
ASAP Annual Report 2020
ASAP Annual Report 2019
ASAP Annual Report 2018
ASAP Annual Report 2016-2017