More about the Specialist Group

As a result of international concern in the mid-1960s that existing scientific knowledge of polar bears was inadequate for the effective management of the species, the IUCN SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG) was established in 1968 to be the primary source of science-based information with which to address conservation issues. For over 50 years, the PBSG has coordinated, synthesized, and distributed scientific information necessary to guide the long-term viability of polar bears and their habitats. From providing technical expertise during the drafting of the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, evaluating the global risk of extinction of polar bears for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and completing action items identified in the Polar Bear Range States’ 2015 Circumpolar Action Plan - Conservation Strategy for the Polar Bear, the PBSG continues to cooperate and coordinate research, and advise the IUCN, policy makers, stakeholders, and the public about current and emerging threats to the species and for the management and conservation needs of polar bears and the Arctic ecosystem of which they are apart. The success of the PBSG is due to its independence, the dedication of its focused, active, and widely skilled membership, and from the continued recognition of the Polar Bear Range States that the technical support and independent scientific advice provided by the PBSG continues to support the objectives of the 1973 Agreement and represents a vital part of the science-based, decision making process that has been essential for identifying and helping to address the challenges of polar bear management and conservation.