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 About & how we engage

With over 11,000 volunteer experts, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) work independently and with the different IUCN Units to build knowledge on the status of species and threats to them and to provide advice, develop policies and guidelines and facilitate conservation planning. Through this work, SSC catalyses conservation action and enables IUCN to influence policy and assist societies in biodiversity conservation.

186

Description

groups in 186 countries comprise the SSC network, distributed in Red List Authorities, Task Forces, Action Partnerships, Conservation Committees and Specialist Groups.

157,000+

Description

species have been assessed. Red List Partnership and SSC network delivered key indicators through the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

18

Description

Centers for Species Survival. The SSC Chair’s Office is partnered with leading species conservation organisations to leverage the Network capacity.

Our work

SSC members provide scientific advice to conservation organisations, government agencies and other IUCN members, and support the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements.

SSC spotlight

IUCN Species Strategic Plan
IUCN Species Strategic Plan

The IUCN Species Strategic Plan encompasses the joint work of the Species Survival Commission as well as a number of partnerships. This 2021-2025 IUCN Species Strategic Plan collect high-level goals of the Species Conservation Cycle, and Key Species Results (KSR) determined by the SSC network.


African white backed vulture
Intervention letters

High-level interventions address conservation issues of serious and urgent concern, through letters to governments or private companies which highlight the threat(s) to species and /or their habitats, using SSC expert advice, proposing suitable action to influence decision-making and therefore helping to avoid or reduce any adverse impacts on biodiversity. 


Reverse the Red
Reverse the Red

Committing to REVERSE the current negative trends in THE RED list status of species, Reverse the Red aims to ignite optimism and collaborative action to guarantee the survival of all species we share this planet with, and the ecosystems they live in. 


SSC meeting in Abu Dhabi
Press release

Species experts’ meeting concludes with Declaration that saving species is…

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 31 October 2024 (IUCN) – The 5th IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Leaders' Meeting concluded in Abu Dhabi with conservation experts and leaders issuing a powerful declaration affirming that …