IUCN harnesses the knowledge, resources and reach of over 1,500 Member organisations. These include States and government agencies at the national and subnational levels, NGOs large and small, indigenous peoples' organisations, scientific and academic institutions and business associations.
IUCN membership is composed of governments and civil society organisations, which are united under the common goal of protecting nature and conserving life on Earth.
IUCN member organisations convene and influence diverse stakeholders at the highest level, all in support of nature conservation. They are also part of a democratic process, voting Resolutions, which drive the global conservation agenda through the Regional Conservation Fora and the World Conservation Congress.
IUCN’s expertise and extensive network also provide a solid foundation for a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects around the world which work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
The value of working together as a Union is unique, and cannot be understated. IUCN’s history is built on the results of Members putting knowledge, influence and execution to work for a more sustainable future.
As the most democratic gathering of the international conservation community, the IUCN World Conservation Congress has been instrumental in setting the global conservation agenda, representing the collective priorities of States, government agencies, NGOs and Indigenous people’s organisations. See the WCC pages in this section for full details of this year’s motions and events.
In the run-up to each WCC, Regional Conservation Fora (RCF) provide a channel for decision making and recommendations.
Read more about the RCFs here.
IUCN's collaborative efforts across the Union to advance the Food and Agriculture agenda are demonstrated by these Resolutions from the 2020 WCC:
WCC_2020_RES_003_EN | IUCN
