Story | 19 Oct, 2021
Marine Heatwaves: a serious threat to marine biodiversity and livelihoods
Back in 2011, extremely warm water temperatures persisting over thousands of kilometres along the coastline of Western Australia caused coral bleaching, mass die-out of marine life and wiped out kelp forests. Since then, this phenomenon of abnormally high-water temperatures has been recorded in…
Story | 01 Jul, 2021
A new paper, published today in Science, argues for an international legally binding agreement that addresses the entire life cycle of plastics, from extraction of raw materials to legacy plastic pollution. Three clear goals are proposed and encouraged, to address not only the well-known issue…
Story | 09 Mar, 2021
Mediterranean Noble Pen Shell Crisis (Pinna nobilis) - January 2021 Update
Thanks to the data provided by conservation organisations and institutions from all over the Mediterranean, IUCN-Med has worked to produce the Red List Assessment of the Mediterranean Fan Mussel (Pinna nobilis) which is now officially recognised and listed as "Critically Endangered" by…
Story | 26 Feb, 2021
New IUCN-backed study finds gray whales at high risk from ship strikes in the North Pacific Ocean
Gland, Switzerland (IUCN) – Ships operating in the North Pacific pose a serious threat to gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), according to the first scientific study that examines the impacts of vessel traffic on the species throughout its range.
Story | 15 Sep, 2020
IUCN Standard to support global action on invasive alien species
IUCN today launched a global standard for classifying the severity and type of impacts caused by alien species, known as the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT). This tool will alert scientists, conservation practitioners and policy makers to the potential consequences of…
Publication | 2020
IUCN EICAT categories and criteria : first edition
A unified classification of alien taxa based on the magnitude of their environmental impacts has been developed in response to these issues. EICAT (Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa) is a simple, objective and transparent method for classifying alien taxa in terms of the …
Story | 10 Aug, 2020
An ocean hero dedicated to vaquita conservation succumbs to COVID-19
IUCN is deeply saddened by the loss of Mexican conservationist Paco Valverde, who dedicated his life to protect the vaquita – the world’s smallest porpoise and most threatened marine mammal. Paco was regarded as an ocean hero who inspired his community to care for the marine environment on which…
Story | 05 Aug, 2020
The IUCN SSC/WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force (“the Task Force”) today announces the approval of thirteen new Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the Extended Southern Ocean Region.
Story | 12 Mar, 2020
Report: Blue Infrastructure Finance, where all win
All coastal and marine ecosystems are critical to human well-being and global biodiversity. Mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds are examples of these. But urban and rural infrastructure investments are having a heavy negative impact on these systems, and it is…
Press release | 27 Sep, 2019
Over half of Europe’s endemic trees face extinction
Gland, Switzerland, 27 September 2019 (IUCN) – Over half (58%) of Europe’s endemic trees are threatened with extinction, according to assessments of the state of the continent’s biodiversity published today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The introduction of…