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The ocean’s seabed harbours a range of mineral reserves containing valuable metals and compounds. But under international law these resources have been designated “the common heritage of mankind”, a designation backed up by the body responsible for both preserving and allowing their use, the…

This introductory report's target audience is professionals from governments, civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders who know multilateral processes and treaties but are not high seas “BBNJ (biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction) experts”. The report is more digestible than…

The body responsible for the protection of Antarctica’s precious life, The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), has just completed a special meeting in Santiago, Chile. IUCN participated as an observer promoting independent science and urging delegates…

As the world moves towards an international, legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, IUCN and GRID-Arendal partner in a new project: AFRIPAC, "Effective Plastic Treaty Capacity Building for Africa." This project aims to empower five African nations´ negotiating skills for a strong…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) analytics and data visualization technologies can help practitioners to access, utilize and disseminate information in a strategic and cost effective way for management and conservation in remote areas.  The new report reviews the existing state-of-the-art on remote…

The IUCN-WCEL’s Ocean Law Specialist Group submitted written evidence in response to a recent inquiry convened by the U.K. House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee entitled “UNCLOS: The law of the sea in the 21st century”.

Gland, Switzerland, 28 April 2021 (IUCN) – Countries where natural resources such as agricultural land and water become scarce or degraded tend to be more conflict-prone, a new IUCN report finds. The report concludes that conserving and sustainably managing natural resources…

The Oceans, Coasts and Coral Reefs Specialist Group has published its report in a series highlighting ongoing work under each WCEL Specialist Group.

Stefano Burchi was recently appointed Chair of the WCEL Water and Wetlands Specialist Group, with Professor Owen McIntyre becoming Chair Emeritus.

IUCN and WCEL Members participated in the first United Nations session of the intergovernmental conference working toward an international binding legal instrument under UNCLOS for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.