Story | 31 Jul, 2020
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Africa’s protected areas operations and programmes
The measures taken to prevent or control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic introduced challenges in the management of Africa’s protected areas (PAs) that had never been experienced before. As a result, most operations were scaled down or suspended, visitor facilities closed to the public,…
Story | 17 Jul, 2020
Blue carbon and more: mangroves as superheroes
Mangrove forests and swamps are nature's superheroes, a vital ecosystem for climate mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and many other benefits for humans and animals alike. On this International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem 2020, we present an interactive…
Story | 06 Jul, 2020
Deep-sea mining effects may be felt from top to bottom, surface to seabed
Seabed mining effects will probably not be confined to the sea floor, argues a Proceedings of the National Academy (PNAS) journal article from the University of Hawaii, co-authored by IUCN's High Seas Adviser, Kristina Gjerde. The effects will be…
Story | 30 Jun, 2020
Building ambition for the High Seas Treaty: June IUCN webinar series. What did you miss?
The goal of the three sessions was for all to better understand the UN Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (the High Seas Treaty), to address potential points of divergence, and to build ambition for the …
Story | 02 Jun, 2020
African Solutions: Gnanhouizounmè Sacred Forest villages ride out COVID-19 in Benin
Gnanhouizounmè Sacred Forest is a site that has been cared for by the local people for centuries. The people of Gnanhouizounmè are active managers of their own forest and implement an ongoing regeneration programme, with sapling nurseries in most of the local villages. To increase knowledge and…
IUCN Statement | 30 Apr, 2020
IUCN deplores the brutal killing of 17 people in Virunga National Park
IUCN is deeply shocked by the tragic loss of 12 park rangers, a staff driver and four civilians close to Virunga National Park, following an attack by armed militia on 24 April. One of the world’s most biodiversity-rich areas and home to the last remaining mountain gorillas, Virunga is Africa’s…
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…
Story | 02 Mar, 2020
IUCN adds its voice to 108 organisations around the Globe urging end to harmful fisheries subsidies
Ahead of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference, scheduled to launch on World Ocean Day, a statement with 108 signatory organisations from around the world delivers world leaders a message: Reach a meaningful agreement to stop harmful subsidies.
Governments have been…
Story | 27 Feb, 2020
Report: Building ambition and planning ahead for the High Seas treaty
A new IUCN report gives a series of recommendations to build ambition for the new agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) under UNCLOS.
…Story | 30 Jan, 2020
The untapped power of local protected areas, in South America
Home grown success: local-level protected and conserved areas are proven to be as effective in biodiversity conservation as many national-level formal protected area designations.
In…