Story | 07 Jul, 2015
Kishore Rao’s 40-year journey through protected areas and World Heritage
As the 39th World Heritage Committee concludes, Kishore Rao steps down for retirement after having headed UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre for over four years. With a background in nature conservation, he has worked on the World Heritage Convention from the perspectives of its secretariat, its…
Story | 15 Jun, 2015
On the verge of extinction: A look at endangered species in the Indo-Burma Hotspot
The Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, which covers Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and parts of southern China, is one of the most biologically rich − and highly threatened − places on the globe.
Story | 09 Jun, 2015
IUCN launches second call for Tiger conservation projects
After a successful first call for proposals in October last year, IUCN's Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) is now calling for a second round of proposals from eligible applicants.
Story | 08 Jun, 2015
To have healthy oceans we need healthy marine wildlife
According to the United Nations, World Oceans Day is about a healthy planet being based on healthy oceans – so true and in so many ways! The ecological pressures on Earth’s oceans are as diverse and daunting as the storms that can roll across its blue horizons. But there is hope rolling in the…
Grey literature | 2015
Synergies between climate mitigation and adaptation in forest landscape restoration
This study entailed extensive literature review of linkages between adaptation and mitigation at the global policy level, through analysis of relevant policies and protocols in the context of climate change in general and forest landscape restoration (FLR) in particular. This was followed by…
Grey literature | 2015
Ecosystem-based adaptation (Eba) uses biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of a larger adaptation strategy to climate change. While the conservation and sustainable development community considers EbA to be a strong method of addressing climate change and its associated challenges, there…
Story | 16 Apr, 2015
Surveys funded by SOS lead to an increase of the known population of Yuanbaoshan firs
The known population size of the Critically Endangered Yuanbaoshan fir (Abies yuanbaoshanensis) more than doubled following extensive surveys in Yuanbaoshan National Nature Reserve (NNR), China in 2014. IUCN Member, Fauna & Flora International’s Xiaoya Li explains what this discovery means…
Story | 11 Mar, 2015
Mangroves pivotal to protection of Bengal communities
A study has revealed that rice croplands which are protected by mangroves provide a stronger resistance to cyclones and therefore help support human lives in countries affected by tropical weather conditions.
Story | 15 Jan, 2015
Mount Huangshan: first World Heritage site on the IUCN Green List
China’s Mount Huangshan was the first World Heritage site to achieve the IUCN Green List of Protected Areas Standard, based on conservation excellence recognised in the IUCN World Heritage Outlook.
Story | 15 Dec, 2014
Adapt or die: lessons from Vulture Conservation in South Asia
For SOS Grantee Ananya Mukherjee, switching from dipstick technology to GPS-enabled bird-tagging was a classic case of adaptive management. Indeed it was one that allowed the larger vulture conservation project to continue working towards its objective: creating three effective Vulture Safe…