Story | 14 May, 2018
Research to determine whether ocean plastics accelerate Arctic melt
IUCN and academic partners are conducting research in the Arctic and Baltic regions to establish to what extent plastic particles accelerate ice melt in the Arctic Circle. Dark plastic particles attract sunlight, warm up and melt the ice around it. The ongoing …
Story | 04 May, 2018
Redirecting EU CAP payments to sustainable farming
Unsustainable farming is the largest threat to Europe’s unique biodiversity and the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) makes up the largest part of the EU budget. That is why EU policymakers need to ensure that direct payments under the next CAP are awarded to farmers in exchange for…
Story | 14 Feb, 2018
Azerbaijan to create the first Marine Protected Area in the Caspian Sea
Azerbaijan is upgrading and expanding the Gizilaghaj State Reserve to become a National Park and will include the first Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Caspian Sea, the largest inland body of water on the planet. The new MPA will seek to protect six significant marine species on the brink of…
Story | 16 Jan, 2018
EU Plastics Strategy positive but requires implementation
IUCN welcomes the EU Plastics Strategy launched today, encourages all public and private actors to ensure its swift and adequate implementation, and looks forward to the European Union continuing to lead global action to tackle the marine plastic litter problem.
Story | 19 Dec, 2017
Plastic is everywhere, polluting our waters, choking marine wildlife, and even in our food and water. I’ve seen plastics in every ocean I’ve dived in. It is a problem of global proportions but an ambitious EU Plastics Strategy can create vital momentum.
Story | 12 Dec, 2017
EU auditors find CAP ‘greening’ measures ineffective
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has found that the ‘greening’ of direct payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been environmentally ineffective.
Press release | 09 Nov, 2017
Good initiatives exist but more action needed to tackle marine plastics
Brussels, 8 November 2017 (IUCN) - A new IUCN Europe report shows that a number of policy initiatives are already in place to protect our oceans from plastic pollution – however Europe can still do more to protect our oceans from plastics.
Story | 18 Oct, 2017
IUCN commends Russia on the centenary of its ‘zapovedniks’
IUCN President, Mr. Zhang Xinsheng commended Russia on its efforts to conserve its exceptional biodiversity at the recent protected area forum in Sochi, Russia to mark the centenary of the opening of Russia’s first strict nature reserve, Barguzinsky zapovednik.
Story | 12 Oct, 2017
Invitation: Marine Plastics Need European Action, 8 November 2017
Plastic waste is increasingly impacting the marine environment and becoming one of the most challenging issues for global and European marine and coastal species and ecosystems. The IUCN Regional European Office and Ricardo Serrão Santos, Member of the European Parliament, are hosting an event…
Story | 07 Sep, 2017
EU Overseas - champions in marine and coastal protection
With 33% of national waters protected the EU Overseas spearhead efforts in global marine conservation