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 | 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.
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
Story | 22 Aug, 2017
Waste not, want not - Wastewater focus of World Water Week
Every year World Water Week draws the global spotlight onto the world’s water challenges and opportunities. This year, the focus is on wastewater. Over 80% of global wastewater is released untreated back into nature, causing detrimental impacts on water supplies, human health, the economy, and…
Story | 29 Jun, 2017
Iroise, the jewel of France's west coast
The Iroise Marine Nature Park, the first marine protected area in France, achieved IUCN Green List status in 2014. It was created in 2007 off the coast of Finistère between the islands of Ushant, Molène and Sein and the coasts of Crozon headland and Douarnenez, and protection for 350,000…