Story | 07 Jan, 2016
The List of World Heritage in Danger is not a disgrace, but an opportunity
A key success of 2015 was the removal of Colombia’s Los Katíos National Park from the List of World Heritage in Danger. It was danger-listed in 2009 at the request of the government, after suffering extensive damage from illegal activities. The park authority has now regained control of the site…
Story | 07 Jan, 2016
Watching over the universal worth of Tubbataha Reefs’ paradise of blue
What does marine paradise look like? Imagine pristine coral reef, turquoise blue lagoons, whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds. Such a paradise exists on Earth, in Tubbataha Reefs National Park in the Philippines.
Story | 06 Jan, 2016
This is a woman’s world (heritage)
Working as a female expert in a largely male-dominated sector as nature conservation can present challenges. This is especially the case in cultures where women in charge are often perceived negatively, such as in the Arab region. Haifaa Abdulhalim is one of those brave ladies who dares to…
Story | 05 Jan, 2016
Twelve nomination files reviewed for natural World Heritage in 2016
IUCN’s World Heritage Panel gathered last December to consider 12 files for possible inscriptions of natural sites on the World Heritage List in 2016. This includes proposals for boundary changes in two natural World Heritage sites in Russia. As the official Advisory Body on natural World…
Story | 05 Jan, 2016
Why the new policy on sustainable development for World Heritage is a crucial step forward
Towards the end of 2015, the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention adopted a policy on sustainable development. This is a major step in ensuring that World Heritage sites contribute to socioeconomic well-being in a sustainable manner with long-term positive effects, both for the…
Story | 04 Jan, 2016
60 new African dragonfly species described
Only a fifth of the nine million species of animal, plant and fungus thought to occur on earth are known. Dragonflies (which include damselflies) are generally considered well-known but researchers have recently described 60 new species, the greatest number of newly described dragonflies in…
Press release | 11 Dec, 2015
Paris climate deal increases hopes for a sustainable future
Paris, France, 12 December 2015 (IUCN) – IUCN welcomes the new climate agreement adopted today by the world’s governments at the UN climate summit in Paris (COP 21), and its recognition of nature’s critical role in tackling climate change.
Story | 06 Dec, 2015
IUCN salutes new UNESCO status for Global Geoparks
Geological areas designated as part of the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) have now gained a higher status of recognition, following a decision to label them as UNESCO sites. This move is welcome by IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, whose Members adopted resolutions at the…
Story | 30 Nov, 2015
Nine countries elected to the World Heritage Committee
Nine States Parties have been elected to the World Heritage Committee: Angola, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Indonesia, Kuwait, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. They take the place of Algeria, Colombia, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Qatar, Senegal and Serbia.
Press release | 27 Nov, 2015
Climate agreement must recognise nature’s solutions – IUCN
Ahead of the UN climate conference, IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature – is calling for an agreement that recognises the role of nature in reducing carbon emissions and helping nations adapt to a changing climate.