Story | 02 Feb, 2018
World Wetlands Day 2018: Focus on Urban Wetlands
For the seventh year in a row, the WEF Global Risk Report placed Water Crises in its Top 5 Global Risks. Such repeated warnings have led business and policy makers to seek solutions and innovation to avert water crises. Yet solutions often lie in the water ecosystems themselves. Today’s ‘World…
Story | 30 Jan, 2018
Collaborative Mooring Buoy Installation at Marriott Merlin Beach
On the 15th and 18th of January 2018, IUCN, in collaboration with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Merlin Beach, Sea Bees Diving and the Prince of Songkla University, installed four mooring buoys in the bay in…
Story | 25 Jan, 2018
IUCN welcomes first-of-kind World Rowing pledge to avoid impacts on natural World Heritage
The World Rowing Federation FISA today became the first sporting body to announce its commitment to ensuring that activities under its control will not damage natural World Heritage sites, which IUCN monitors as the official advisory body on nature to the World Heritage Committee.
Story | 25 Jan, 2018
In the spirit of nature, everything is connected
To bring the natural system into balance, a new economy that is sustainable and respects the limits of natural resources and the functions of ecosystems is fundamental. This requires a shift in how we value, use and dispose of resources, creating a circular system, as in nature.
Story | 25 Jan, 2018
How do we know when forest landscape restoration has been achieved?
A principal rationale for restoring a landscape is to return ecosystem services in a way that makes the ecosystem functional and productive while providing for the needs of those who depend on the landscape. There may be some common indicators from restoration efforts that apply to a broad range…
Story | 24 Jan, 2018
Innovative and collaborative: The future of plastic waste management in Sri Lanka
Plastic has become an essential part of life nearly everywhere in the world. Its durability, malleability, light weight and low production cost makes it one of the most widely-used material on the planet, which, in turn, has led to equally-widespread consequences for the environment.
Story | 23 Jan, 2018
IUCN reviews eight World Heritage nominations for 2018
The IUCN World Heritage Panel recently gathered in Gland, Switzerland to review eight natural areas nominated for potential inscription on the World Heritage List in 2018. Among these sites, three are in Asia, two in Europe, while the remaining three are located in North America, South America…
Story | 17 Jan, 2018
An economist's view of forest landscape restoration
The Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology has proven effective for countries in planning their restoration actions. A large part of this process consists of comparing the costs and benefits of different restoration options, the consideration of the carbon balance and the analysis of…
Story | 12 Jan, 2018
The conservation and livelihoods power of a community fund in Uganda
The Community Environment Conservation Fund (CECF) is a conservation benefits sharing model developed and implemented by IUCN to address immediate community livelihood needs through a credit scheme. This in turn motivates and empowers communities to responsibly utilise and manage natural…
Story | 11 Jan, 2018
SDGs and environment sidelined in EU budget debate
This week EU officials, ministers and experts debated the next EU budget in a high-level conference. Although the event was called ‘Shaping our future’, disappointingly nature and the environment received only passing mentions.