2025 Kicks Off with Growth: Four new sites added to the IUCN Green List and three relisted
After a 2024 that saw nearly 20 sites attain the coveted Green List Standard, the first global standard for effective and equitable area-based conservation, four new sites have opened their accounts for 2025 by celebrating admission to the growing community.
Photo: Sir Bu Nair Protected Area
As 2025 gets underway, the first signs of growth in the IUCN Green List have emerged. The addition of four new listings – all from the West Asia – and three renewals signals a strong trajectory for effective and equitable area-based conservation in a year which will culminate at the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in October.
New champions of area-based conservation
In Saudi Arabia, the Sharaan Nature Reserve is admitted to the Green List. As the AlUla County’s first fully Protected Area, SNR is considered a vital first step along the road to restoring landscapes, habitats and wildlife populations across the whole of the County. Sharaan's unique ecosystem of deserts, canyons, wadis and mountains; rich biodiversity, including newly-described reptile species; and ancient Nabatean cultural heritage strengthen its eligibility for the Green List standard.
Also in Saudi Arabia, the King Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve (KARNR) is newly-admitted onto the IUCN Green List. The KARNR is part of a series of Royal Reserves in the KSA, which are fully supported by the King himself, the Crown Prince, and all the Ministries. Ten small villages of recently-settled nomads populate the reserve, and share its natural values with Sand gazelle, Arabian oryx, Vachellia gerrardi, and Ziziphus nummularia, as well as 60% of the bird species documented in the Arabian peninsula. The Reserve has undertaken a successful reintroduction program; to date, 220 Sand gazelle and 80 Arabian oryx have been released.
The Aqaba Marine Reserve is Jordan joins represents the 90th listing on the IUCN Green List. With the commitment and support of King Abdullah II, who considers it to be an outstanding national priority, the site was designated as a marine reserve in 2020. The reserve represents a unique marine ecosystem with high ecological value, where the coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba are considered among the most resilient coral reef systems recognised globally, covering 30% of Jordan’s coastline. The site also demonstrates an excellent example of good governance with official bylaws that were open for public consultation before being approved by the cabinet.
Finally, In the UAE, the Sir Bu Nair Protected Area (SBN PA) has demonstrated its fulfilment of the IUCN Green List Standard, showcasing its unique ecological, geological, and cultural values. The island is registered on multiple international environmental lists, affirming its global conservation significance. Amongst the attributes of the SBN PA are it’s unique marine biodiversity, with key species such as turtles and migratory birds, including nesting sites and coral reefs. The site also hosts a rich history of indigenous knowledge, linked to pearl diving and fishing.
Consistent performers
Just as importantly, a further three sites achieved the renewal of their Green List status. In France, Champ du Feu Managed Biological Reserve (RBD CF) has its status renewed. The RBD CF is of significant economic and socio-cultural importance as a popular tourist destination, being the most visited natural site in the Bas-Rhin. On the other hand, over 70% of the RBD has been used for centuries for extensive agro-pastoral activities that help to maintain open environments, such as sheep and cattle grazing.
Geographically parallel to the RBD CF, the Hochfeld Managed Biological Reserve is a smaller and relatively less visited site. Just like the RBD CF, however, it is home to an exceptional fauna associated with open environments such as moorland, lawns and mountain meadows, bordered by high-altitude forests, with species of high conservation value being present. Numerous species of birds, insects and chiropterans inhabit these rich landscapes.
In Lebanon, the Al Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve – one of the first sites to be Green Listed in West Asia in 2018 – has its status renewed. The Reserve is within Lebanon’s Protected Area network, with longstanding support from local communities who have been actively engaged in its activities since its establishment. Among the 997 documented species of flora in the Reserve is one of the largest stands of Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani) in the country. The Shouf is a nexus of many cultures, religions, and historical events all of which have left an imprint that makes the area’s cultural heritage as rich as its ecosystems.
New year, new challenges, new opportunities
As the world races towards 2030, and countries and communities across the globe pursue the goal of effectively and equitably conserving 30% of our planet’s lands and waters, 2025 promises to be a key year for area-based conservation. The IUCN Green List, as an official metric for ‘conservation done well’ – in line with the wording and the spirit of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – will play a key role in supporting conservation actors worldwide to validate and promote their conservation pathways and outcomes.
With IUCN’s partners – the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the French Development Agency (AFD), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea, Esri, the world’s leading supplier of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software, and Huawei, a leading technology giant – we look forward to scaling up the IUCN Green List in 2025.
By 2030, the IUCN Green List aims to have approved at least 1,000 protected and conserved areas in line with the Standard. This is a marathon task conducted with the intensity of a 100m sprint; but the need to ensure that our efforts and preparation to conserve our world’s biodiversity and peoples has never been greater.