IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

It boasts an immense variety of ecosystems, ranging from the subtropical mountain forests of south-western Georgia to the semi-deserts of Azerbaijan, and from the high-alpine Greater Caucasus to the mountain steppes of Armenia. In addition, some of the most diverse and distinctive temperate forests of Eurasia are found within the Caucasus.

The IUCN Programme Office for the Southern Caucasus in Tbilisi (Georgia), established in October 2006 and officially registered in Georgia, is one of three sub-regional programme offices within pan-Europe. It reports to the Regional Office for Europe. The office is responsible for the implementation of the Union’s programme in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and for liaison with regional member organizations and commission members. Thematic foci are protected areas, species conservation, environmental legislation, and sustainable natural resource use. The office was established at the request of the IUCN member Georgian Center for the Conservation of Wildlife, and endorsed by the IUCN Council. It implements recommendations from its regional stakeholders, as expressed in the 2006 Message from Gudauri.

IUCN pursues a bottom-up approach to regional integration of conservation efforts in the Southern Caucasus: Starting from policy priorities and development needs at the national level, projects are developed and implemented jointly with national Ministries of the Environment or NGOs. Regional cooperation is promoted whenever it adds value to the achievement of existing national priorities. This ensures that national ownership is secured and regional integration is perceived as supportive to meeting national environmental interests.