IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN’s long-term goals agreed and confirmed at the World Conservation Congress are:

• Extinction crisis alleviated
  The extinction crisis and massive loss in biodiversity are universally adopted as a shared responsibility, resulting in action to reduce this loss of diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
   
• Ecosystem integrity
  Ecosystems are maintained and where necessary restored, and any use of natural resources is sustainable and equitable.

These goals are the foundation of IUCN’s work, approved by members. Achieving these goals entails the delivery of knowledge on the status of biodiversity, specific actions to promote the conservation of species, the effective management of protected areas, the establishment of new protected areas to fill major gaps in biodiversity coverage, the delivery of ecosystem goods and services, and the sustainable management of landscapes.

IUCN creates knowledge and understanding of the complex relationship between biodiversity and the key processes driving biodiversity loss, for instance by providing key indicators on the status and trends of biodiversity, and developing effective tools and methods for sustainable management based on its multiple sources of information. Subsequently, we empower people to use this knowledge in order to influence governance mechanisms, which together will address the challenges of sustainable development.

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