IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Society is moving towards new energy systems which will be based on alternative sources of supply, innovative distribution systems, and different consumption patterns. Over the coming years societies throughout the world will be making choices about their energy futures and the outcomes of these choices will have significant consequences (positive and/or negative) for the integrity and diversity of nature and natural resources. What is not yet clear is which technologies and trends will emerge as dominant in future energy systems. IUCN has a role to play in influencing, encouraging and assisting societies to follow energy options which conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable, efficient and ecologically sustainable. We can do this by:

• Informing the process of change by bringing knowledge to the table; and
• Convening the range of stakeholders who need to be represented at the table.

To be effective in this role we need to:

• Understand the likely future(s) of energy production, distribution and consumption including implications of the application of technologies for energy efficiency and for new options for producing energy: to inform the prioritization of interventions.
• Analyse the likely implications of such futures for ecosystems and the goods and services they provide: to inform the prioritisation of interventions and develop appropriate indicators of progress and impact.
• Identify the change agents and leverage points: to inform the prioritization of interventions and to build alliances and networks
• Inventory our knowledge and expertise in all components of the Union: to identify and fill gaps and to build the capability to mobilize our knowledge and expertise efficiently and effectively.
• Identify opportunities for mobilizing change: to build our experience and credibility through robust national processes which inform decisions and enable broad stakeholder participation in critical decisions and through effective influencing strategies in key international fora.

The initiative built on IUCN’s core attributes of being the world’s leading authority on conservation, of having a unique global union of over 1,000 government and NGO members and networks of over 10,000 experts, of working worldwide on biodiversity, ecosystem services and human wellbeing, and of using collective knowledge, innovative approaches and convening power to provide conservation solutions. Additionally, our UN observer status offers us a unique position at key international decision making fora.

The initiative buillt on the work and experience of members and also sought to establish contacts with organisations working in the field of energy and biodiversity. It also leveraged the skills and expertise of the commissions such as experience in the World Commission on Protected Areas and the Commission on Ecosystem Management in managing change in an ecosystem context, the Species Survival Commission’s expertise in monitoring, assessing and managing impacts on species and their habitats, and the Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy’s experience with developing and implementing sound stakeholder engagement processes.

The aim of the initiative was to establish IUCN as a credible and sought-after convenor of energy fora and source of relevant and vital energy and biodiversity knowledge.

The Initiative is organised into three phases:

• Initiation
• Consolidation of Information & Positioning IUCN
• Implementation

2008 was the year of implementation. Each phase will include interventions at site (local), national and international levels. See Scoping paper for details on the deliverables for each phase.

At the World Conseravtion Congress in Barcelona, members agreed to a new programme of work 2009-2012, including 2 results on energy. See IUCN results section.