The IUCN World Conservation Congress is the world’s largest and most important conservation event. Held every four years, the Congress aims to improve how we manage our natural environment for human, social and economic development. From 5 to 14 October, 2008, the World Conservation Congress was held in Barcelona, Spain. More than 6,600 leaders from government, the public sector, non-governmental organizations, business, UN agencies and social organizations discussed, debated and agreed on solutions for the world’s most pressing environmental issues.