UICN - Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature

Congress themes explained

These are turbulent times for the global economy. The financial and economic crises over the past five years have given new impetus to the transition towards more sustainable forms of economic development, as seen in the growing popularity of a ‘green economy’. IUCN’s David Huberman outlines recent developments in this area and the approach needed to push the green economy up the international agenda.

Biological diversity is essential is essential for human well‐being. It provides food security, human health, clean air and water. It contributes directly to local livelihoods and economic development; and it is essential to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals, including poverty reduction. But despite its fundamental importance for life on this planet, biodiversity continues to be lost. Josephine Langley, coordinator of IUCN's work on biodiversity explains what’s needed to stem this loss of biodiversity and IUCN’s priorities for the coming years.

Humans consume more than 7,000 species of plants and animals, very few of which have been domesticated through agriculture. In the drive to address food security, there is a lack of understanding among policy makers that for many people, especially the the 70% or more in less developed countries who live in rural areas, wild sources of food—fish, small mammals, wild vegetables, fruits, honey and nuts, form an important part of people’s diets and are essential for nutritional health. With biodiversity being lost at an increasing rate, a growing focus of IUCN’s work in the coming years will be proving that to achieve food security for a burgeoning global population, what grows in the wild is just as important as what grows on farms. Dr Gill Shepherd, Special Adviser to IUCN on Ecosystem Management explains.

Nature has always supported the growth and prosperity of human societies and the economic value of this support is enormous. Nature’s benefits, however, are not equally shared. Sharing power, responsibility and benefits with respect to natural resource management, as well as making laws and regulations more transparent, inclusive and equitable, are good for both people and biodiversity. Georgina Peard, Network Officer for IUCN’s Commission on Environment, Social and Economic Policy outlines why sharing nature’s benefits fairly and equitably is a priority for IUCN.