IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

New measures to sustainably manage the international trade of bluefin tuna, elephants, sharks and numerous other species are being debated at the triennial conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which takes place 13 to 25 March.

Forests are under the spotlight as never before. They are globally important in regulating climate and locally important in sustaining communities and supporting biodiversity. But with unsustainable logging and agriculture and biofuel expansion competing for forested lands, forests and the people who depend on them are under increasing pressure.

IUCN is optimistic but realistic and will have a strong presence at the conference. It is striving to ensure that nature-based solutions are incorporated into the post-2012 agreement to mitigate climate change and adapt to the impacts we cannot now avoid.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt by both people and the environment around the world and they’re set to get a lot worse. Sea levels are rising, threatening island nations and coastal areas, storms are becoming more violent bringing floods and landslides, and droughts are intensifying.

Major reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions are necessary if we are to avoid disastrous climate change. Given that deforestation and forest degradation account for up to 17% of man-made global greenhouse gas emissions, conservation and sustainable management of forests is a good place to start.

Drylands cover more than 40% of the earth’s land surface and are home to more than a third of the world’s population, many of whom are the poorest of the poor. Found on every continent, drylands are the arid or semi-arid regions where rainfall is scarce and soils are less fertile.

Food insecurity is a global concern. But insufficient attention is being paid to what underpins all of our food systems—biodiversity and ecosystem services such as soil formation, water supply, pollination, disease control and resilience to extreme weather.

Beneath the surface of the oceans lies an extraordinarily diverse and relatively peaceful world. But this world, whose many secrets are still to be unlocked, is under siege. The threats facing the marine environment are numerous and complex yet less than 1% of the oceans are protected.

Forests are precious assets. They are home to much of the world´s biodiversity, store vast amounts of carbon, support the livelihoods of the world´s poorest people, provide fuel and building materials, protect our watersheds and offer a shield against extreme weather.