In spite of the vast geographical territory of the IUCN WESCANA region, which spreads over three continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe), and operates in 5 different languages, this region has significant similarities, especially in terms of its ecological, social, and religious characteristics.

Regionally, this area faces several common challenges. These include the need to strengthen civil society, reduce inequities, and broaden stakeholder involvement in decision making towards environmental management and economic development. Several critical environmental issues are also held in common, including desertification, land degradation, unsustainable water extraction, and the degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems.

While these unifying factors are the primary concerns in the overall region, each sub-region (West Asia, Central Asia, and North Africa) has its own specific concerns, giving some of these priorities greater precedence than those in another sub-region. These themes form the core challenges that unite this region, and draw our many members and partners together to work towards our common and individual objectives.

The common issues facing this region include:

• Aridity
  
  
• The high value of water resources
  
  
• Extensive rangelands
  
  
• Fragile marine and terrestrial biomes
  
  
• A wide variety of migratory species
  
  
• A history of common property resource use
  
  
• Shared cultural values, religion, and traditions
  
  
• Rapid social, economic and political changes
  
  
• Emergent civil societies
  
  
• Developing economies
  
  
• A desire to identify alternatives to external models of development
  
  
• Extensive oil/gas resources and an economic dependence on fossil fuels