HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has been Regent of the Principality since 2005. In 2006, HSH the Prince decided to establish his own Foundation, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, to address our planet’s environmental challenges.

The Foundation encourages sustainable and fair management of natural resources and places humankind at the centre of its projects. It supports the implementation of innovative and ethical solutions in three areas: climate change, water and biodiversity. In order to be an influential player in environmental protection on an international scale, the Foundation has established a network of men and women from the worlds of politics, science and economics, all of whom are ready to take joint action towards a common objective.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is an active Member of IUCN.

In the words of His Highness, "It is important to join forces to increase awareness of the importance of safeguarding our environment. We need to continue our efforts, now more than ever, to protect our planet; it is the responsibility of every single one of us so as to ensure the future of humanity.”

Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein is an international public servant and advocate for cross-cultural understanding, conflict prevention and recovery issues such as refugees, missing persons, poverty, climate change and disarmament. Her peace-building work has focused on the Middle East, the Balkans, Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Queen Noor’s work in Jordan and the Arab world has focused on national and regional human security in the areas of education, conservation, sustainable development, human rights and cross-cultural understanding. Since 1979, the initiatives of the Noor Al Hussein and the King Hussein Foundations, which she founded and chairs, have advanced development thinking in Jordan and the Middle East through pioneering best practice programs in the fields of poverty eradication, women’s empowerment, microfinance, health, and arts as a medium for social development and cross-cultural exchange.

Queen Noor has made environmental priorities an essential component of her work to promote human security and conflict resolution. Shortly after her marriage in 1978, she became patron of Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), the Middle East’s first environmental NGO responsible for nationwide nature reserves, environmental clubs, the integration of biodiversity concepts into school curricula, for the region’s first eco-tourism/rural development projects, and for regulating diving, protecting endangered marine species, and clean up of coastal beaches and shores. RSCN programs have become regional models for conservation and sustainable development providing training and capacity building.

The Queen also chaired Jordan’s National Commission in 1990 which developed Jordan’s National Environment Strategy, the region’s first such initiative, and Jordan’s Environment Law which set standards for water use and quality, specifications to measure and control air pollution, and conditions for the establishment and operation of wild and aquatic nature reserves.  She founded the Arab World’s first children’s museum in 1988 and its mobile wing targeting young people in rural areas with computers, and educational materials and recreational activities focused on environmental protection, the sciences, health, and history.

Internationally, she has focused on environmental conservation and human security with emphasis on water and Ocean health and protection issues. She is a Founding and Emeritus President of BirdLife International, Trustee Emeritus of Conservation International, member of the Ocean Elders and has received the United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 Award among other honors for her activism.

Queen Noor is also involved with a number of other international organizations advancing global peace-building and conflict recovery. She is also President of the United World Colleges (UWC), a network of 17 equal-opportunity international IB colleges around the world which foster cross-cultural understanding and global peacebuilding; a Trustee of the Aspen Institute, Advisor to Search for Common Ground and Trust Women – the Thomson Reuters Foundation annual conference aiming to put the rule of law behind women’s rights.

In recognition of her efforts to advance development, democracy and peace, Queen Noor has been awarded numerous awards and honorary doctorates in international relations, law and humane letters.

HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland, is the second child of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Majesty Queen Silvia. Prince Carl Philip is fourth in line of succession, after Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Estelle, and Prince Oscar. In 2015, he married HRH Princess Sofia. Their first child, Prince Alexander,  was born on 19 April  2016. Their second child, Prince Gabriel, was born in August 2017.

Prince Carl Philip is a Major in the Swedish Amphibious Corps, has an interest in arts, design and photography.  Through his company “Bernadotte & Kylberg”, he has designed several collections for many brands. In his own name he has designed a series inspired by the Red List, whose proceeds benefited the Swedish Red List.

The Prince is, among others, patron of the charity Lilla Barnets Fond which supports medical research and the development of care for new-born babies in Sweden, and the sailing race Volvo Ocean Race. The Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia Foundation was established in conjunction with the wedding of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. The purpose of the Foundation is to counteract bullying, with the vision that children and young people will have the right and possibility to be themselves. The work focuses on combating online hate speech and spreading awareness about dyslexia. The Prince Couple’s own involvement in these issues forms the basis of the Foundation’s work.

I am extremely happy to be given the opportunity to work with IUCN and in my role as Patron of Nature; I look forward to doing great things for nature

HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden

Dr. Luming AI

Luming AI, Ph.D. is the founder and President of Wuhan Dangdai Science and Technology Industries (Group) Co., Ltd, and former Chairman of Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology (SEE), which is the largest and the most influential environmental NGO in China. He is also a Trustee of TNC China Board and WWF China.

A passionate advocate and practitioner of public welfare and corporate social responsibility, AI Luming is a committed philanthropist. From 1995 to 2016, he was Head of Village Committee of Xinhong Village, Jiufeng Township of Wuhan City, and implemented rural poverty alleviation programs for over 20 years. In addition, he has led his enterprises to help students and the disabled, and actively supported the development of education.

In recent years, he has devoted more than 80% of his time to environmental protection and public welfare causes. He has been awarded the title of "Public Welfare Person of the Year" for many times due to his engagement in environmental protection. AI Luming and the nearly 1,000 entrepreneur members of SEE personally participate in environmental protection practices and exploring new modes of environmental protection. SEE members apply business wisdom to create environmental values and solve social problems, therefore become a model of modern innovation and welfare governance in serving the public interest.

Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard

Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard share a deep connection with the ocean, and as a couple, are keen sailors. Their family philanthropy is inspired by their desire to ensure a balance between nature and people. Together, they created Sails of Change, which is building a community of sports and nature lovers who want to create a more sustainable future for our planet.

Dona is a firm advocate for ocean protection and is also the fastest woman to sail around the world, after completing the Jules Verne Trophy record attempt in 2016. She is the Special Adviser for the Blue Economy for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), co-chair of the Bertarelli Foundation and a World Economic Forum Friend of Ocean Action. Dona supports a number of projects, including the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, a partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts to advance ocean protection, and Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager, a dynamic technology portal which supports the management of marine protected areas.

Yann is a private equity and real estate investor as well as a renowned skipper. A former Olympian, he has completed more than 20 transatlantic multi-hull crossings, one around the world, and set many records throughout his sailing career. He is the Chairman, co-founder with Dona, and skipper of their multihull professional sailing team, Spindrift.

The couple also created Spindrift for Schools, an educational programme for schoolchildren in France and Switzerland. They aim to share the riches of the natural world, and the importance of conserving nature, with the next generation.

Dona and Yann are passionate about sharing ideas and information, building partnerships to protect and restore the environment and biodiversity.

Photo: Philanthropy Cortés Solari

Francisca Cortés Solari 

Francisca is an entrepreneur, environmentalist and philanthropist who has dedicated her life to integral and sustainable development initiatives in Chile and around the world.

With an extensive personal and family background in the world of design and retail, in 2002 she founded Philanthropy Cortés Solari (PCS), a philanthropic project that promotes integral and sustainable development through integral education, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.

For more than 20 years, PCS has been working in Chile and Latin America on integral education programmes that are experiential and connected to nature. These programmes reach more than 7,000 young people and teachers each year.

Francisca has been an outstanding promoter of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation in Latin America through scientific research, environmental education and outreach projects developed by the MERI Foundation, part of Philanthropy Cortés Solari.

Projects include the study and conservation of cetaceans, condors and flamingos, as well as the organisation of regional climate meetings and co-organisation of the Science for Climate Action Pavilion at the UNFCCC COPs.

The PCS also protects three strategic areas for climate change mitigation, known as the Elemental Reserves, located at 22, 33 and 44 degrees south latitude in the Chilean Atacama Desert, Central Chile and Northern Chilean Patagonia.

In these three laboratories, and under Francisca's leadership, PCS is implementing a multi-dimensional model of effective conservation. This includes ecological, cultural, social and economic dimensions.

"To understand the environmental problem is also to understand the problem in which humanity finds itself. This requires a change in personal conscience. This will allow us to rebuild trust, reach collective consensus and take concrete action to ensure the survival of the species".

Dr Sylvia Alice Earle (USA) is Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, Founder of the Sylvia Earle Alliance (S.E.A.) / Mission Blue, Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research Inc. (DOER), Chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute and former Chief Scientist of NOAA.

Author of more than 200 publications and leader of more than 100 expeditions with over 7,000 hours underwater, Dr Earle is a graduate of Florida State University with M.A. and PhD. degrees from Duke University and 27 honorary doctorates. Her research concerns the ecology and conservation of marine ecosystems and development of technology for access to the deep sea.

Dr Earle is the subject of the Emmy® Award Winning Netflix documentary, Mission Blue, and the recipient of more than 100 national and international honors and awards including being named Time Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet, a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, 2014 UNEP Champion of the Earth, Glamour Magazine’s 2014 Woman of the Year, member of the Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, and winner of the 2009 TED Prize, the Walter Cronkite Award, the 1996 Explorers Club Medal, the Royal Geographic Society 2011 Patron’s Medal, and the National Geographic 2013 Hubbard Medal.

Dr Earle is one of IUCN’s greatest allies in marine conservation, and together with her, IUCN is leading several campaigns to increase the number of marine protected areas and improve high seas governance, among others.

Andrew Forrest is the founder of Fortescue Metals Group, the world’s fourth-largest iron ore producer. Along with his wife Nicola, Director of Tattarang Private investment Group, they founded Minderoo Foundation, one of Australasia’s largest philanthropic organisations, which takes on tough, persistent issues with the potential to drive massive change.

Minderoo Foundation focuses on key initiatives, delivering research and solutions for the world’s most intractable problems, including finding a cure for cancer, ending modern slavery, eliminating plastic waste from our oceans, creating parity for Indigenous Australians and more.

Mr Forrest is Global Patron of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, recipient of the Australian Sports Medal and the Australian Centenary Medal and is a Councillor of the Global Citizen Commission, which made a series of human rights recommendations to update the Universal Declaration of Human Rights presented to the United Nations Secretary General in April 2016. Mr Forrest was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2017 for distinguished service to the mining sector, to the development of employment and business opportunities, as a supporter of sustainable foreign investment, and to philanthropy. In 2018, he received the EY Entrepreneur of The Year Alumni Social Impact Award for the “lasting and exceptional legacy” of his philanthropic work.

Dr Jane Goodall
DBE, Founder, Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace 

Dr Jane Goodall is  among the world’s most renowned ethologists, a globally famous voice of nature and a long-time member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. In July 1960, at the age of 26, Jane Goodall travelled from England to what is today Tanzania and bravely entered the little-known world of wild chimpanzees. She was equipped with nothing more than a notebook and a pair of binoculars. But with her unyielding patience and characteristic optimism, she won the trust of these initially shy creatures. She managed to open a window into their sometimes strange and often familiar-seeming lives. The public was fascinated and remains so to this day.

Today, Jane’s work revolves around inspiring action on behalf of endangered species, particularly chimpanzees, and encouraging people to do their part to make the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment we all share.

The Jane Goodall Institute is a global community conservation organization that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. By protecting chimpanzees and inspiring action to conserve the natural world we all share, JGI helps improve the lives of people, animals and the environment.​ Founded in 1977 by Dr. Goodall, JGI inspires hope through the collective action of community-centered conservation, the innovative use of science and technology, and their global Roots & Shoots program which empowers young people of all ages and is now  active in more than 140 countries.

Eric Jing
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ant Group 

Mr. Eric Jing is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ant Group. He joined Alibaba Group in 2007 and became President of Ant Group in June 2015. In October 2016, Eric was appointed CEO of Ant Group, and in April 2018, assumed the additional role of Chairman.

Under his leadership, Ant Group's strategy is focused on inclusiveness, sustainability, and globalization, to bring small but beautiful changes to the world. Ant Group aims to support digital transformation with partners worldwide and to enable all consumers and small businesses with equal access to financial and other services. Through the user community of Alipay Ant Forest, Ant Group encourages users to make low carbon lifestyle choices. In 2019, Alipay Ant Forest was awarded the United Nation’s highest environmental honor – the “UN Champions of the Earth” award.  Meanwhile, Ant Group continuously invests in and supports green development and green technology R&D. The company is also exploring innovative applications of cutting edge technologies, including blockchain and green computing in areas such as anti-desertification, clean energy alternatives and corporate carbon neutrality management.

Mr. Jing serves as a senior advisor to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Foundation Board, and served on the UN Secretary-General’s Task Force on Digital Financing of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Mr. Jing received a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 1994. In 2005, he obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration after completing the EMBA program at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, U.S.

 Laura Turner Seydel is an international environmental advocate and eco-living expert dedicated to creating a healthy and sustainable future for our children. Laura is chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation, which has worked worldwide for 27 years to activate generations of environmentally literate children empowered to protect and sustain the natural systems upon which all life depends. She is a director of and works with the Environmental Working Group to limit the toxic chemicals in food, air, water and consumer products.  In 1994, she and her husband co-founded Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

In 2004, she co-founded and is board chair of Mothers and Others for Clean Air.

Laura serves on the boards of her family’s foundations and business: the Turner Foundation, Jane Smith Turner Foundation, the Turner Endangered Species Fund and Ted’s Montana Grill. She serves on the national boards of the League of Conservation Voters, Waterkeeper Alliance, Recycle Across America, Project Drawdown, the Carter Center Board of Councilors and on the advisory board for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation.

Laura lives with her husband, Rutherford, in Atlanta. Two of their children also live in Atlanta and continue their family’s work in sustainability; their youngest attends university in Los Angeles. The Seydels’ home, EcoManor, was the first LEED-certified Gold residence in the southeastern United States.

Dr. Richard Sneider, born and raised in Mexico, is an accomplished entrepreneur, a conservationist and extreme explorer. Dr. Sneider is a principal and Chairman of Earthbar LLC, a leading retailer and brand in the Health and Wellness space, and a partner in Primestor Properties, a community building real estate development company. He was also the co-founder of One World Star Holdings International LTD (OSI), and served as its Chief Strategic Officer, overseeing its mergers and acquisitions. At IUCN, Dr. Sneider served as IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group (FFSG) Chair since 2009 to 2020.

Dr. Sneider is a leading enthusiast in the fields of biodiversity protection and climate change. His concern for rainforests, freshwater habitats, and protection of species have prompted him to join the Chairman’s Council of Conservation International, the Board at the Los Angeles Zoo, and served as a member of the ICOA Board of National Geographic and the Board of the Humpty Dumpty Institute, the LA River, Los Angeles World Council Affairs, and is an advisor to China’s SEE (Society of Ecological Entrepreneurs). Dr Sneider is a sponsor, field-architect and partner of Dr. Jared Diamond and Dr. Gerry Allen’s on-going Indonesian New Guinea biodiversity field surveys. He has also been deeply involved in the world of Aquaria for 35 years, where he discovered the significant M sneideri fish species, and still designs, builds, and sustains complex, one-of-a-kind, world class freshwater eco-systems.

As a global citizen and father of three children, Dr. Sneider is attentive to nature’s contributions to attenuating climate change and the inclusive participation of local and indigenous communities, both considered essential components of conserving a healthy, equal, and resilient planet. Therefore, Dr. Sneider has a deep-rooted interest in exploration and fieldwork with traditional societies. He is a partner and principal of Papua Sorido/Kri in Raja Ampat and serves as Ambassador for the Brazilian Xingu 2030, and for the Crown Jewel of West Papua environmental sustainability indigenous people’s initiatives and has sponsored and produced environmental awareness documentary films.

With an academic background in Psychoanalysis and Philosophy, and a PhD in Intellectual History from Claremont Graduate School, he brings objectivity in strategy plans within IUCN considering his academic specialty in political ideology and hegemony. With decades of exemplary leadership, Dr. Sneider is a guest lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center on Leadership and Conservation, lecturing in the USA and China.

Dr. Sneider has also participated in conflict resolution endeavors in politically sensitive regions and supported the United Nations Global Creative Forum, hosting prominent leaders, such as President Bill Clinton and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.  Dr. Sneider actively participates and articulates in conservation initiatives and participates in funding and advocacy for environmental and climate concerns. He is involved in a wide array of philanthropic initiatives, earning him the 2017 Honouree of the City of Hope prestigious Spirit of Life award, and was recently featured in the book 100 Making a difference.

Jon Stryker is the founder and president of the Arcus Foundation, a private, global grantmaking organization with offices in New York City, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Cambridge, UK. Arcus supports the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights, and conservation of the world's ape populations. Mr. Stryker has supported the foundation's ongoing efforts with more than $600 million in funding since its inception in 2000.

Mr. Stryker is also a founding board member of the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Kenya, Save the Chimps in Ft. Pierce, Florida, and Greenleaf Trust bank in Kalamazoo. He is a Patron of Nature of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a member of the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation Council for Hope, and serves on the boards of The Museum of Modern Art and his undergraduate alma mater Kalamazoo College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kalamazoo College and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.

Jessica and Adam Sweidan 

To address global biodiversity loss, Adam and Jessica founded Synchronicity Earth in 2009, a UK-based charity, which identifies conservation priorities and finds the people best placed to tackle them. Synchronicity Earth has two key goals: to increase the scale and impact of environmental philanthropy, and to partner with the most effective organizations and individuals to reduce the loss of species and ecosystems.

Prior to establishing the charity, Jessica ran The Synchronicity Foundation that she and Adam created in 2000, overseeing donations to projects across the globe. A slightly different approach to philanthropy meant that Adam and Jessica were deeply engaged in the projects and people they supported; project ideas were either generated through meaningful encounters, by seeking out solutions to problems, or by being recommended a direction from a trusted partner. As a result, the portfolio became a mosaic of projects which included support for a range of themes, like: scholarships and education; endangered species; social and economic development; creative endeavors and art education; health care and medical clinics; human rights and relief efforts; and the well-being of children. The Synchronicity Foundation has worked with over 70 projects in nearly 40 countries.

Adam is a founding partner and Chief Investment Officer of Aurum Fund Management Ltd. He has been investing in the alternative investment market for more than 20 years. Adam graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Jessica also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University in Philosophy and Art.

In 2015 Adam and Jessica were made Honorary Conservation Fellows for the Zoological Society of London.

Jian Xue 

Jian Xue is Chairman of Jiangsu Wenfeng Group, a diversified conglomerate made of more than 100 companies and ranked among the top 500 companies in China for more than ten consecutive years. Mr Xue serves as Vice President of the Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology (SEE) and Vice Chair of SEE Foundation. He devotes half of his time every year to environmental organizations and has generously supported the growth of domestic environmental organizations in China.

Mr. Xue was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award and Ambassador of SEE Foundation (2008-2018), the Anti-epidemic Pioneer Award of SEE, and was named the 16th National Philanthropist by the China Philanthropy Times.

Mr. Xue joined IUCN’s Patrons of Nature programme in 2022. He is committed to promoting the application of IUCN's knowledge of nature conservation in China and sharing China's best practices in nature conservation, especially public engagement in biodiversity and nature conservation.