Page | 04 Feb, 2022
Since 1972, IUCN is the official advisor on nature under the World Heritage Convention. The Convention is known as "the most widely accepted international conservation treaty in human history”, ratified today by 195 States Parties. Natural World Heritage sites conserve the planet’s most…
Story | 26 Feb, 2021
New IUCN-backed study finds gray whales at high risk from ship strikes in the North Pacific Ocean
Gland, Switzerland (IUCN) – Ships operating in the North Pacific pose a serious threat to gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), according to the first scientific study that examines the impacts of vessel traffic on the species throughout its range.
Story | 15 Sep, 2020
IUCN Standard to support global action on invasive alien species
IUCN today launched a global standard for classifying the severity and type of impacts caused by alien species, known as the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT). This tool will alert scientists, conservation practitioners and policy makers to the potential consequences of…
Publication | 2020
IUCN EICAT categories and criteria : first edition
A unified classification of alien taxa based on the magnitude of their environmental impacts has been developed in response to these issues. EICAT (Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa) is a simple, objective and transparent method for classifying alien taxa in terms of the …
Story | 10 Aug, 2020
An ocean hero dedicated to vaquita conservation succumbs to COVID-19
IUCN is deeply saddened by the loss of Mexican conservationist Paco Valverde, who dedicated his life to protect the vaquita – the world’s smallest porpoise and most threatened marine mammal. Paco was regarded as an ocean hero who inspired his community to care for the marine environment on which…
Story | 12 Mar, 2020
Report: Blue Infrastructure Finance, where all win
All coastal and marine ecosystems are critical to human well-being and global biodiversity. Mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds are examples of these. But urban and rural infrastructure investments are having a heavy negative impact on these systems, and it is…
Press release | 27 Sep, 2019
Over half of Europe’s endemic trees face extinction
Gland, Switzerland, 27 September 2019 (IUCN) – Over half (58%) of Europe’s endemic trees are threatened with extinction, according to assessments of the state of the continent’s biodiversity published today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The introduction of…
Story | 11 Jul, 2019
IUCN scientific panel calls for investigation of decline in prey of western gray whales
IUCN’s Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel is concerned that waters immediately outside the mouth of Piltun Lagoon in the Russian Far East may be losing their ability to support the recovery of Endangered western gray whales.
Story | 24 Apr, 2019
Scientific panel to continue advising industry on endangered gray whales in Russian Far East
Gland, Switzerland, 24 April 2019 - IUCN’s Director General has appointed a team of distinguished scientists to examine the impacts of oil and gas development and other threats on endangered whales found off the coast of Russia’s Sakhalin Island…
Story | 10 Jan, 2019
Building the global momentum on marine/aquatic plastics litter
Along with over 18,000 participants from 180 countries representing government institutions, national agencies, academia and research, private sector, students, and plastic sector actors, IUCN joined the Sustainable Blue…