What is IUCN?
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network - a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries.
IUCN’s work is supported by more than 1,000 professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. The Union’s headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, Switzerland.
IUCN at a glance
- Founded in 1948 as the world’s first global environmental organization
- Today the largest professional global conservation network
- A leading authority on the environment and sustainable development
- More than 1,000 member organizations in 140 countries including 200+ government and 800+ non-government organizations
- Almost 11,000 voluntary scientists and experts, grouped in six Commissions
- A neutral forum for governments, NGOs, scientists, business and local communities to find pragmatic solutions to conservation and development challenges
- Thousands of field projects and activities around the world
- Governance by a Council elected by member organizations every four years at the IUCN World Conservation Congress
- Funded by governments, bilateral and multilateral agencies, foundations, member organizations and corporations
- Official Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly
IUCN’s vision and mission
Our vision is a just world that values and conserves nature.
Our mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.
What does IUCN do?
Knowledge: IUCN develops and supports cutting-edge conservation science, particularly on biodiversity and ecosystems and how they link to human wellbeing.
Action: IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
Influence: IUCN supports governments, NGOs, international conventions, UN organizations, companies and communities to develop laws, policy and best-practice.
Empowerment: IUCN helps implement laws, policy and best-practice by mobilizing organizations, providing resources and training, and monitoring results.
Why does the world need IUCN?
How do we balance the needs of people with the needs of the planet that supports us?
Nature, directly or indirectly, provides our clean air, food, water, shelter, energy, soil, medicines and protection from natural disasters, as well as recreation, inspiration, diversity and beauty.
But for social and economic development, we must continue to reduce poverty and improve people’s lives and this has a great bearing on nature.
How do we make the best decisions, based on sound science rather than political dogma, and involve all the sectors of society who are affected by those decisions?
For 60 years, IUCN has led the development of conservation science and knowledge, and brought together governments, NGOs, scientists, companies and community organizations to help the world make better conservation and development decisions.
Our history
IUCN was founded in October 1948 as the International Union for the Protection of Nature (or IUPN) following an international conference in Fontainebleau, France.
The organization changed its name to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 1956 with the acronym IUCN (or UICN in French and Spanish). This remains our full legal name to this day.
Use of the name “World Conservation Union”, in conjunction with IUCN, began in 1990. From March 2008 this name is no longer commonly used.
IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre
Photo: IUCN
