2024 in Review: Milestones from the IUCN Commissions

Celebrating Our Collective Impact: Highlights from the Past Year

Dear Commissions members,

As we step into the New Year, we take a moment to reflect on some of the remarkable achievements of the IUCN Commissions over the past year. Across our Commissions, dedicated members like you have advanced critical conservation initiatives, strengthened collaboration, and driven impactful action for our planet. This newsletter highlights some milestones and successes from 2024, showcasing the collective power of our global community.

Thank you for your continued commitment to building a more sustainable future.

Commission on Communication and Education (CEC)

CEC advances Nature-based Education with launch of a new global Task Force, hosting Education Day at COP16, and more

Throughout 2024, the IUCN CEC was active in advancing Nature-based Education around the world.

In June, a new IUCN Task Force on Nature-based Education was established, assembling over 150 educators, policymakers, and researchers from 40 countries working together to elevate Nature-based Education approaches, integrate education into NBSAPs and NDCs, and support the growing evidence base linking Nature-based Education and progress towards global biodiversity and climate targets.

CEC also led Nature-based Education sessions at the 12th World Environmental Education Congress in Abu Dhabi in February and co-organized the 1st Nature-based Education Summit with UCLA and the Alana Foundation in Los Angeles in May. The momentum of 2024 culminated in CEC hosting Education Day at COP16 in October, assembling over 300 participants to envision the biodiversity education of the future and advocating from strong education outcomes from COP16, which including a new mandate for a global plan of action for education on biodiversity and new efforts to develop open-source knowledge products that explain the relationship and variety of knowledge systems that capture the diverse values of biodiversity.

New publications in development for launch at the 2025 World Conservation Forum

The IUCN CEC has been engaging experts around the world to produce a series of publications to be launched at the 2025 IUCN WCC. These drafts have also been shared with the IUCN Community and CEC Members in open consultations on IUCN Engage, allowing CEC to integrate feedback from over 100 global experts. These Publications include:

We are Nature: Nature-based Education for Planetary Health
A Guide to Nature-based Leadership: An Ecological Approach
Creating Effective Environmental Communication Strategies: A Ten Step Guide for Practitioners
Celebrating Love of Nature: A 10-Step Guide To Hosting a #NatureForAll Love Fest
10-Step Guide to Creating a Youth Pavilion (Oasis) at Your Event, in collaboration with #NatureForAll
10-Step Guide to Greening School Grounds and Nature-based Education

For more information or to contribute, please contact cec@iucn.org

Species Survival Commission (SSC)

First-of-its-kind study shows conservation interventions are critical to halting and reversing biodiversity loss

A new study in the scientific journal Science provides the strongest evidence to date that not only is environmental conservation successful, but that scaling conservation interventions up would be transformational for halting and reversing biodiversity loss, a crisis that leads to ecosystem collapse and a planet less able to support life.

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The 2024 SSC Leaders’ Declaration | Saving Species Sustains Life

The 5th IUCN Species Survival Commission Leaders' Meeting concluded in Abu Dhabi with conservation experts and leaders issuing a powerful declaration affirming that “Saving Species Sustains Life”. This landmark gathering brought together more than 300 conservation leaders to address the urgently needed interconnected solutions to protect biodiversity, stabilise climate, and support human well-being.

Read the full article

Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP)

Enhancing Meaningful Indigenous Leadership and Collaboration in International Environmental Governance Forums

In December 2024, the report Enhancing Meaningful Indigenous Leadership and Collaboration in International Environmental Governance Forums revealed global challenges Indigenous Peoples face in such forums.

It highlights barriers like underrepresentation and undervaluation of Indigenous knowledge, offering pathways for equitable governance and stressing the need for policies integrating Indigenous rights and leadership.

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Environmental change could displace up to 700 million people by 2050

In June 2024, a CEESP Task Force launched the Planet on the Move report, highlighting the complex ties between migration, environmental change, and conflict. With up to 700 million people projected to be displaced by 2050, it calls for holistic, conflict-sensitive, and inclusive strategies to balance conservation, peacebuilding, and human rights.

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World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)

Global Leadership on Target 3 and GBF Implementation

In 2024, the IUCN WCPA advanced the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) through the publication of key resources on Target 3 and area-based conservation efforts, alongside significant contributions at CBD COP16. These initiatives provided actionable guidance for equitable, effective conservation, equipping stakeholders and elevating Indigenous and local community leadership.

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Convening the International Protected and Conserved Areas Community through Major Events

In 2024, the IUCN WCPA successfully convened and supported major international congresses including the 12th World Wilderness Congress (WILD12) in Hé Sapa, South Dakota, USA, and the World Ranger Congress in Hyères, France.

These events deepened global dialogue on wilderness protection, Indigenous stewardship, and ranger capacity, showcasing innovative practices and strengthening networks for impactful collaboration.

More about WILD12

More about the Ranger Congress

Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM)

New CEM publication: Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation

A new publication by the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management was released in 2024. As global climate mitigation policies are promoting a radical shift in emission reduction activities to achieve net-zero targets by 2050, and although recent scientific studies have explored the impacts of some climate mitigation initiatives on biodiversity in various contexts, a global perspective of these developments is required.

This IUCN CEM report contributes to these needs and includes a current synopsis of the carbon market mechanisms-

implemented around the world, how these mechanisms are related to natural ecosystems, the potential impacts of their operation, and the potential contribution of natural ecosystems in the design of Nature-based Solutions to reducing carbon emissions. The report provides a global overview of global carbon market mechanisms and climate mitigation projects and assesses their intersection with biodiversity conservation objectives. It also provides recommendations for policy makers including several immediate steps that will help to close the gap between the climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation agendas.

Download the full publication here.

The first-ever global assessment for the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems has been released

The first ever-global assessment of mangrove ecosystems was released in May, 2024, marking a significant milestone for understanding the status and highlighting alarming concerns about the potential collapse of mangrove ecosystems worldwide.

As a headline indicator for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Red List of Ecosystems has been key in identifying the primary threats to mangrove degradation and loss worldwide. This global perspective is extremely valuable to understand key ecological functions of mangroves, as well as their goods and services, are transboundary and regional in nature.

This global study is hoped to guide future national assessments and actions to mitigate further mangrove loss through informed decision-making. The assessment shows that 50% of mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse. In the absence of additional conservation efforts, by 2050, about 5% more mangroves will be lost and 16%) will be submerged due to sea level rise.

Visit the press release for more information.

World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL)

WCEL leads the preparation of IUCN’s written and oral statements before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory proceedings on the Obligations of States in respect to Climate Change

During the oral hearings in The Hague, IUCN argued that States have a legal obligation to fight climate change.

The arguments came during landmark legal proceedings that could clarify what responsibilities States have in fighting climate change – and the consequences they could face for failing to do so.

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Other links on IUCN WCEL’s work on Advisory Opinions:

ITLOS (International Tribunal on the Law for the Sea)
IACtHR (Inter-American Court of Human Rights)

The Fifth Session of the negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty (INC-5) concluded in Busan, Republic of Korea

The International Legally Binding Agreement (ILBI) to end plastic pollution adjourned its negotiations with advances, but without finalizing a treaty. IUCN and IUCN WCEL share reflections and the path toward INC-5.2 in 2025.

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