By H.E. Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (IUCN Member organisation)

From the shifting sands of its deserts to the rich biodiversity of its seas, the United Arab Emirates is proving that nature holds the answers to some of humanity’s most pressing challenges. As the host of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, the UAE is championing nature-based solutions that address biodiversity loss, climate change, and ecosystem resilience—not as abstract goals, but as lived national priorities.

In this powerful reflection, Global Environment Facility CEO and long-time IUCN member Carlos Manuel Rodríguez shares how lessons from his grandfather’s Costa Rican farm shaped his lifelong understanding of the connection between policy and environmental well-being. His story is a compelling call for the kind of policy alignment and nature-positive governance that lie at the heart of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 - where global leaders will come together to scale efforts that restore harmony between people and planet.

In Saudi Arabia’s AlUla region, an ambitious rewilding effort is underway - restoring degraded desert landscapes, reintroducing lost species, and ultimately preparing for the return of the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard. Dr. Benjamin Lee of the Royal Commission for AlUla (IUCN Member organisation) shares how this work - spanning native plant restoration, ungulate reintroductions, and protected area management - embodies the spirit of scaling up resilient conservation action and building nature-positive economies, key themes of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025.

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Showcase your work & have an impact on conservation in the Exhibition. Want to inspire change and drive action towards a more sustainable future? Don’t miss the opportunity to book your booth or pavilion in the Exhibition at IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025. 100 exhibitors are already confirmed.

Last chance to book your space.Follow this link to the Exhibitor Portal to reserve your space by 27th June at the latest.

As mangrove forests vanish under pressure from development and climate change, a better way to restore them is gaining ground. In this blog, Pieter van Eijk of Wetlands International (IUCN Member organisation) introduces Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) - a proven approach that prioritises natural regeneration, local leadership, and long-term resilience.

This work speaks directly to the goals of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, especially the call to scale up resilient conservation action. With the right conditions and community partnerships, mangrove ecosystems - and the people who depend on them - can thrive once more.

In a compelling call to action ahead of the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts (IUCN Member organisation) urges IUCN Members to back Motion 061: Recognising the Crime of Ecocide to Protect Nature. Despite decades of progress, environmental destruction remains rampant - and largely unchecked. Bennett argues that existing laws fall short and that making ecocide a crime is essential to protect nature and uphold justice. With momentum growing worldwide, this motion could help shape a new legal frontier for conservation.

Saline lakes are facing a double threat: while some are shrinking due to overuse, others are expanding from excess inflows—both with damaging effects on ecosystems and communities. In this blog, Egor Zadereev and Faith Coleman of the International Society for Salt Lake Research call for urgent, nature-positive solutions. They invite you to join the conversation at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, where challenges like these will take centre stage.