IUCN Congress - Daily Highlights

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Day three of the IUCN Congress celebrated the guardians of nature and the planet’s most remarkable places. The new IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 revealed that climate change now threatens 43% of natural World Heritage sites, a stark reminder of what’s at stake in protecting the world’s irreplaceable treasures.

The 2025 International Ranger Awards honoured 13 rangers and ranger teams whose courage and perseverance embody the very spirit of conservation. The launch of the Ocean Stewardship Award added a note of hope, empowering a new generation of ocean advocates to safeguard the high seas.

The release of the Second Edition of the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions™ closed the day yesterday, strengthening the science behind NbS. Meanwhile, the European Red List update sounded an urgent call to protect pollinators, with more wild bees and butterflies now facing extinction risks.

ESCALATING CLIMATE THREATS, INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES AND PATHOGENS LEAVE NATURAL WORLD HERITAGE AT RISK

Climate change is now threatening 43% of natural World Heritage sites, surpassing all other threats, according to the new IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 published today. Invasive alien species (IAS) remain the second most prevalent current threat, affecting 30% of all sites. The report also warns of a sharp rise in the risk from wildlife and plant diseases. In 9% of sites there is a high or very high threat posed by pathogens, up from just 2% in 2020.

INTERNATIONAL RANGER AWARDEES HONOURED AT THE 2025 IUCN WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS

The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) has presented 13 rangers and ranger teams with the 2025 International Ranger Awards, recognising their incredible dedication to nature conservation.

MOUNTING RISKS THREATEN SURVIVAL OF WILD EUROPEAN POLLINATORS – IUCN RED LIST

Nearly 100 additional wild bee species in Europe have been classified as threatened in a new assessment for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, with more than 20% of species in groups such as bumblebees and cellophane bees now facing a risk of extinction. New IUCN Red List assessments also reveal that the number of threatened European butterfly species increased by a sharp 76% over the last decade.

IUCN LAUNCHES THE SECOND EDITION OF THE IUCN GLOBAL STANDARD FOR NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS™

With over a quarter of assessed species at risk of disappearing we need rapid actionable insights for organisations to understand their interface with nature and act now.

Photos of the day

The Indigenous Peoples Summit closed Friday evening with a ‘Walk with Nature & Our Ancestors’ fashion show

Participants engage in diverse sessions on a wide range of issues at the Pavilions

Attendees explore the Exhibition, a dynamic marketplace where IUCN Members, Commissions and partners showcase their work

Video highlights of the day

Congress in the media

Daily Congress coverage from IISD Reporting Services

Eager to read and see more? Check IISD Reporting Services' comprehensive daily coverage.

Greetings from Congress

What’s happening tomorrow?
Here’s what not to miss!

9:00 – 10:30 Transformational change from Rio and beyond: An all-out push for the 2030 goals (Hall 3: Forum Plenary)

12:00 - 13:00 IUCN Red List@ 60 - conservation impact and future priorities (IUCN Programme 2026-2029 Pavilion – R3)

12:30 – 13:30 The Balancing Act: Feeding People, Sustaining the Planet (Hall 3: Forum Plenary)

14:00 - 15:30 Changemakers Pitch Event (CS-Nature-Climate-People Nexus)

14:15 – 14:45 IUCN unveils Host Country of 2027 World Protected and Conserved Areas Congress (Press conference room)

16:00 - 17:00 Forum Closing Ceremony (Hall 3: Forum Plenary)

In case you missed it: Congress Daily Highlights

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Photo credits:

Escalating climate threats, invasive alien species and pathogens leave natural World Heritage at risk - credit Peter Howard

International Ranger Awardees honoured at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress - credit Tim Gander

Mounting risks threaten survival of wild European pollinators – IUCN Red List - credit Henrik Gyurkovics

IUCN launches the Second Edition of the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions™ - credit Esther Kioko

Photo of the Day [top] - credit Mike Muzurakis

Photo of the Day [left] - credit Andrew McConnell

Photo of the Day [right] - credit Steve Forrest

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