May 2024

In a groundbreaking response to the IUCN World Conservation Congress Resolution 4.019, Reverse the Red hosted the first World Species Congress on May 15, 2024. This 24-hour online event successfully brought together conservationists, governments, civil society, indigenous organizations, academics, and the private sector from around the globe to drive strategic, impact-driven efforts for species recovery.

A new IUCN report from the Inter-Commission SSC/CEESP Oil Crops Task Force assesses the future environmental, economic and social impact of the production, trade and the consumption of vegetable oils.

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.

In March, the Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria were updated to version 16. If you are involved in preparing Red List assessments, please make sure you have the updated version. Visit the Red List Guidelines page on the Red List website to download version 16 (available in English).

The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) has presented its ABC Steven Foster Botanical Conservation and Sustainability Award for 2024 to Danna J. Leaman, PhD, a Canadian-American conservation biologist and ethnobotanist; Co-chair and Red List authority of the IUCN SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group. 

Do you have special expertise in an area of conservation or sustainable development? Do you want to learn from and collaborate with other experts in your field or related fields? Do you want to put your talents to work creating a just world that values and conserves nature? If so, consider joining an IUCN Commission.

The Global Center for Species Survival in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Green Status of Species Task Force and IUCN Red List Unit will be hosting a three-part webinar series about the IUCN SSC Green Status of Species.

Check out the online training opportunities organized by the Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) to gain new tools for effectively developing and implementing species conservation plans. Courses include Facilitating Species Conservation Planning Workshops, Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis, and Ex Situ Conservation Assessment. 

GLMV Architecture’s Zoo Division, IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), and Reverse the Red have partnered to facilitate a conservation impact workshop that will provide any size organization with a foundation for operationalizing their conservation efforts. Please note that the registration deadline is June 18, and each session is limited to 5 organizations.

Register for the "Best Practice of National Red Listing 2024" workshop, which will take place on September 27, 2024, in Brussels. The workshop is organized by ICENCA and covers all IUCN regions in collaboration with the IUCN regional offices, as well as the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), IUCN SSC, IUCN Red List Unit Cambridge, IUCN National Red List Working Group, The Leo Foundation, and the Belgian Biodiversity Platform.

• Project Planning for Wildlife Conservation
  28th May - 9th July, 2024 (4 hours of learning per week)
• Project Management for Wildlife Conservation
  1st July - 12th August, 2024 (3.5 hours of learning per week)
• Grant Writing for Wildlife Conservation
  10th July - 28th August, 2024 (4 hours of learning per week)
• Monitoring and Evaluation for Wildlife Conservation
  20th Aug - 24th Sep, 2024 (3- 3.5 hours of learning per week)
• Stakeholder Engagement for Wildlife Conservation
  New dates TBC (3.5 hours of learning per week)

The CSS Asian Elephant - Columbus Zoo and Wildlife Trust of India is seeking passionate professionals for the following positions: Communications Officer and Range Country Coordinator.

Apply Now to be part of a dedicated team working towards the conservation of Asian elephants.

The Fonseca Species Conservation Fund is now accepting proposals for amphibians, freshwater fish, primates, small mammals, and tortoises and freshwater turtles. The first request for proposals is now live for species of the African continent and the Indian Ocean. The application process closes on 19 July 2024. 

Requests for proposals will open for the Asia-Pacific later in 2024, and the Americas in early 2025.

The British Ornithologists' Union (BOU) is holding an online international conference on Avian Conservation Translocations from 12th-13th November 2024. The call for poster and X (Twitter)-only abstracts closes on 31st July.