Through its SOS Central Asia initiative, IUCN is receiving proposals until 5 August 2019 23:59 CET, targeting the conservation of Goitered Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) and Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) and their habitats in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. By focusing on these species with complementary ranges, grants under this initiative will benefit large parts of Central Asia’s most important ecosystems: high mountains and lowland steppes and semi-deserts. Apply here

Few are not familiar with the story of a unique goose and the golden eggs that made its master rich, until greed drove him to kill the bird. This ancient fable of Aesop’s has many equivalents around the world, reaching back millennia. Yet in all this time, we have not fully absorbed the lesson it tries to teach us, certainly not when it comes to biodiversity. Read more

The IUCN Congress 2020 will take place 11–19 June in Marseille, France, under the theme ‘One nature, one future’, highlighting the need for a healthy natural world as a prerequisite for achieving the vision of a just and sustainable planet. The outcomes of the IUCN Congress will inform new global targets to curb the escalating biodiversity crisis under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, in October 2020 in Kunming, China. Read more  Receive IUCN Congress Updates

Land degradation is the loss in productivity of land due to loss of vegetation cover or soil erosion, for example. It affects between 25% and 30% of all land on the planet, contributing to biodiversity loss, climate change, food and water insecurity, and drought. In 2015, countries agreed to achieve a Land Degradation Neutral world by 2030. IUCN has been supporting these efforts by establishing national targets in 75 countries, and mobilising investments. Read more

On 19 June, in Paris, UNESCO has recognized 13.000 ha of Mura in Austria as a valuable riverine landscape and officially proclaimed it a Biosphere Reserve. This decision is a huge step for nature conservation, since the Lower Mura Valley is a habitat for many threatened animals and plants, among which more than 300 bird species. The proclamation is very important for WWF since it is the last step for Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia to go for a 5-country nomination for the world’s first Five-Country Biosphere Reserve “Mura-Drava-Danube”. Read more

The experts developed a model specifically targeting the need of a spatial definition of the boundaries of a Natura 2000 site in the area of Llogara-Karaburun-Orikum-Mt. Cika through two participatory workshops engaging the participants (staff of local PAs, local community, tourism agencies, fishermen and shepherds, local decision-makers, biodiversity experts) through individual and group sessions.  Read more

The South East Europe Biodiversity Task Force (BD TF) contributed to the First BIMR Regional Platform meeting on 29-30 May 2019 in Belgrade, Serbia aiming to build synergies to enhance cooperation for nature conservation and improved biodiversity information management in the region. Read more

Azerbaijan announced it will restore 170,000 ha of degraded lands by 2030 - and an additional 100,000 ha conditional upon receiving funding - under the Bonn Challenge. The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to bring 150 million ha of degraded and deforested land into restoration by 2020 and 350 million ha by 2030. Read more

Aiming to learn about the principles and ways to structure a Nexus process as well as the opportunities that stem from Nexus thinking, 15 experts from Central Asian ministries and interstate organisations visited Croatia and Austria in mid-May within a study tour organised by IUCN and CAREC. Read more

The Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme aims to promote excellence and leadership among emerging nature conservation leaders from Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It catalyzes personal capacity development through training on international best conservation practice and policy, management training, and personal network development. Read more

Are you running a project in a Natura 2000 site? You can now apply for the Natura 2000 Awards. How to apply? It’s simple: go to the award website and fill in your application form before the 30 September 2019. Read more

Michael Succow Foundation organises an international workshop on Insect Conservation in European UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, on behalf of BfN (German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation). The workshop will take place 4-7 November in Berchtesgaden, Germany and will incude exchange sessions, best practice presentations and expert talks on insect conservation approaches, followed by excursions. Contact: kirsten.meuer@succow-stiftung.de

WILD11’s central theme is “Nature-based Solutions For Life, Livelihoods, and Love,” with emphasis on strengthening international commitments; advancing nature-based solutions for wilderness, climate, and communities; and sharing scientific knowledge. Please submit your abstracts and proposals by 16 August here.

A newly developed Training Module on initial phases of cross-border conservation and steps towards its institutionalization was presented today at a meeting of IUCN and BfN in Gland, Switzerland. Consisting of the Trainer’s Manual and eight lessons, it helps the trainees estimate how feasible the establishment of Transboundary Conservation Area (TBCA) is and develop strategies to address the most important factors for its successful creation. Read more

The mission of enviroLENS is to facilitate the utilization of European satellite capacities provided by Copernicus for environmental law enforcement and related cross-cutting sectors.

enviroLENS #1 Subscribe 

The report takes stock of progress made by the country in the management of its environment since 2008. It covers legal and policy frameworks, greening the economy, environmental monitoring, and public participation and education for sustainable development.

Available in English and Russian

CADI Issue #4

CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP18)

World Rivers Day

The six Commissions unite 10,000 volunteer experts that assess the state of the world’s natural resources and provide the Union with sound know-how and policy advice on conservation issues. Joining one of them you are entering a committed team of experts dealing with issues related to conservation and environmental protection. Learn more

Being a Member of IUCN enables you to both advance your own cause and to strengthen common action in overcoming barriers to a sustainable future. Through IUCN, members become part of a collective and global voice on important issues of our age. Learn more