What is IUCN

What is IUCN?

• IUCN stands for International Union for Conservation of Nature
• It is the world’s largest and oldest global environment network  founded in October 1948
• The headquarters are in Gland, near Geneva in Switzerland
• It is a democratic union and therefore no particular organization or country has powers to make or break the organizations laws and policies.
• There are more than 1000 government and NGOs who are part of the network
• The organization also has more than 11,000 partnering scientists in more than 160 countries who are constantly working and researching on the natural world.
• IUCN is most famous for publishing the definitive international standard for species extinction risk – the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• The Red List is the formidable list based on which governments; countries and organisation get to know which species are in the verge of extinction and thus where conservation efforts have to be made.

What is the Organization Objective?

The main objective of the organization is to find solutions to conservation and think of developmental changes that support nature and do not go against it.

What does IUCN do?

• Creates a knowledge base about biodiversity, different ecosystems and conservation practices that work.
• Runs field projects in different parts of the world to better manage the natural environment.
• Lends its support to UN, governments, NGOs, companies and communities that are developing laws and practices keeping with the natural environment in mind.
• The organization itself helps implement laws and policies by mobilizing organizations, providing resources and training, and monitoring results.

 Image courtesy NASA Goddard Photo and Video via cc Flickr