The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
What is the World Conservation Union?
The IUCN, known as the World Conservation Union, was founded in 1948. It is the world's largest nature conservation body, bringing together more than 880 Governmental and Non-Governmental organisations, in 133 countries. Thirteen out of the fifteen countries of the EU are State Members of the IUCN.
The IUCN's mission statement agreed at its General Assembly in Buenos Aires in January 1994, is "to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable".
How does it work?
The World Conservation Congress
The World Conservation Congress - the triennial meeting of IUCN's entire
membership - is the Union's highest governing body. The Congress establishes
policy for the entire Union and approves its programme. It further elects
the Union's President and other members of its council.
The first World Conservation Congress was held in Montreal in October 1996, and the second was held in in Amman in October 2000. The third World Conservation Congress took place in Bangkok from 17 to 25 November 2004, and details can found on the IUCN's World Conservation Congress website at www.iucn.org/congress/about/welcome.htm.
The National and Regional Committees of Members
IUCN's more than 80 governmental and non-governmental members may form
Committees in a country or region and seek recognition of such a Committee
from the Council. These Committees play a growing role in priority setting,
programming and membership co-ordination, as well as programme implementation.
The Council
The Council is made up of the President, the Treasurer, 24 elected Regional
Councillors, 6 Commission Chairs and up to 5 additional Councillors chosen
to fill gaps in regional representation and experience. The Council guides
the Secretariat in the implementation of the policies and programmes agreed
upon at the Congress. It also represents the members between Congresses.
It meets once or twice a year.
The Commissions
The 6 Commissions are networks of technical, scientific and policy experts
who contribute their time and expertise to IUCN on a voluntary basis.
The Chairs of Commissions are elected by the membership at the World Conservation
Congress and serve on the Council. The 6 Commissions currently group over
8,500 specialists working at the cutting edge of conservation thinking
and practice in some 180 countries.
The Global Secretariat
The Secretariat of IUCN serves the membership and implements the policies
and programmes of the Union. The Secretariat has 550 staff working in
its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland and around the world in over 40
regional and country offices, as well as in specialised centres such as
the Environmental Law Centre in Germany.
IUCN in the UK
The Department, through the Global Wildlife Division, exercises state membership of IUCN for the UK. The UK has the largest numerical membership of the IUCN of any country in Europe. The Department led the UK delegation to the World Conservation Congress in Amman, October 2000 and Bangkok, November 2004.
The UK Committee for IUCN was relaunched in April 1995. The Department represents the UK Government on the Executive Committee. The annual costs of the Committee's Secretariat - provided by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) - are met through contributions from the country conservation agencies and two non-governmental bodies - RSPB and WWF. The main purpose of the Committee is to serve as a focal point for interaction to advance the overall IUCN programme between IUCN members and affiliates in the UK.
The Department hosts Annual General Meetings of the UK IUCN Committee, which attract most members.
- The World Conservation Union: www.iucn.org.
Page last modified: 16 December 2004