In its 20-year Strategic Vision targeting 2045, the IUCN calls for scaled-up, equitable conservation action to confront biodiversity loss driven by climate change, overexploitation, pollution and rising inequality.
By Salam Rajesh
The world is changing rapidly and there is an urgent need to respond to the interlinked global crises of biodiversity loss and the multiple global changes facing the planet. Rising resource consumption, overexploitation, persistent inequality, increasing pollution and accelerating climate change are placing stress on planet Earth like never before.
This is how International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)’s latest Strategic Vision document – a roadmap to target year 2045 – projects the rising concerns on global biodiversity loss due to different factors including climate change implications.
IUCN’s 20-year Strategic Vision, 2025 (Unite for Nature on the Path to 2045) outlines how the organization can deliver transformative impact in three key areas, that is, conserving nature and biodiversity effectively, addressing the drivers of nature loss, and advancing a more just and equitable society.
Suggesting the upscaling of five priority areas of resilient and sustainable conservation action, the IUCN emphasized on scaling up conservation action to protect and conserve species, ecosystems and territories, including on land, freshwater and oceans, with specific thrust on people, equity, rights and stewardship.
These five thrust areas would be: (a) species-level conservation, (b) effective area-based conservation, (c) ecosystem conservation and restoration, (d) addressing the nexus of nature and the multiple global changes facing the planet, and (e) rights- and equity-based approach to conservation action.
To achieve the objectives in hand, IUCN seeks in transforming eight key transformational areas affecting biodiversity conservation, including leveraging the deep expertise and excellence across the Union, and in responding to key global trends and drivers of biodiversity loss.
These transformational areas would be primarily focused on: (a) climate change adaptation and mitigation, (b) alignment of financial and economic systems with nature, (c) food systems and sustainable agriculture, (d) One Health, (e) green, just energy transition, (f) sustainable cities, (g) regenerative blue economy, and (h) water security and stewardship.
In addressing six key catalytic roles to deliver its ambitious solutions, IUCN seeks in identifying, supporting and accelerating solutions to the most pressing environmental and development challenges facing planet Earth.
The six catalytic roles through which the Union seeks to make changes happen are: (a) convening and networking, (b) science, knowledge and data, (c) policy and advocacy, (d) capacity strengthening, (e) mobilizing resources for conservation action on the ground, and (f) advancing education and awareness building.
On the concerning aspect of biodiversity loss, IUCN is quite specific on the impact of invasive alien species driving biodiversity loss, impacting food and water security, and posing risks to human health and economies.
In addressing this pervasive issue, IUCN recommends integrated governance, international collaboration and effective management which can halt further introductions of the invasive species, and, thereto, reduce possible impacts on the localized biodiversity.
In responding to the issue of invasive alien species, specific to biodiversity loss, over the next 20 years IUCN seeks in continuing to use its world-leading data, knowledge and guidance to support policies, plans and their implementation to prevent the introduction and manage the impacts of invasive alien species.
The Union would convene key stakeholders, including the private sector, at all geographical levels to advance integrated governance processes, improve policy coherence, and share data and best practices in resolving this issue.
Invasive alien species of plants and animals are reported to be domineering forces in causing decline of native species of plants and animals, much of which are of food and medicinal value for local communities, ultimately inducing biodiversity loss as in biodiversity-rich regions in the tropical and sub-tropical countries.
The IUCN assessment noted that there is an urgent need to make transformative global change to address the interlinked crises of biodiversity loss and the multiple changes facing the planet.
In achieving its Strategic Vision within these next two decades, IUCN eyes three key focus areas, namely, (a) conserving biodiversity effectively, (b) addressing the interconnectedness between biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change to ensure nature continues to support all life on the planet; and promoting synergies among conservation responses to each, and (c) advancing a more just and equitable society.
IUCN President, Razan Al Mubarak says that the next 20 years must be nature’s time. “With the state of our planet under threat, and the impacts of over-exploitation of nature, species loss, ecosystem degradation and health risks increasing, IUCN will deploy all its resources to safeguard nature and ensure an equitable approach to conservation action”.
Sharing Razan’s concerns, IUCN director-general Grethel Aguilar remarks, “This ambitious 20-year Strategic Vision for the Union sets our direction for the future and suggests how IUCN will respond to the urgent planetary crisis. There is opportunity and hope, however, that window of opportunity is closing. IUCN is ready to set a powerful direction to inspire transformational change, with urgency and purpose”.
Calling upon the people of the world to allay with the vision of the IUCN, the organization hopes that by 2045, it would see the world as having shifted to recognizing the value of nature as key to the well-being of people – an asset that is truly valued.
The IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse global environmental network, and a powerful, collective and influential voice for nature.
At its founding in 1948, IUCN was one of the first international organizations committed to the protection of nature. Since then, the Union has created a fertile ground that links governments, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous Peoples under one roof working together to conserve the integrity and diversity of Nature.