Founded in 1948, the International Union for Conservation of Nature includes over 1,400 members from more than 170 countries worldwide. Its work focuses on biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, protected areas, and environmental governance. The IUCN is also the creator of the Red List of Threatened Species.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress took place on October 9–15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The congress is the world’s largest global forum on environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. It unites scientists, governments, civil society, indigenous representatives, and businesses shaping global nature policy.
A key political confrontation emerged during the congress negotiations. The Russian delegation attempted to amend the IUCN Charter to label sanctions as discrimination. They also sought membership fee exemptions for sanctioned Russian organizations, backed by Rosatom funding.
Although Ukraine is not yet an IUCN member at state level, the country was represented by two NGOs: Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group and Environment People Law. Ukrainian representatives played a decisive role in blocking the pro-Russian resolution, despite strong lobbying. Their firm position prevented the initiative from reaching a vote and removed it from the agenda.
Ukraine’s representatives successfully opposed the resolution, preventing its adoption and reinforcing the IUCN’s neutral conservation mandate. You can check a level of intensity on Youtube.
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