Held once every four years, the IUCN World Conservation Congress brings together several thousand leaders and decision-makers from government, civil society, indigenous peoples, business, and academia, with the goal of conserving the environment and harnessing the solutions nature offers to global challenges.
The Congress aims to improve how we manage our natural environment for human, social and economic development, but this cannot be achieved by conservationists alone. The IUCN Congress is the place to put aside differences and work together to create good environmental governance, engaging all parts of society to share both the responsibilities and the benefits of conservation.
To prepare the WCC, the Regional Conservation Fora will take place between April and October 2024. To find out about these, please click here.
NetworkNature is co-organising a Speedy Learning Session on NbS Finance: Unlocking Investment in Nature-based Solutions, which will take place on Thursday, 9 October 2025, from 14:00 to 14:40, in CR B: Forum – Session Room 9.
The session will highlight how to mobilise financing from both public and private sources to scale Nature-based Solutions, with practical examples of blended finance, public–private partnerships, and philanthropic support. It will also feature insights from the NetworkNature Guide to the NbS Finance Landscape and the booklet Guiding Businesses in Integrating Biodiversity and NbS in Decision-Making Processes.
The session is part of the Learning Zone and supports the Congress themes on scaling resilient conservation and transitioning to nature-positive economies and societies.
A Congress with three components
The Forum is a hub of public debate, bringing together people from all walks of life to discuss the world’s most pressing conservation and sustainability challenges. It includes many different types of events from high level dialogues to training workshops which explore the depths of conservation and innovation.
The Members’ Assembly is IUCN’s highest decision-making body. A unique global environmental parliament, it involves governments and NGOs – large and small, national and international – taking joint decisions on conservation and sustainability.
In the Exhibition, IUCN Members and Commissions, businesses, partners, and academia host stands and events. The Exhibition is open to both registered Congress participants and the general public (free access), allowing exhibitors to showcase their research, innovations and other work to the broadest Congress audience.