The IUCN World Conservation Congress is a once-every-four-years, diverse gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers from around the world. It will help shape global priorities for nature conservation and climate change for the coming decade and beyond.
NetworkNature will be there, sharing learnings from the realm of finance and nature-based solutions. Join us online or in person for our 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 (Gulf Standard Time).
Powering transformative conservation
The world stands at a critical juncture after decades of conservation efforts: the path we are on is still unsustainable. The climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and global health crises are all being compounded by growing global political and socio-economic instability.
With only five years remaining until the 2030 deadline for the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and Global Biodiversity Framework, the IUCN Congress 2025 taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this October 9-15 emerges as a pivotal opportunity to elevate ambition, accelerate action and scale up collaborative solutions that address the needs of both nature and people, ensuring that sustainability efforts are equitable and just.
The Congress will tackle five critical themes, each driving the bold, transformative change needed to secure a sustainable future for both nature and humanity.
Sustainability focus
IUCN aims to make significant strides in event sustainability by introducing a range of initiatives focused on venue, travel, and procurement practices.
IUCN is dedicated to leading by example in sustainable events management. Building on the success of previous initiatives, including the ISO 20121 certification awarded to the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016 in Hawaii and IUCN Congress 2021 in Marseille, IUCN is working to further enhance its sustainable event management practices.
Working collaboratively with the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement), a pioneering international agency dedicated to driving positive socio-economic and environmental transformation, and Green Evénements, an expert in developing responsible event strategies, IUCN is working towards achieving ISO 20121 certification once again. Specific actions include:
- Minimising the environmental impact of its events by reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Minimising resource demand, and
- Promoting good sustainability practices to participants, suppliers, and local communities
