Story | 07 Jul, 2015
A new chapter begins for the IUCN Green List of Protected Areas
Recognizing success provides inspiration and constructive feedback. Through the IUCN Green List of Protected Areas (GLPA), IUCN is seeking to provide an innovative tool for managers and protected area systems to assess and monitor PA values, identify existing possibilities to improve performance…
Press release | 02 Jul, 2015
Jamaica’s first World Heritage listing ups the number of natural sites to 229
The Blue and John Crow Mountains has become Jamaica’s first World Heritage site today, following advice from IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, responsible for evaluating the site’s natural values. Extensions of South Africa’s Cape Floral Region Protected Areas and Viet…
Story | 30 Jun, 2015
World Heritage site in danger: Man and nature in Virunga National Park
Among the World Heritage sites in Danger is Virunga National Park, which has been on the endangered list for more than 20 years. Over these years, Africa’s oldest national park has faced numerous threats, including armed conflict, poaching and the discovery and exploration of oil.
Press release | 30 Jun, 2015
IUCN advice to keep close watch on Great Barrier Reef fully backed
Bonn, Germany, 1 July 2015 (IUCN) – IUCN’s advice to continue close monitoring of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was adopted in full today at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting taking place in Bonn, Germany.
Press release | 24 Jun, 2015
Climate change and dams threaten natural World Heritage, warns IUCN
Climate change and large dam projects are putting natural World Heritage sites at risk, says IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, the official advisory body on nature to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, meeting this Sunday in Bonn, Germany.
Story | 23 Jun, 2015
Forest landscape restoration is more than planting trees - three case studies from the United States
Three short stories of landscape restoration in the western United States show that restoration can mean a lot more than just planting trees. Sometimes it means cutting trees, setting fires, and unleashing destructive rodents. Perhaps we'd better explain.
Press release | 22 Jun, 2015
Conservation successes overshadowed by more species declines – IUCN Red List update
Successful conservation action has boosted the populations of the Iberian Lynx and the Guadalupe Fur Seal, while the African Golden Cat, the New Zealand Sea Lion and the Lion are facing increasing threats to their survival, according to the latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened…
Story | 18 Jun, 2015
A major step towards a legally-binding deal for the high seas
Another significant step towards improved protection and management of the high seas was achieved today as UN Member States formally adopted a resolution for the development of legal measures to conserve marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
Story | 11 Jun, 2015
West and Central Africa’s wildlife in trouble, shows new IUCN report
A new IUCN report released today evaluates the state of West and Central Africa’s terrestrial and freshwater fauna and highlights the inadequacy of responses to rapid wildlife decline in the region. Improved legislation and much more effective protection is urgently required to meet…
Story | 09 Jun, 2015
First intact fossil of prehistoric whale discovered in Wadi Al-Hitan
The world’s only intact fossil of an early whale – the Basilosaurus dating about 40 million years ago – has been uncovered during a new excavation at Wadi Al-Hitan, a natural World Heritage site in Egypt. The discovery reveals for the first time the creature’s complete skeleton and includes…