The congress is the largest environmental and nature conservation event in the world. More than 8,300 delegates from 184 countries participate in the World Congress, including heads of state, civil society, NGOs, representatives of indigenous peoples, businesses, and international organizations.
The congress is held under the slogan “Planet at the Crossroads,” emphasizing that nature conservation and human progress must find reliable and accessible options for development that can meet the urgent needs of human civilization while preserving the planet’s ability to support life on Earth.
Key issues discussed at the Congress include wildlife trade, ocean ecosystem conservation, the development of decision-making methods and tools based on nature’s interests, climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as private investment in biodiversity conservation.
At the congress, 1,300 IUCN member organizations – some of the most influential governmental and non-governmental organizations from over 160 countries – collectively make decisions on the most pressing and often controversial issues of conservation and sustainable development. Approximately 100 documents are expected to be adopted at this unique meeting, which will then become IUCN Resolutions and recommendations requiring countries to take appropriate actions.
In particular, issues such as the following are discussed:
- Conservation of biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction
- Mitigation of the impact of palm oil production on biodiversity
- Call to close domestic markets for all ivory sales
- Inclusion of all species of pangolins and sharks in the CITES convention
- Call for an end to the use of lead in ammunition
- Analysis of whale conservation in relation to oil and gas extraction reports
- Update of the IUCN Red List of threatened species
- Analysis of ocean warming reports
- Empowering future generations
- And many others
Vladimir Korotenko, Chairman of the BIOM Council, member of IUCN Commissions on Education and Communication, as well as a member of the Commission on Protected Areas, shared materials and experiences developed by BIOM and scientists from Kyrgyzstan in the field of biodiversity conservation. Unfortunately, currently, only two organizations in Central Asia are members of this oldest organization; thus, the experiences and developments of activists and scientists from our region are not always considered in global decision-making.
Currently, representatives of Kyrgyzstan have attended the following site events:
Interleadership Toolkit – Planning for the Future
Place-based approaches to education about our environment and climate change
Adapting to climate change for biodiversity conservation
Incentive mechanisms for controlling invasive species
Leaders of the future, changing the policies of the present – Fair Governance
Contribution of BSDP to achieving national SDGs
Practical tools, skills, and methods for developing biodiversity conservation capacity
People-centered approaches to conserving natural and cultural heritage
Natural Capital Approaches to Conservation and Millennium Development: a learning case
Materials on these events are available to all interested parties via the provided links.
One of the most interesting discussions was about biodiversity in the context of SDGs. Materials and a platform on this topic can be found at the link: https://portals.iucn.org/congress/session/9762
Additional information about the Congress and the work of IUCN, as well as membership in this organization, can be obtained at the link: http://www.iucnworldconservationcongress.org/press
Materials on biodiversity conservation from BIOM and scientists from Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia are available at: www.biom.kg.