International Union for Conservation of Nature

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is a global membership organization that assesses species extinction risk, develops conservation standards, and supports nature conservation worldwide.

IUCN Red List: A global assessment system that classifies species by their risk of extinction. IUCN’s best-known tool translates scientific evidence into standardized extinction-risk categories.
Species Survival Commission: An IUCN commission whose expert groups assess species and develop conservation knowledge. Its specialist networks provide much of the expertise behind global species assessments.
Julian Huxley: A British evolutionary biologist and public intellectual who became the first director-general of UNESCO. Huxley proposed an international organization dedicated to nature protection after the Second World War.
Achim Steiner: A German environmental policy expert who served as IUCN director-general from 2001 to 2006. Steiner led the union during a period of expanding its role in global sustainability policy.
Convention on Biological Diversity: A 1992 international treaty addressing biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and benefit-sharing. IUCN’s scientific guidance and member engagement inform work connected to this biodiversity treaty.
IUCN Red List categories: The categories used to classify assessed species, from Least Concern to Extinct. These categories make IUCN species assessments comparable across taxa and regions.
IUCN World Conservation Congress: A periodic gathering where IUCN members set priorities and debate conservation policy. The Congress brings the union’s government and civil-society members together to shape its direction.
Fontainebleau: A French town where conservation organizations founded IUCN in 1948. The union was established there as the International Union for the Protection of Nature.
Inger Andersen: A Danish economist and environmental leader who served as IUCN director-general from 2015 to 2019. Andersen’s tenure linked IUCN’s conservation agenda with international development and climate discussions.
Protected area: A clearly defined geographical space recognized and managed for the long-term conservation of nature. IUCN’s standards have helped shape how protected areas are classified and reported worldwide.

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