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A look back at the IUCN World Conservation Congress
- Laura Fequino
- Oct 23
- 7 min read
Translated with DeepL.com
From October 9 to 15, 2025, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Held every four years, this major event brings together thousands of representatives from all sectors of society around the world (governments, academia, indigenous communities, economic and financial actors, NGOs, and other civil society actors) to discuss major issues in nature conservation. Our team was there to follow the proceedings and actively participate in several events and discussions.
Photo credit: ISSD / ENB
Canada and Quebec are stepping up to the plate
As members of the IUCN, the governments of Canada and Quebec were present at the World Conservation Congress. On the federal side, Parks Canada, among other Canadian institutions present such as the Department of Natural Resources, represented the federal government. Canadian members from non-governmental membership categories, such as Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), were also present. The Canadian Committee for IUCN (CCIUCN), which represents the Canadian chapter of IUCN, brings together organizations, members of civil society, and representatives of First Nations committed to protecting biodiversity in Canada and closely or remotely following the work of IUCN.
Quebec was also represented by a variety of stakeholders. On the one hand, the Quebec government participated in the Congress for the first time under the new membership category dedicated to subnational governments. Following California, Quebec is the first government in North America to join this new membership category. Other Quebec stakeholders were also present, including non-governmental members such as Nature Quebec, the Réseau de milieux naturels protégés (RMN) and the Réseau national des conseils régionaux de l’environnement du Québec (RNCREQ), commission experts, NGOs, and a youth delegation.
Initiatives by Canada, Quebec, and our organization
In addition to voting on motions, governments and organizations from Canada and Quebec were on hand to promote their initiatives.
At the Canada Pavilion, hosted by Parks Canada, more than 20 events focused on the role of Indigenous peoples, conservation innovations—such as nature-based solutions (NBS) and other effective conservation measures (OECM)—as well as regulatory innovations, engagement, and education. A new nature-based education center was launched, and Canada celebrated the success of the #NatureForAll initiative.
The Quebec delegation, represented by the MELCCFP and Deputy Minister Jacob Martin-Malus, highlighted the leadership of subnational governments, notably through the publication of the Nature Plan and participation in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF).
Several Quebec organizations presented their conservation and collaboration initiatives, while presenting a united front during the vote on motions. Mycosphera, which advocated for the recognition of the fungal kingdom, and Finance Montréal, which highlighted the role of financial actors in biodiversity financing, made a unique contribution. A youth delegation, led by LOJIQ, was also very involved.
Several Quebec organizations presented their conservation and collaboration initiatives, while presenting a united front during the vote on motions. Mycosphera, which advocated for the recognition of the fungal kingdom, and Finance Montréal, which highlighted the role of financial actors in biodiversity financing, made a unique contribution. A youth delegation, led by LOJIQ, was also very involved.
We contributed to three discussions:
listening and using appropriate language to mobilize all stakeholders in society;
collaboration between regions and the role of subnational governments;
collective action by Quebec NGOs for the Nature Plan.
These discussions confirmed our belief that transformation requires collaboration. We also participated in the Canada Showcase and demonstrated the scope of our workshops at the Canada, Quebec, France, and United Arab Emirates pavilions.
IUCN: a hub at the crossroads of international action for nature
The World Conservation Congress took place in a global context in which the international community and a variety of actors around the world are seeking to halt and even reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. That being said, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted by the member states of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2022 was also at the heart of the discussions and conversations at the World Conservation Congress organized by the IUCN.
The two other Rio conventions, on climate change and desertification, as well as the recent Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were taken into account with a view to deploying synergistic action that would benefit all aspects of the ecological crisis. Seizing these synergies would promote coherent environmental action and the achievement of various interdependent goals by 2030, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the SDGs.
Des thématiques mobilisant l’ensemble des acteurs et bénéficiant les synergies
This year, the Congress focused on five main themes:
Strengthening action for resilient conservation;
Reducing climate change risks;
Promoting equity and inclusion;
Fostering the transition to nature-positive economies; and
Encouraging innovation and leadership in conservation.
Sectors such as forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism were therefore discussed at length, as their actions have the potential to impact these five major themes, for better or for worse. In the same vein, the responsibilities of businesses and the private sector also attracted keen interest. The stance conveyed was one of collaboration, consistency, and synergy between the actions of different actors in society.
The IUCN even organized four thematic summits on the sidelines of the Congress to further explore the actions of certain key players in nature conservation:
The World Business Summit, also held in parallel with the Congress (October 10-13), focused on the efforts required from the private and financial sectors to promote the transition to economies with positive impacts on nature and the achievement of conservation goals.
The World Youth Summit brought together young people on the eve of the Congress (October 8), setting the stage for the event. The role of youth in conservation was at the heart of the discussions. Among the main findings were the need to strengthen intergenerational dialogue and facilitate access to financial resources for young people leading conservation initiatives.
The World Philanthropy Summit brought together philanthropic actors at the dawn of the Congress (October 8). This sector can help narrow the gap between the financial resources currently mobilized and the amount needed to achieve biodiversity conservation goals by 2030.
The World Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nature was held in parallel with the Congress (October 8 to 10). In addition to highlighting the major role that Indigenous Peoples play in nature conservation, one of the main findings of this summit was the need to place Indigenous Peoples at the center of the process of developing national and international plans in the field of nature conservation.
Nearly 150 motions adopted
During the Members' Meeting, held on the last day of the Congress, members deliberated on all the motions proposed and ultimately adopted 148 motions. Motions allow members to propose priorities, strategies, and directions, which members will then strive to implement in their areas of activity. When adopted, motions take the form of resolutions and recommendations that help strengthen the coordination and consistency of members' efforts around the world.
Ultimately, the motions adopted should influence the actions taken by government and non-government members.
Une vision pour le futur
The Members' Assembly adopted a new 20-year strategic vision on the theme of “united for nature.” By 2045, IUCN intends to “influence, encourage, and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable,” in accordance with its mission. This commitment will be achieved primarily through three areas of focus:
Effectively conserve biodiversity;
Address the interdependence between biodiversity, geodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change to ensure that nature continues to support all life on the planet; and
Promote a more just and equitable society.
This strategic vision is part of the efforts that must be made to achieve the targets and objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for 2030. In line with this framework, IUCN encourages all actors in society and all levels of governance to take action to preserve nature.
To guide members in their shorter-term actions, members also adopted the new IUCN Four-Year Program for 2026-2029, as well as the Abu Dhabi Call to Action, on the theme of “One Nature, One Humanity, One Future.”
Together, the new strategic vision for 2045 and the four-year program for 2026-2029 are based on four pillars:
Deploying inclusive conservation on a large scale in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems.
Integrate nature into rapidly transforming sectors, from food systems to the blue economy.
Integrate equity and rights-based approaches, particularly for Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), women, and youth.
Link ecological outcomes to social justice and human well-being.
Finally, the Members' Assembly also elected certain positions, such as regional councilors, Indigenous councilors, commission chairs, as well as treasurer and president. The outgoing president, Razon Al Mubarak, was re-elected as president of the IUCN.
New publications promoting nature conservation
Given the importance of basing nature conservation efforts on the most recent and reliable data possible, several IUCN publications have been updated.
These publications are tools for a variety of actors working to protect biodiversity, whether in conservation, integration, scientific research, public policy development, finance, or citizen mobilization.
Setting our sights on assessing progress towards 2030
The motions, updated publications, new four-year program, and 20-year strategic vision adopted by IUCN members have the potential to influence COP17, which will be held in October 2026 in Armenia. COP17 will face the challenge of assessing progress toward achieving the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework.
Having joined the IUCN and the CBD, Canada and Quebec will need to ensure that they are in line with their commitments to these two international entities, in particular by implementing Canada's Nature Strategy 2030 and Quebec's Nature Plan 2030.
