The IUCN World Conservation Congress approaches

The IUCN World Conservation Congress, running 3-11 September 2021 both in-person in Marseille, France, and online, is where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action. IUCN’s 1400+ government, civil society and indigenous peoples’ Member organisations vote on major issues, action which guides humanity’s relationship with our planet for the decades ahead.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

As a key milestone before pivotal UN conferences on biodiversity and climate in Kunming and Glasgow, the IUCN Congress will inform new global targets and actions towards a sustainable, healthy future for people and nature. The Congress will drive action on nature-based recovery, climate change and biodiversity for decades to come.

Congress registration is available for €780 in-person, while online-only registration can be purchased for €130 or for €45 for youths. The Online Pass provides access to 500+ Forum sessions, to observe the Member’s Assembly, and to all opening and closing ceremonies and summits.

Key online events on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) include:
[All event times are in Central European Summer Time (CEST = GMT+2)]

• Nature-based Solutions Training: using the global standard to achieve positive sustainable change
  04 Sep 2021 16:00 – 18:00
  A capacity-building campus for a user-friendly guide on how to design and verify NbS using the newly launched IUCN global standard.
• Unlocking a Nature-based Recovery: how to rebuild after the pandemic
  04 Sep 2021 16:00 – 17:30
  This High-level Dialogue on Nature-based Recovery will invite leaders from government, finance and civil society to explore how economic recovery can be geared to ‘building back better’ and ensuring greater economic and environmental resilience for all.
• Nature-based Solutions: opportunities in the tourism sector
  04 Sep 2021 18:00 – 18:45
  This session will introduce the Global Standard and its application to tourism, while showcasing work of Tourism Action Coalition for a Sustainable Ocean (TACSO) members implementing NbS.
• Biodiversity, human well-being and nature-based solutions: Best practices
  05 Sep 2021 09:00 – 10:30
  The workshop showcases interesting best practices from Finland and Scotland, providing insights into how biodiversity and nature-based solutions enhance well-being in different environments.
• Nature-based Solutions and Young Professionals – Perceptions and Integration
  05 Sep 2021 12:15-13:30
  This session aims at presenting young professionals’ (YP) perceptions on the topic of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and discuss their current and future involvement in NbS activities, with regards to the Global Standard for NbS.
• Global Youth Statement on NbS: Youth involvement on Nature narratives and Nature-based solutions in the international decision making processes context
  05 Sep 2021 18:30 – 19:30
  YOUNGO, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) and Youth4Nature (Y4N) will share more about the Global Youth Statement Project on Nature-based solutions, the steps that led to this worldwide project and why youth representation is key when it comes to decision-making regarding actions such as nature-based solutions.
• Cooperation on Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation in the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers
  06 Sep 2021 14:00 – 15:30
  Through case studies from around the world, the audience will be invited to question conventional climate change solutions and the associated risks of maladaptation, to explore the range of “no-regret” Nature-based Solutions mobilized and the interest to carry out this approach across borders at the scale of the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers.
• Raising global ambition on climate change and biodiversity through nature-based solutions
  06 Sep 2021 20:00 – 21:30
  The session will offer a state-of-the-art account of (i) how NbS can combat climate change and biodiversity loss, (ii) to what extent governments have incorporated these within their global climate commitments and (iii) launch new Guidelines on how countries can accelerate the integration of NbS into climate plans to raise global climate ambitions.
• Accelerating Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation to Climate Change
  07 Sep 2021 11:00 – 12:30
  This session will showcase successful case studies, tools and share evidence of the effectiveness of NbS while critically exploring what is needed to expand the implementation of NbS.
• Nature-based Solutions Partnerships: moving together from words to action
  07 Sep 2021 11:00 – 12:30
  Join IUCN and AfD in welcoming and championing partnerships for Nature-based Solutions.
• Scaling up implementation of Nature-based Solutions for water
  07 Sep 2021 11:00 – 12:30
  This session will shed light on what worked and what didn’t in different cases of Nature-based Solutions for water around the world.
• Agroecology as a nature-based solution for climate mitigation / adaptation, biodiversity conservation and food security
  07 Sep 2021 14:00 – 15:30
  The session focuses on redesigning agriculture and food systems towards greater resilience, sustainability and diversity.
• Powering Nature: Creating the Conditions to Enable Nature-based Solutions
  07 Sep 2021 17:45
  Join WWF for the launch of the new report that puts forward new ideas and evidence on how to strengthen the effective implementation, scaling and mainstreaming of nature-based solutions through a new systemic enabling framework.
• Natural Capital Accounting serving the decade of ecosystem restoration: experience of a regional network to promote nature-based solutions
  08 Sep 2021 14:00 – 15:00
  This session will highlight the importance of the ENCA tool in valuing ecosystems. It will also show the way Earth Observation data contributes to monitoring ecosystems and their services.

These are just a selection of many important sessions on NbS, climate, biodiversity and nature. Explore the full Congress programme online,  view the Congress schedule, and learn more on the IUCN Congress website.