IUCN - News archive

IUCN experts part of new online course on marine biology in the Deep Ocean

2013-05-07

TED talks by aquatic explorers including IUCN patron Sylvia Earle, who share what they’ve seen in the Earth’s last frontier — the deep ocean, are now available as part of an online course.

Improved Management of the Bering Strait

2013-05-02

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) have undertaken a cooperative project to identify measures that could be adopted to protect important areas of the Bering Strait region, including ecologically and biologically sensitive areas (EBSAs) and to explore ways in which such measures might be implemented.

EU countries must do more to protect biodiversity

2013-05-02

European Union countries should step up their conservation efforts and fully implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 to prevent species from going extinct, according to a recent analysis of the European Red List coordinated by IUCN.

Where have the sea turtles gone?

2013-04-26

“Sea turtles don’t come to nest on our beach anymore!” said Mr. Minh, a member of Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Protection, a volunteer network in Quang Tri Province. Despite the participation of nearly 3,500 local residents and school children in beach protection, a recent survey found that, since 2007, no marine turtle nests have been recorded in Quang Tri, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai Provinces and the very few nests that remain in Binh Dinh Province are on off-shore islands. Meanwhile, according to a 2009 report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), 1,000 mature turtles a year are killed accidentally by fishermen as “by-catch”.

Raising Seagrass Awareness among Youths in Palk Bay, India

2013-04-23

We initiated an exclusive seagrass awareness in Palk Bay since October 2012. Our team visits local schools and then invite the students to our centre for field trip.

Meeting on Islands challenges at the European Parliament to take place on May 7th, 2013

2013-04-18

Islands – key actors: What kind of partnership at the EU level?

Meeting jointly hosted by the European Parliament intergroup on Biodiversity and Climate change and prepared by the IUCN on EU Overseas Programme, the Marine and Polar Programme (GMPP) in close collaboration with the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA)

Momentum for nature’s ‘blue carbon’ solution to climate change

2013-04-02

Efforts to restore marine ecosystems that store vast amounts of carbon have received a boost with the launch of a new website that provides the latest blue carbon science and policy.

Sharks, rhinos and elephants among wildlife trade summit winners

2013-03-14

A historic vote to improve the sustainability of the international trade of eight species of sharks and rays that are listed as threatened on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is among the key decisions taken at the CITES wildlife trade summit closing today in Bangkok.

Keeping the colour in the oceans

2013-02-25

Professor Yvonne Sadovy’s passion for the oceans has led to a career that tackles the destructive impacts of unsustainable international species trade on both fishing communities and marine ecosystems.

New funds for Europe overseas’ BEST!

2013-02-22

The Director General of IUCN and the Director of the French Aid Agency (AFD) signed a financial agreement of 800,000 Euros last December. The grant aims at supporting the BEST initiative for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the EU Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories, as well as IUCN’s work on the establishment of a dedicate tool for Europe overseas’ biodiversity.

Secrets of world’s richest marine area revealed

2013-02-21

A new study finds that sea surface temperature, as well as the size and variety of habitats are the main factors responsible for the proliferation of marine life in the Coral Triangle – the most biologically diverse marine region in the world.

€9m EU project on deep-sea organisms under way

2013-02-19

IUCN is supporting the PharmaSea project which will bring European researchers to some of the deepest, coldest and hottest places on the planet.

Call for abstracts: 3rd International Marine Protected Areas Congress

2013-02-15

The French Marine Protected Areas Agency (MPAA) and IUCN are organizing the 3rd International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC3) in Marseille and Corsica from 21 October to 27 October 2013.

Energy utility RWE and IUCN join forces for nature

2013-01-25

Essen, Germany/Gland, Switzerland, 25 January 2013 – Today, Germany’s number one power producer RWE and IUCN signed a three-year agreement on biodiversity management at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The aim is to further integrate protection of biological diversity into the corporate business decisions of the company.

A recipe linking nature and people

2013-01-25

Have you ever wondered how to represent the links between nature and people in a simple way to facilitate decision making? A diverse group of experts share their tips in addressing this very challenge and suggest possible ingredients of such a representation. The hope is that this 'recipe' will help the work of the top new nature platform (IPBES) in relating biodiversity and its benefits to human well-being, sustainability and conservation.

Graeme Kelleher - Ocean Elder

2013-01-10

Being an OceanElder is quite quaint. We're a disparate bunch, as you can see below, therefore we do not engage in pedantic debate. In fact, we generally agree and debate is minimised.

Lebanon moves forward to protect marine habitats

2013-01-08

Lebanon's Ministry of Environment and IUCN with the support of partners such as the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (UN Environment Programme-Barcelona Convention) have brought forward a Marine Protected Areas Strategy aimed at achieving a healthy, productive, and biologically diverse marine environment in Lebanese waters.

Australia creates world’s largest network of marine reserves

2012-12-13

In November 2012 the Australian Government announced the creation of the world’s largest network of marine reserves. The government proclaimed 44 marine reserves a network, covering 2.3 million square kilometres, a full third of Australia’s ocean territory. The reserves are home to 45 of the world’s 78 whale and dolphin species, six of the seven known species of marine turtle, and 4,000 fish species. The government received support from over 500,000 Australians, who commented positively on the creation of the network.

Building a vision for Pacific Islands

2012-12-10

The Pacific Oceanscape, proposed in 2009 by the Hon. Anote Tong, Prime Minister of Kiribati, and endorsed by Pacific Island leaders in 2010, fosters cooperation on ocean conservation. It provides a strong vision for conservation and sustainable management of the Pacific’s wealth of marine resources.

INTERVIEW: IUCN’s efforts to protect Europe overseas

2012-12-10

Carole Martinez joined IUCN Europe in October 2012 after working previously on protected areas and ecosystem management issues with IUCN's National Committee in France and on regional cooperation challenges at the French Marine Protected Areas Agency. Carole is Coordinator of the IUCN EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Programme.