Gland, Switzerland, 27 May 2021 (IUCN) – The next IUCN World Conservation Congress, the world’s largest environmental decision-making forum, is only 100 days away. The IUCN Congress will take place from 3 to 11 September 2021 in Marseille, France, in a “hybrid” format with the option of remote participation for some parts of the event.
Photo: IUCN
The IUCN Congress will bring together governments, civil society, indigenous peoples, scientists and business to drive action on today’s most pressing environmental and sustainability challenges, including the biodiversity and climate crises and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 action towards a sustainable, healthy future for people and nature.
This inclusive event, which will offer both in-person and virtual participation, is organised into four main parts:
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The Forum, a marketplace of new conservation ideas, research and policy: 4-7 September 2021
- During the Forum major announcements from IUCN and its Members are expected, including an update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
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IUCN Members’ Assembly – the world’s largest democratic environmental decision-making platform: 8-10 September 2021
- IUCN’s more than 1,400 Member organisations will take decisions that are expected to influence global conservation policy for the coming decade.
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The Exhibition – where IUCN Members and Commissions, businesses, partners and academia host stands and events to showcase their research and innovations: 4-9 September 2021
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Espaces Generations Nature – engaging the general public in conservation: 4-11 September 2021
On 3 September, ahead of the official Congress opening, a number of independent summits will take place in connection with the event:
- CEO Summit
- Indigenous Peoples’ Summit
- Local Action Summit
- Global Youth Summit: Looking to the Future
Key speakers addressing the Congress include:
- H. S. H. Prince Albert II of Monaco
- Barbara Pompili, Minister of Environment, France
- Svenja Schulze, Minister of Environment, Germany
- Frans Timmermanns, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
- Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
- Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme
- Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention for Biological Diversity
- Yannick Glemarec, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund
- Tom Friedman, Editorialist at the New York Times
- Bertrand Piccard, Explorer; Founder and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation
Accreditation for media to cover the event on-site or remotely is open here. More information for journalists will be added as it becomes available in our media FAQ.
For more information please contact:
IUCN Press relations,
Tel: +41 79 536 0117, press@iucn.org
