September 5, 2012
By Mera McGrew
This week, leaders from governments, the public sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses, UN agencies, and social organizations will convene in Jeju, Republic of Korea, for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC). Held every four years, the Congress will bring together the world’s leading environmental and development experts with the aim of improving how our natural environment is managed. It is the world’s largest and most important conservation event.
The Congress will start September 6th and go through the 15th of September. It will begin with the Forum — described as a “hub of public debate,” which will bring people together from across the globe. Cutting-edge ideas, thinking and practices surrounding pressing conservation issues will be the main focus of debate, workshops, roundtable discussions, training courses and more.
The Forum will lead to a Members’ Assembly, which is a unique global environmental parliament that involves governments and NGOs. The Members’ Assembly will work to ensure that the means and mechanisms for good environmental governance are in place going forward.
During the Congress, five main themes that IUCN has identified as major priorities will be the focus— nature and life; nature and climate; nature and food; nature and development; and nature, people and governance.
At the end of the Congress, solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental and developmental issues will be drafted and resolutions as well as recommendations on important conservation issues will be outlined.
Mission Blue will be attending the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Check back regularly for important updates as well as an overview of what is happening in Jeju.
Top photo: Global Geopark