CNVP has been approved as a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its 1,300 Member organisations and the input of some 10,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world, and the measures needed to safeguard it. Its experts are organised into six commissions dedicated to: species survival; environmental law; protected areas; social and economic policy; ecosystem management; and education and communication.

IUCN’s expertise and extensive network provide a solid foundation for a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects around the world. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

Past IUCN congresses have produced key international environmental agreements, including: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); the World Heritage Convention; and the Ramsar Convention on wetlands.