The Members’ Assembly concluded with ambitious commitments and the requirement to work on innovative and holistic solutions in order to address the climate and biodiversity crises effectively as well as acknowledging that only by working together as (Members, Commissions and the Secretariat), will it be possible to build a better future. Some of the highlights include:
The Marseille Manifesto: Adopted by acclamation during the 8th sitting of the Members Assembly, the Manifesto establishes several commitments to action drawn from those made by IUCN Members, partners and the host country France, during the Congress. These include supporting and prioritising the implementation of the first IUCN Global Indigenous Agenda for the Governance of Indigenous Lands, Territories, Waters, Coastal Seas and Natural Resources, a self-determined strategy developed and owned by Indigenous Peoples, as a contribution to the work of the Union and global conservation. Its implementation shall be guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), among others. For more details, please consult the Marseille Manifesto document.
Motions: Through motions, which once adopted become Resolutions and Recommendations, IUCN Members guide the Union’s policy and programme work and influence many other organisations around the world. We now have 137 Resolutions and Recommendations that were adopted by IUCN Members both through the electronic vote in October 2020 and at the World Conservation Congress in September 2021. These will require the UNION (as a whole) to promote the required transformational change of our socio-ecological systems, for which we hold the scientific and practical tools. IUCN Members also took a number of other Decisions, including 11 governance-related ones.
New Council: During the Members’ Assembly, the IUCN membership elected the IUCN Council for the 2021-2025 period. Ms Razan Al Mubarak as the new IUCN President, a Treasurer, six Commission Chairs and 28 Councillors from the Regions were elected.
IUCN Addendum to the Programme: Members also approved the Addendum to the IUCN Programme 2021–2024, Impacts and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and health on the IUCN Programme Nature 2030. The addendum provides high-level strategic guidance to enable all IUCN constituencies to interpret how the existing ambitions within Nature 2030, can be fully harnessed in the context of the pandemic and recovery from it, in what has been called ‘the era of pandemics’. The addendum follows the structure of Nature 2030, with the commentary arranged by prioritised Programme areas (People, Land, Water, Oceans and Climate, addressing “COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery” specifically, and then “health and conservation” in general, for each) and enablers (Technology, Public Awareness and Finance).
IUCN Awards: During the Awards ceremony, several outstanding individuals were recognised for their exceptional contributions to the conservation of nature. Details can be found here.
The 2021 Members’ Assembly in a nutshell:
Some of the adopted Resolutions, Recommendations and other Decisions include:
- Electing a new Council for the period 2021-2025
- Including subnational governments in IUCN’s membership
- Defining the role of Commissions in the National and Regional Committees
- Establishing an elected Indigenous Councillor position
- Establishing a Climate Change Commission
- Developing an IUCN Policy on synthetic biology in relation to nature Conservation
- Integrating solutions to the Climate Change and biodiversity crises
- Developing and implementing a transformational and effective post-2020 global biodiversity framework
- Action to strengthen food sovereignty and security of indigenous peoples and peasant communities
- Recognising protected areas as no-go zones for industrial activities
