The 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi (October 9-15) served as a global platform for environmental governance, convening representatives of governments, civil society groups, Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations, scientists, and youth leaders from around the world. At the Congress Members’ Assembly, IUCN Members approved 144 motions, now Resolutions and Recommendations that define IUCN’s official policy positions and will influence international conservation priorities, the policies of nations and organizations, and international environmental law.
Motions that were adopted at the 2025 World Conservation Congress are now published as Resolutions and Recommendations on IUCN’s Resolutions and Recommendations Platform.
IUCN Members from the United States contributed significantly as Sponsors and Co-Sponsors of 91 successful and influential Motions
- US Members were lead Sponsors of 45 of the 144 Resolutions adopted at the 2025 Congress, or 31%.
- Beyond US Member-Sponsored Resolutions, US Members Co-Sponsored an additional 46 Resolutions, bringing the total number of US Member Sponsored or Co-Sponsored Resolutions to 91 out of the 144 adopted Resolutions, or 63%.
- Members from the Americas (North America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, and South America ) Sponsored or Co-Sponsored 112 out of the 144 adopted Resolutions, or 78%.
US Member Sponsored adopted Resolutions include:
| Resolution | US Member Sponsor |
| WCC-2025-Res-004 Trails and conservation | InterEnvironment Institute |
| WCC-2025-Res-005 Protection and restoration of diverse native grasslands | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-007 Soil security law | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-011 Delivering harmonised accountability and means of implementation for international forest protection goals | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-012 Advancing the IUCN Green List Standard of protected and conserved areas to enhance effective and equitable in situ conservation | The WILD Foundation |
| WCC-2025-Res-016 Springs under threat: mobilising urgent action for neglected freshwater systems | Re:wild |
| WCC-2025-Res-018 Advancing and tracking global river conservation to meet biodiversity and climate goals | The Pew Charitable Trusts |
| WCC-2025-Res-019 Activating sustainable management of inland fisheries | Conservation International, Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Arizona State University |
| WCC-2025-Res-031 Protecting the Gulf of California World Heritage Sites of Mexico from industrialisation for liquefied natural gas development | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-033 Port State measures regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-035 Protection of mesopelagic ecosystem integrity | Marine Conservation Biology Institute |
| WCC-2025-Res-037 Fourth global coral bleaching event: urgent action to reduce the risk of catastrophic loss of the world’s coral reefs | US Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs |
| WCC-2025-Res-039 Mobilising the role of wild animals in ecosystems as a climate solution | International Fund for Animal Welfare |
| WCC-2025-Res-040 Mitigating the impact of disasters caused by natural hazards on wildlife by implementing specific measures (prevention, rescue, restoration) | International Fund for Animal Welfare |
| WCC-2025-Res-044 Preventing population impacts of wind energy facilities on bats | Bat Conservation International, Inc |
| WCC-2025-Res-045 Reducing the impacts of forest biomass energy on climate and biodiversity | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-048 Crimes that Affect the Environment (CAE) | World Resources Institute |
| WCC-2025-Res-051 Mainstreaming gender equality in biodiversity policies, programmes, actions and funding | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-058 Advancing actions to end plastic pollution to protect human health, biodiversity and the environment | The Pew Charitable Trusts |
| WCC-2025-Res-065 Updating the IUCN Policy on the Sustainable Use of Wild Living Resources | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-066 Living in harmony with rivers through the rights of nature and ecocentric law | Earth Law Center |
| WCC-2025-Res-068 Core human rights principles for private conservation organisations and funders | Biodiversity Funders Group |
| WCC-2025-Res-070 Calling for a United Nations Decade of Island Resilience | Island Conservation |
| WCC-2025-Res-074 Urgent scaling up of investment in amphibian conservation needed to prevent further extinctions | Re:wild, New Mexico BioPark Society |
| WCC-2025-Res-093 Recognising the importance of Indigenous languages, traditional knowledge and cultural heritage in biodiversity conservation | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-095 Setting area-based targets on scientific evidence and reversing historic injustices | The WILD Foundation |
| WCC-2025-Res-096 Mainstreaming mentorship for young ecological stewards to enhance conservation efforts | The WILD Foundation |
| WCC-2025-Res-097 Advancing the One Health approach for biodiversity, health and global cooperation | Center for Environmental Legal Studies, Wildlife Conservation Society |
| WCC-2025-Res-098 Implementation of the One Health approach, from global to local | Center for Environmental Legal Studies, Wildlife Conservation Society |
| WCC-2025-Res-106 Scaling-up Indigenous leadership in the protection of nature and the sacred | The WILD Foundation |
| WCC-2025-Res-107 Development of IUCN guidelines to effectively control the commercial pet trade in wildlife | Wildlife Conservation Society |
| WCC-2025-Res-111 Scaling collaborative action for threatened freshwater fishes through ex situ conservation | New Mexico BioPark Society |
| WCC-2025-Res-114 Actions to avert the extinction of Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei) | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-118 Conservation of clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa, Neofelis diardi) (IUCN VU) as a top priority umbrella species for south and southeast Asia | Lifescape International Inc – SPECIES |
| WCC-2025-Res-122 Accelerating equitable youth empowerment and engagement across the Union | The WILD Foundation |
| WCC-2025-Res-123 Members are the heart of IUCN: strengthening global conservation by strengthening the institutional governance of the world’s oldest, largest international conservation organisation | CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND LAW |
| WCC-2025-Res-125 Advancing Citizen Science to Support and Democratize Conservation | Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation |
| WCC-2025-Res-126 Recognising and Reporting Ecological Corridors | Center for Large Landscape Conservation |
| WCC-2025-Res-130 Protecting the Sápmi forest: safeguarding biodiversity and Indigenous livelihoods | The WILD Foundation |
| WCC-2025-Res-131 Strengthening Business Engagement In Climate Adaptation For Preservation Of Biodiversity And Ecosystems | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-132 IUCN Red List solvency and private-sector initiatives | World Wildlife Fund – US , Conservation International, Lifescape International Inc – SPECIES, Center for Large Landscape Conservation |
| WCC-2025-Res-134 Addressing the overexploitation of wild species | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-138 Welcoming the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on climate change | Center for Environmental Legal Studies |
| WCC-2025-Res-142 Reaffirming IUCN’s commitment to multilateralism and global cooperation | Natural Resources Defense Council |
| WCC-2025-Res-143 Protecting ecosystems and riverine communities from the impacts of hydropower in the Lower Congo and globally | International Rivers |
Aditional adopted Resolutions with US Members as Co-Sponsors include:
WCC-2025-Res-001 Improving tree planting practices – Planting the right tree in the right place for the right purpose
WCC-2025-Res-002 Accelerating action for nature-positive, sustainable agriculture and food systems
WCC-2025-Res-003 Developing a unified global definition of ‘peatland and peat’
WCC-2025-Res-009 Protection of biomes and ecosystems threatened by native vegetation conversion
WCC-2025-Res-013 Management and restoration of areas affected by Eucalyptus monocultures in regions outside their natural distribution
WCC-2025-Res-020 Implementing an aquascape approach to conservation and management of fresh and saline water ecosystems
WCC-2025-Res-023 Prioritising wetlands conservation and restoration to tackle the dual climate and biodiversity crises
WCC-2025-Res-028 Strengthening the knowledge and protection of oceanic mesophotic ecosystems
WCC-2025-Res-032 Protecting seamounts and vulnerable marine ecosystems from destructive practices
WCC-2025-Res-036 Facilitating synergistic delivery of multilateral commitments on conserving coastal ecosystems
WCC-2025-Res-042 Addressing the climate and biodiversity crises through fossil fuel supply-side measures and a just transition
WCC-2025-Res-049 “
Strengthening safe civic spaces to fulfil the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework”
WCC-2025-Res-050 Return to the annual frequency of the ordinary and technical meetings of the Convention for the Conservation and Management of the Vicuña
WCC-2025-Res-052 Crimes that Affect the Environment (CAE)
WCC-2025-Res-053 Operationalising the rights of nature and evaluating their implementation in territories
WCC-2025-Res-054 Recognition of the rights of Antarctica
WCC-2025-Res-055 Advancing an ethical human-ocean relationship
WCC-2025-Res-056 Ensuring conflict-sensitive conservation and protection of the environment in fragile and conflict situations
WCC-2025-Res-057 Addressing wildlife trafficking and the management of seized or confiscated live wild animals
WCC-2025-Res-059 Nature conservation diplomacy: integrating conservation, peace and security through international cooperation
WCC-2025-Res-060 “
Recognising the crime of ecocide to protect nature”
WCC-2025-Res-061 For an ocean, heritage of humanity
WCC-2025-Res-064 Establishing mechanisms for engagement with IUCN Members involved in armed conflict
WCC-2025-Res-067 Emergency action to restore 80% of ecological integrity in Amazonia by 2030 preventing cascading tipping points
WCC-2025-Res-069 Nature: Integrating science, ethical approaches and harmonious coexistence with strategies for ecological recovery
WCC-2025-Res-071 Recognising the Model Forest Act to enhance forest protection, conservation, restoration and sustainable management of forests
WCC-2025-Res-079 Ensuring companies disclose and take action to minimise negative impacts on biodiversity in ways that will achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
WCC-2025-Res-081 Advancing the sustainable management, use and trade of wild species
WCC-2025-Res-084 Amplifying the role of the private sector in achieving a nature positive world
WCC-2025-Res-087 “
Task Force on developing a global standard for genetic diversity assessments”
WCC-2025-Res-090 Strengthening conservation efforts for fungi and invertebrates
WCC-2025-Res-092 Recognise and strengthen the fundamental role of plant and fungal taxonomy and associated herbaria for the conservation of biodiversity, particularly in Global South countries
WCC-2025-Res-101 The role of rangers as essential planetary health workers in particular to achieve the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
WCC-2025-Res-108 The need for urgent conservation action to secure the remaining population of Javan and Sumatran rhinoceros in Indonesia (Rhinoceros sondaicus and Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
WCC-2025-Res-109 Restoring threatened species in the Arabian Peninsula and Sahelo-Saharan regions
WCC-2025-Res-110 Urgent action to address the Asian wild pig crisis caused by African swine fever
WCC-2025-Res-112 Strengthening planning for preserving biodiversity through the use of Longevity Conservation approaches to ensure naturally age-structured populations of species
WCC-2025-Res-113 Appeal for global prevention of propeller-inflicted deaths on endangered species
WCC-2025-Res-115 Strengthening gibbon conservation through collaboration and synergy
WCC-2025-Res-121 Increasing the participation of subnational governments across and through the Union
WCC-2025-Res-127 Strengthening human-nature connectedness to advance transformative change for nature
WCC-2025-Res-133 Recognition of the International Marine Protected Areas Congress as the global marine protected area community for effective marine biodiversity conservation
WCC-2025-Res-135 Advancing biodiversity finance with a human-rights-based approach
WCC-2025-Res-137 Avoiding Irreversible Ecological Damage and Tipping Points in the Congo Basin: Urgent Assessment and Protective Measures
WCC-2025-Res-139 Upholding science-based wildlife conservation in Switzerland
WCC-2025-Res-140 Developing an IUCN Policy and Guidance on Artificial Intelligence and Conservation, and the Integrity of Digital Evidence
