IFGR becomes a member of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

What is IUCN?

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has 1,400 Members representing 160 countries. Its originality lies in its broad membership: 210 States and government agencies, 1,200 NGOs and indigenous peoples’ organizations, economic development agencies, scientific and academic institutions and business associations.

It is the world’s leading authority on the state of the world’s nature and natural resources and on measures to conserve them, with a network of more than 17,000 independent experts and frameworks such as the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the World Heritage List of Natural Areas and the newly developed Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions. 

Its water program is oriented around 3 main areas:

• Improving water governance in transboundary basins to avoid water-related conflicts,
• Encouraging sustainable management of water resources to preserve biodiversity,
• Investing in natural water infrastructure for climate change adaptation.

Every four years, Member organizations meet at the World Conservation Congress to set priorities and agree on the Union’s work programme, as well as to discuss and approve resolutions that lay the foundation for the global conservation agenda. Many key international environmental agreements have emerged from the Congress, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the World Heritage Convention and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Protecting and enhancing rivers

By becoming a member of the IUCN, IFGR is strengthening its position as a spokesperson for rivers and its original, integrated and multidisciplinary approach to better understand and protect these living entities by linking stakeholders and territories.

In addition to our unique ability to unite people around the study and experimentation fields that are rivers, we will be keen to promote our know-how within the IUCN to link the issue of nature protection to those of the economic development of territories, adaptation to climate change, urbanization or food, highlighted by our international panel of experts and the partnerships already forged with key players in the fields of water, climate or sustainable health.

Thank you to La Tour du Valat and the French Water Partnership for supporting us in our membership process!