Razan Al Mubarak Leads IUCN Council as Union Moves into Implementation Phase

117 IUCN Council Meeting

H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), presided over the 117th meeting of the IUCN Council in Gland, Switzerland, marking the beginning of implementation of the Union’s global agenda for nature, biodiversity, and species conservation following the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.

The meeting comes at a critical point for the Union, as it begins delivering on the outcomes agreed in Abu Dhabi. These include the Abu Dhabi Call to Action, the Union’s 20-year Strategic Vision, and the Programme of Work for 2026 to 2029. Together, they define IUCN’s direction as the global community enters the final years of this decade, with increasing urgency to meet 2030 goals.

As the world’s oldest and largest environmental network, IUCN brings together more than 1,600 Member organisations and over 18,000 scientific experts. This global network connects governments, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples, enabling science-based knowledge to inform policy and translate into action on the ground.

The Council meeting brought together representatives from across all regions, reflecting the diversity and global reach of the Union. Discussions focused on early priorities for implementation, including identifying resolutions requiring immediate action, setting direction for the Programme of Work, and establishing mechanisms to track progress and ensure accountability over the coming four years.

Council also confirmed the structure and roles of its standing committees, which will oversee programme delivery, financial performance, and governance. These arrangements are central to ensuring effective oversight as IUCN moves into this next phase.

Ms. Al Mubarak said:

“The World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi set a shared course for global action on nature. Our responsibility now is to deliver. The pressures on biodiversity are intensifying, and responding effectively requires a more integrated approach that connects science, policy and implementation. IUCN brings together the knowledge, partnerships and global reach needed to respond at scale, and our task is to ensure that this collective effort delivers practical and lasting results for nature and people.”

The meeting also considered how IUCN can strengthen support to countries and partners in implementing conservation commitments. This includes expanding access to science-based standards, tools, and data, and enabling more effective collaboration across regions.

At a time when global cooperation is under increasing strain, the Council reaffirmed the importance of working collectively to address shared environmental challenges. IUCN’s ability to bring together governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and scientific expertise remains central to advancing practical, scalable solutions for nature.

As IUCN enters this new phase, the emphasis is on execution. The direction set in Abu Dhabi now moves into delivery, with a focus on measurable outcomes and reinforcing the Union’s role as a leading global authority on nature conservation.

Razan Al Mubarak Opens ChangeNOW Summit, Highlighting the Role of Cooperation in Addressing the Planetary Crisis

ChangeNOW Summit

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), delivered the keynote of the opening ceremony at the ChangeNOW Summit 2026 in Paris.

Speaking alongside global leaders from science, business, and Indigenous communities, Ms. Al Mubarak emphasized that the defining environmental challenges of our time — climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation — are deeply interconnected and accelerating, even as the world faces broader uncertainty.

“These crises do not pause for political cycles or geopolitical rivalries. They remind us how deeply interconnected our futures truly are.

“Nature is not separate from our economies and societies — it is the foundation of them. Nature is central to our economy, our stability, and our humanity.”

Referring to the scientific framework presented by Johan Rockström, she highlighted that while science defines the limits of the Earth system, the response depends on collective human action.

“Science helps us understand these limits. What happens next is not about science. It is about the choices we make together.”

Ms. Al Mubarak also underscored the importance of cooperation across sectors and geographies, particularly at a time of increasing global tension.

“We do not come together because all is well. We come together because we believe things can, and must, be better and because we are willing to work together to create something of greater collective value.”

Ms. Al Mubarak pointed to IUCN as a practical example of multilateral cooperation in action, bringing together more than 1,400 Member organizations and thousands of experts worldwide to deliver science-based solutions for nature.

She concluded by stressing the urgency of implementation and the narrow window for action.

“By 2030, the world has committed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to protect 30 percent of land and ocean. We have no more time to delay these choices.”