Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of IUCN and Managing Director of the MBZ Species Conservation Fund, shared a compelling message ahead of the IUCN World Conservation Congress:

“Today, on the International Day for Biological Diversity, I want to share a powerful perspective: biodiversity is the world's oldest and most sophisticated information network.

Each species represents a unique library of evolutionary wisdom, encoded in DNA refined over millions of years. When we lose a species, we don't just lose a physical entity; we lose an irreplaceable repository of information that took eons to develop.

Nature isn't a luxury—it's our planet's most extensive knowledge system. Within it lies solutions to challenges we're only beginning to face, from water scarcity to efficient resource cycling that wastes nothing.

As President of IUCN, and through initiatives like the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, I'm proud to stand with thousands of conservationists who are protecting this vital information network—species by species, place by place.

This year, we have an extraordinary opportunity ahead: the IUCN World Conservation Congress is coming to Abu Dhabi! It's where global leaders will come together to chart a better course for preserving nature's silent information exchange.

On this International Day for Biological Diversity, let's commit to being active participants in this network. Whether through citizen science, supporting conservation initiatives, or simply connecting with the biodiversity around you—we all have a role in protecting this evolutionary knowledge for generations to come.

I look forward to seeing you at Congress!”

In recognition of the International Day for Biological Diversity, Razan Al Mubarak delivered a powerful message underscoring the importance of global collaboration to protect our planet's biodiversity. As President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, she highlighted the significance of the day's theme, "Be Part of the Plan," as a call to action for everyone to contribute to safeguarding nature.

Ms. Al Mubarak emphasized the ambitious goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to protect 30% of the world's land and marine ecosystems. She also pointed to the UAE Consensus and the Joint Declaration for Climate, Nature, and People, forged at COP28, to stress the intrinsic connection between climate goals and the health of global ecosystems. She explained that achieving climate aspirations is impossible without conserving our planet’s natural world.

In her remarks, she urged governments, businesses, civil societies, and individuals to embrace the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UAE Consensus as guiding principles. She called for integrating biodiversity conservation into climate strategies, acknowledging that protecting nature is essential to addressing climate change.

Razan Al Mubarak’s closing message was one of hope and determination: in unity lies strength. By coming together as part of a global plan, she believes we can create a sustainable and equitable future for all.

Watch her full message here.