Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), underscored the importance of adhering to the Abu Dhabi Call to Action and the key priorities set to face the pressing global challenges ahead, at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress.
The IUCN Congress brought nearly 10,000 participants from 189 countries to Abu Dhabi for a week of dialogue, learning, and collective decision-making. Throughout, Ms. Al Mubarak expressed her appreciation that the United Arab Emirates had the opportunity to host the Congress and that the resulting global statement now carries the name of the city where the Union met.
The Abu Dhabi Call to Action reflects months of preparation and intensive discussions held during the Congress. It acknowledges that the world is facing a convergence of accelerating challenges: biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, pollution, climate instability, and widening inequalities. With only a few years remaining to meet the ambitions of the Global Biodiversity Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the Sustainable Development Goals, Congress participants affirmed that greater unity, urgency, and cooperation are essential.
Drawing from the diverse perspectives of governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, scientists, youth, faith communities, and the private sector, the Call to Action sets out five shared priorities for global action:
- Reaffirm nature as the foundation of human well-being, and protect, conserve, and restore land, freshwater, coastal, ocean, and polar ecosystems, while recognising and supporting those who steward them.
- Strengthen multilateralism and cooperation, grounded in justice, accountability, and the rule of law, to meet environmental challenges with coherence and resolve.
- Ensure justice, equity, and inclusion, by enabling meaningful participation across communities and generations and safeguarding environmental defenders.
- Advance science, knowledge, and innovation, drawing on scientific, traditional, and Indigenous knowledge to inform effective and sustainable solutions.
- Scale up and align resources for nature and climate action, including financial, technological, and human capacity, while eliminating harmful subsidies and incentivising nature-positive outcomes.
The Call to Action complements the decisions adopted at the Congress, including IUCN’s new 20-Year Strategic Vision, the 2026–2029 Programme, and 148 motions. Together, these commitments reflect the Union’s shared intention to turn ambition into measurable progress. Ms. Al Mubarak stated:
“The Abu Dhabi Call to Action stands as a reminder of what is possible when the global conservation community meets in a spirit of humility, listening, and cooperation. It carries the name of Abu Dhabi not as a claim of ownership, but as a reflection of the place where the world came together to reaffirm a common purpose: One Nature, One Humanity, One Future.”