International Union for Conservation of Nature – European Regional Office

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, was established on 5 October 1948 in the French town of Fontainebleau. As the first global environmental union, it brought together governments and civil society organisations with a shared goal to protect nature. Its aim was to encourage international cooperation and provide scientific knowledge and tools to guide conservation action.

During the first decade of its existence, IUCN’s primary focus was to examine the impact of human activities on nature. It flagged the damaging effects of pesticides on biodiversity, and promoted the use of environmental impact assessments, which have since become the norm across sectors and industries.
Today, with the expertise and reach of its more than 1,300 Members – including States, government agencies, NGOs and Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations – and over 10,000 international experts, IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. It continues to champion nature-based solutions as key to the implementation of international agreements such as the Paris climate change agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
See for full history: https://www.iucn.org/about/iucn-a-brief-history

Mission

To influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.
The European Regional Office in Brussels represents IUCN at the EU level and works with the European Members to help deliver the Union’s goals.

Geographic Focus

Pan-Europe

Programme Areas

The IUCN European Regional Office represents around 360 Members (2017). We provide regional and global services to the Union, by providing vital linkages to EU institutions and other stakeholders in Brussels. Our primary role is to connect and engage in policy dialogues with European institutions, governments, civil society, NGOs, science and the business communities to improve conservation policy and action. As a science-based organisation, IUCN provides essential knowledge products for a broad range of policy debates. IUCN EURO focuses on issues such as biodiversity, nature conservation, agriculture, plastics, climate change, ecosystem services, nature-based solutions and the circular economy.