WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North American Regional Office of International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Canadian Committee for IUCN (CCIUCN) is hosting the Regional Conservation Forum (RCF) for Canada from October 1-2, 2024.
The event, held under the theme Uniting Conservation Actions-Canada and Global, occurs every four years, and serves as the leading Canadian platform for knowledge and partnerships, bringing together key stakeholders in nature and biodiversity conservation.
This year, the forum is taking place at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, and will address key actions for achieving a nature positive future for Canada and the world. The Canada Regional Conservation Forum aims to evaluate conservation progress, revisit priority goals, and propose strategic directions for Canada’s key stakeholders.
"As we gather for the Regional Conservation Forum, we stand at a pivotal moment in our journey toward a nature-positive future. This Forum, along with the eight other regional forums taking place globally, is not only an opportunity to reflect on our achievements but also to contribute to a unified, bold, long-term vision that will guide our collective efforts over the next two decades. These discussions will help shape the direction of IUCN as we prepare for the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2025, where we will come together to solidify our commitment to a future where nature and humanity thrive in harmony," said IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak, addressing RCF participants.
“There is much we can learn from Canada’s approach to safeguarding the precious biodiversity within and outside its borders, in particular, its whole-of-society approach which is evident in its national climate and biodiversity plans. This approach which integrates voices from diverse stakeholders–many of whom are IUCN Members–is at the heart of IUCN’s work as a multi-stakeholder Union. And this Regional Conservation Forum serves as a platform to facilitate these critical conversations and bring together key players whose voices will help shape IUCN and the future of conservation so we can all work together to bring about a just world that values and conserves nature,” said IUCN Director General Dr Grethel Aguilar.
“The Regional Conservation Forum in Canada will assemble the country’s preeminent conservation professionals and stakeholders to explore collective goals for nature conservation. It will be an opportunity to align actions with Canada’s National Biodiversity Strategy and reaffirm the commitment to empowering Indigenous Peoples with stewardship of their lands, with the ultimate aim of ensuring the future of Canada’s protected areas. IUCN is proud to co-host this event with CCIUCN and to bring together Canada’s conservation community,” said Dr Tracy Farrell, IUCN North America Regional Director.
More than 100 representatives, IUCN Members, CCIUCN Members, IUCN Commission Members, and partners will gather at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa for the two-day event, with additional participants joining virtually. The participants will represent 16 of Canada's 27 IUCN Member Organizations and Agencies. Some 20% of attendees will be youth participants. There will be interactive workshops on Nature-based Education, Habitat Protection Legislation, Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation, and IUCN’s Contributions for Nature Platform among other topics.
The RCF will share updates on conservation action pursued by IUCN and CCIUCN Members. Participants will engage and partner with key experts from governments, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples organizations, scientific and academic institutions; and discover and learn from Member initiatives in alignment with pertinent global commitments including the Sustainable Development Goals, Kunmig-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
The forum will support the development of new partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders from across the country and advance the formation of conservation actions and policies aligned with Canadian priorities. Participants will contribute to the decision-making process for the IUCN Programme, paving the way to influence the global agenda-setting at the IUCN World Conservation Congress scheduled for October 2025 in Abu Dhabi.
IUCN acknowledges sponsors including the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and the Canadian Government including the Chief Finance Office, Parks Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Contacts:
IUCN Global Communications Unit: press@iucn.org
IUCN Washington D.C. Office: sarah.mitchell@iucn.org
About IUCN: IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 16,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Website: iucn.org
