First 1,000 fungi on IUCN Red List reveal growing threats – IUCN Red List

Using a scientific framework to identify the world’s most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species, the EDGE of Existence programme highlights and protects some of the most unique, extraordinary, and overlooked species on the planet. EDGE species have few close relatives on the Tree of Life and are often extremely unusual in the way they look, live and behave, as well as in their genetic makeup. They represent a unique and irreplaceable part of the world’s natural heritage, yet an alarming proportion are on the verge of extinction.

To safeguard these species, we are committed to supporting, strengthening, and diversifying conservation leadership in critical regions. The EDGE Fellowship exemplifies this commitment. It is a 28-month fellowship for local early-career conservationists from lower- and middle-income countries. We equip these emerging leaders—EDGE Fellows—with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities required to advance their careers and spearhead effective conservation efforts for the world’s most unique and extraordinary species.

The extinction of species is a call to action for all of us, and we stand ready to answer that call and contribute to a healthier and vibrant planet for all species.

Basándose en ejemplos de los sectores de tecnología y de empresas emergentes (startups), la UICN desarrolló la idea de una incubadora para identificar y alimentar las ideas de los administradores de áreas protegidas y de otros agentes que carecen de conocimientos, recursos o contactos profesionales para hacerlas realidad: la Incubadora para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (INC, por sus siglas en inglés). El objetivo del presente documento es reunir las lecciones, ejemplos y recursos clave generados a través del trabajo de INC para guiar futuros proyectos de financiamiento de la conservación y ayudar a cerrar la brecha entre conservación e inversión.

Competence frameworks are widely used in many professional sectors, helping to develop capacity by defining and recognising the required skills, knowledge and personal attributes. Registers of competences have been developed within the conservation sector. A global register of competences for threatened species recovery practitioners is a register of competences in the form of a directory of the possible skills, knowledge and personal attributes required by practitioners working in threatened species recovery programmes around the world, in both in-situ and ex-situ contexts. This register has the potential to transform approaches to capacity development within threatened species recovery and help improve the effectiveness of this branch of conservation. Its structure largely follows that of A global register of competences for protected area practitioners (Appleton, 2016).

This WWF report is part their contribution to boosting nature-positive production at scale. The report outlines changes that are needed to create food systems that support rather than exploit nature, with a focus on agricultural production systems. It also feeds into the advocacy for the UNFCCC 26 (Climate CoP). The report highlights that nature positive production of food can and must be part of the solution for addressing biodiversity loss.

The purpose of 1995 FAO Code of Conduct is to set international standards of behaviour for responsible practices to ensure the effective conservation, management and development of aquatic resources, the ecosystem, and biodiversity. These standards may be implemented at the national, subregional, and regional levels.

These Guidelines define terms and set out guidance on the justification, design, and implementation of any reintroduction or conservation translocation, including (i) reinforcement and reintroduction within a species’ indigenous range, and (ii) conservation introductions, comprising assisted colonisation and ecological replacement, outside a species’ indigenous range. The Guidelines focus on conservation translocations, namely a translocation that yields quantifiable conservation benefit. For this purpose, the beneficiaries should be the population or the ecosystem of the translocated species. Translocation needs rigorous justification. Feasibility assessment should include a balance of the conservation benefits against the costs and risks of both the translocation and alternative conservation actions. There are multiple  risks in a translocation, affecting the focal species, their associated communities and ecosystem functions in both source and destination areas; there are also risks around human concerns. Any proposed translocation should have a comprehensive risk assessment.

How to use

• To download the guidelines: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/10386
• To seek advice on translocations, and for details of training courses, contact the IUCN SSC Conservation Translocation Specialist Group at: https://iucn-ctsg.org/
• A comprehensive set of reintroduction case studies covering a wide range of flora and fauna is included in a series of books Reintroduction Perspectives. These are available to download at: https://iucn-ctsg.org/resources/

Ecosystems are critically important components of Earth’s biological diversity and as the natural capital that sustains human life and well-being. Yet all of the world’s ecosystems show hallmarks of human influence, and many are under acute risks of collapse, with consequences for habitats of species, genetic diversity, ecosystem services, sustainable development and human well-being. The IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology is a hierarchical classification system that, in its upper levels, defines ecosystems by their convergent ecological functions and, in its lower levels, distinguishes ecosystems with contrasting assemblages of species engaged in those functions. This report describes the three upper levels of the hierarchy, which provide a framework for understanding and comparing the key ecological traits of functionally different ecosystems and their drivers. An understanding of these traits and drivers is essential to support ecosystem management.

This guide to practical, science-based approach to national biodiversity assessment and prioritisation has been produced by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. The approach is based on the principles of Systematic Conservation Planning and is augmented by 10 operating principles. It sets out a practical, science-based approach to spatial biodiversity assessment and prioritisation and forms an excellent starting point to inform national spatial planning exercises, including detailed advice for low resource situations.

The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Ecosystem Approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and living resources to promote conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. It is the primary framework for such action under the CBD and it contains 12 core principles. The Ecosystem Approach Sourcebook contains a Beginner’s Guide, Advanced Guide, Tools and resources, a Case Study Database, and Operational guidance for applying the 12 principles of the Ecosystem Approach.

How to use

To access the EA Sourcebook and operational guides: https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/

To download and subscribe to the CBD Ecosystem Newsletter: https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/ea-newsletters/

The governments of the world adopted the following definition of an OECM in 2018: “A geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio–economic, and other locally relevant values”. OECMs complement protected areas through sustained, positive conservation outcomes, even though they may be managed primarily for other reasons. These sites are documented in the World Database on OECMs. This definition was only recently adopted and most countries have not yet provided data, but this does not mean that no OECMs exist in those countries. The World Database on OECMs is available on the Protected Planet website.

How to use

For IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) guidance on recognising OECMs:

https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2019.PATRS.3.en

To search for information on an existing site on the World Database on OECMs:

https://resources.unep-wcmc.org/products/4c1733823f2a451e8d5ecbaaef3f1a06WDPA

IBAT is a biodiversity impact assessment tool that enables companies and other users to screen the potential risks to biodiversity and key sites from proposed development. IBAT is

based on three global datasets, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, World Database on Protected Areas, and World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas]. IBAT provides data, tools, and guidance to assist organisations in acting on biodiversity-related risks and opportunities, and provide sustainable funding to support biodiversity datasets. IBAT has a GIS download service which is available through five plans, ranging from free to USD 35,000 /year, according to the level of access required. Data can be downloaded at global level or at more local levels. Biodiversity data reports can be generated as a pdf document, or as raw data in CSV format, and/or map files. IBAT report templates include a simple proximity report, a World Bank Group risk report, and a freshwater report.

The Urban Alliance is a diverse global coalition of international partners committed to bringing cities into balance with nature. Several resources are available including an IUCN  briefing paper, the Urban Nature Indexes: methodological framework and key indicators, and the IUCN Urban Toolbox. This is a catalogue of IUCN knowledge products on urban biodiversity that provides guidance to subnational governments, municipalities, and urban professionals on nature-positive development in urban environments. The tools featured support assessment, planning, design, implementation, and monitoring.

How to use

• Information on The Urban Alliance can be accessed at: https://iucnurbanalliance.org
• The Briefing paper on Cities and Nature can be downloaded at: https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/cities-and-nature
• The Urban Nature Indexes: methodological framework and key indicators can be downloaded at: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/50782
• The IUCN Urban Toolbox is available in English, French and Spanish at: https://iucnurbanalliance.org/iucn-urban-toolbox-released-in-english-french-and-spanish/