On World Rhino Day 2024, a mixed story for the world’s five species of rhinos

The Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) was established by the CBD to address the lack of taxonomic information and expertise available in many parts of the world, and thereby to improve decision-making in conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of the benefits derived from genetic resources. The GTI was developed by governments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and is implemented by governments, non-government and international organizations, taxonomists, and institutions.

The GTI is specifically intended to support implementation of the work programmes of the Convention on its thematic and cross-cutting issues. The Guide to the GTI includes an introduction, the programme of work, and links to further information. The European GTI Toolkit is a comprehensive tool that covers GTI topics in further detail.

This IUCN policy affirms that sustainable use of wildlife can be consistent with, and contribute to, biodiversity conservation This fundamental principle applies to all species, whatever their level of extinction risk. However, stringent safeguards and a high level of precaution are required when considering whether or not the harvest of a threatened species can be justified.

How to use

• The policy can be downloaded at: Rep-2000-054.pdf (iucn.org)
• Detailed guidance on the harvest of species assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List can be downloaded at: https://nc.iucnredlist.org/redlist/content/attachment_files/Guidelines_for_Appropriate_Use_of_IUCN_Red_List_Data_in_Harvesting_of_Threatened_Species_ver_1.pdf

The ISSG is a network of global species on IAS. It facilitates the exchange of information and knowledge on IAS across the world and promotes linkages between knowledge, practice and policy to inform decision-making. The two core activity areas of the ISSG are policy and technical advice, and information exchange through online resources and tools and networking. ISSG is currently working with partners on a global initiative, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) (site is under development), which is aimed at developing national-level validated, and annotated inventories of IAS. ISSG is also working with partners on to develop a prototype online resource IAS pathway management – the Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource. It will include information on IAS pathways and legal information related to the management of specific pathways.

The Treaty was developed by FAO. The objectives of the Treaty are the conservation and sustainable use of all plant genetic resources for food security and agriculture, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use. The Treaty puts 64 of the most important crops that together account for 80% of the food derived from plants into an easily accessible global pool of genetic resources that is freely available to potential users in the Treaty’s ratifying nations for some uses. The Treaty ensures that access to genetic resources already protected by international property rights is consistent with international and national laws.

How to use

The Treaty and further information can be accessed at: https://www.fao.org/plant-treaty/en/

The capacity development strategy of the international treaty 2023–2030 are available at: https://www.fao.org/3/nk298en/nk298en.pdf

These guidelines were prepared in 2016 by the Preventing Poisoning Working Group of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. The guidelines cover the impacts from five priority poisoning areas: insecticides, rodenticides, poison-baits, veterinary pharmaceuticals, lead ammunition and fishing weights. Six key recommendations.

This is a / EBSAs are / a CBD initiative to identify marine areas that serve important purposes in supporting the healthy functioning of oceans and the services they provide. EBSAs are identified according to seven criteria. Selection of EBSAs and conservation and management measures is a matter for States and competent intergovernmental organizations, in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

How to use

• To obtain search the global map of EBSAs: https://www.cbd.int/ebsa/
• For further details of the EBSA criteria: int/doc/meetings/mar/ebsaws-2014-01/other/ebsaws-2014-01-azores-brochure-en.pdf

The mission of the International Ranger Foundation is ‘To develop, advance and promote throughout the world community, the Ranger profession, and its critical role in the conservation of natural and working cultural resources’. The IRF Code of Conduct provides a common definition for a ranger and templates for ranger values and codes of conduct and is available in several languages. The aim is for rangers to uphold the values and commit to the Code of Conduct.

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/

A capacity building programme to support emerging leaders spearhead conservation action for the most unique, extraordinary, and overlooked species on Earth (can indicate for same targets as CLP)

The Biological Diversity Protocol (BD Protocol) provides companies with a standardised accounting and reporting framework to consolidate their biodiversity impact data across value chains and jurisdictions. The BD Protocol assists companies to develop their biodiversity impact inventory and the associated Statements of  Biodiversity Position and Performance from site or project management to disclosure.

The BD Protocol is an output of the Biodiversity Disclosure Project (BDP), an effort spearheaded by the National Biodiversity and Business Network (NBBN) of South Africa and managed by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders. The BD Protocol aims to support existing impact measurement approaches so that biodiversity impact disclosure becomes comparable across industries and companies.

The IUCN Restoration Barometer is designed for use by countries that have committed to restore landscapes under international goals or agreements. It is used by governments to track the progress of restoration targets across all terrestrial ecosystems including coastal and inland waters. The Barometer allows governments to simplify and streamline reporting on their restoration commitments and it to track and record progress towards global goals, including The Bonn Challenge, the 30×30 target under the Post-2020 GBF, the Paris Agreement, and the Land Degradation Neutrality Target. Ecosystem restoration interventions are classified according to the IUCN Restoration Intervention Typology for Terrestrial Ecosystems (RITTE) and categorization of ecosystems by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The Barometer has eight indicators and records the size of the area being brought under restoration as well as the corresponding climate, biodiversity, and socio-economic benefits. Currently, only government focal points can create accounts on the Barometer website. New users can request an account and after verification, restoration related data can be entered securely. A set of simple tutorials is provided to assist the process.

The Rufford Foundation is a UK registered charity which funds nature conservation projects across the developing world.

The flagship Rufford Small Grants Programme gives funding to individuals working in developing countries who are starting on the ladder of conservation research and establishing pilot programmes. In some cases, if their work progresses well, these individuals may apply for one of the further grants from the Foundation. Since the Rufford Small Grants Programme was set up over 20 years ago, it has given in excess of £30 million through more than 5100 grants to projects in over 150 countries. The programme identifies scientists at the very early stages of their careers and provides targeted support to enable them to achieve their goal of making a difference in terms of conservation. Many recipients have gone on to be key influencers at a national and sometimes global level