IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025: The Mediterranean engagement

The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, held in Abu Dhabi from 9 to 15 October, marked a defining moment for global conservation. As the first-ever hybrid Congress, it brought together more than 10,000 participants from 189 countries, both in person and online, across 1,000 events to shape priorities, adopt policies and launch commitments that will guide nature conservation in the years ahead

New leadership, Mediterranean voices

The Members’ Assembly elected IUCN’s leadership for the 2025–2029 term. H.E. Razan Al Mubarak was re-elected as IUCN President, alongside new members of the Council and Commission leadership.

Although the Mediterranean is not a statutory IUCN region, strong Mediterranean representation emerged through councillors elected across three IUCN regions: Africa, West Europe and West Asia. Five councillors from Mediterranean countries will contribute to IUCN governance, bringing diverse expertise from North Africa, Southern Europe and the Middle East.

IUCN

The Congress also confirmed the establishment of a new National Committee of IUCN Members in Albania, while the National Committee of Egypt had been validated prior to the Congress, strengthening national-level coordination and engagement

Motions shaping global policy, with strong Mediterranean input

Motions remain one of IUCN’s most powerful tools, allowing Members to influence global policy and guide the Union’s Programme. During the Congress, Members adopted 144 motions, including landmark decisions on ecocide, synthetic biology, geoengineering, artificial intelligence in conservation, and the central role of Indigenous leadership and knowledge.

Mediterranean organisations played a significant role in this process by submitting 51 motions. France led with 38 proposals, followed by Spain (10), Tunisia (2) and Albania (1). Several motions highlighted Mediterranean priorities, such as:

• Motion 014: Nature and agriculture: A motion led by France, with Spain’s support, promoted hedgerows to enhance biodiversity and ecological connectivity in agricultural landscapes.
• Motion 084: Sustainable bioeconomy: Another French motion called for advancing a circular and nature-positive bioeconomy.
• Motion 060: Conservation diplomacy: A Tunisian member introduced a motion framing nature conservation as a tool for dialogue in conflict-affected regions.
• Motion 103: Urban nature: The City of Paris submitted a motion urging stronger protection of urban and peri-urban forests, aligned with the Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions.
• Motion 130: Wetlands protection: Particularly notable was a motion led by the Mediterranean Alliance for Wetlands, calling for stronger safeguards for core zones of protected areas against unsustainable tourism, highlighting recent developments in Albania as a global warning.

Together, these motions illustrate how Mediterranean actors are integrating conservation with agriculture, diplomacy, urban resilience and sustainable development.

From global vision to regional action

Members adopted a new 20-year Strategic Vision and a four-year Programme 2025-2029, setting the course to 2030 and beyond. Mediterranean participation at the Congress was strong, underlining the region’s active role in shaping the global conservation agenda.

Participation from Mediterranean countries at the IUCN Congress was strong, with 207 member organisations represented across 24 countries. This level of engagement underlines the region’s active role in shaping the global conservation agenda.

To explore how IUCN’s newly adopted 20-year Strategic Vision and four-year Programme can be translated into action, Members from North African countries met to explore how the new Vision and Programme can be translated into concrete regional action, aligning priorities and sharing initiatives already underway across the region.

The African Pavilion and Mediterranean engagement

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation played an active role in the African Pavilion, a dynamic space for dialogue among governments, civil society, scientists, youth, the private sector and donors. North African representatives were highly visible, highlighting regional priorities on biodiversity, climate resilience and sustainable development.

IUCN Med staff contributed to and organised more than 25 events. Beyond the formal programme, IUCN Med curated the “Mubadarat” photo exhibition, featuring 20 portraits of women and young leaders driving nature conservation across North Africa. Supported organisations and IUCN Members acted as ambassadors, sharing the stories behind the images and the experiences of their communities.