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World Conservation Union (IUCN)

The World Conservation Union is an international think tank active in the conservation of the environment and the preservation of biodiversity. Its mission is to promote the preservation of biodiversity, the equitable and ecologically sustainable use of resources. Since its founding in 1948 it has come to develop a worldwide network of members from more than 80 countries with 42 regional offices and headquarters in Switzerland.

With nearly 800 NGOs in its network the IUCN proposes to foster dialogue between governments and NGOs in order to work on the common goal of conservation. It further supports a worldwide network of some 10,000 volunteer experts in environmental science, natural resource management, policy, law and education who contribute to setting global and national environmental standards and policies.

The IUCN invites participation in its policy development through active membership. It is funded by governments, bilateral aid agencies, multilateral and inter-governmental institutions, international conventions and NGOs. The IUCN is active in the preservation of wetlands in order to fight the decline of fresh water resources and biodiversity. Its key activities lie in the designing of wetland and water policies, the sustainable management of water resources, the restoration of wetlands, and the knowledge development and empowering of people.


IUCN website