Rainforest Trust’s CEO Dr. Paul Salaman and conservation officers are in Hawaii for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC). Paul’s reflections about the conference’s purpose and how it aligns with Rainforest Trust’s mission are below.

Today saw the opening of the World Conservation Congress (WCC), a meeting held every four years by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which is the world’s largest global environmental network. The IUCN creates a unique forum for governments and civil society groups, such as Rainforest Trust, to come together and work to address pressing issues affecting the survival of biodiversity.

Over the next two weeks, Rainforest Trust conservation staff will be helping to develop important new partnerships with a range of stakeholders. These partnerships will help us further our mission of protecting threatened tropical forests and endangered wildlife by partnering with local and community organizations in and around vulnerable areas.

The congress is divided into two “sections.” The first, which runs until September 5, is the main forum where over 7,000 people from conservation organizations and governments come together to share experiences, develop collaborations and showcase efforts to address critical and complex challenges facing biodiversity.

The second part of the congress is when decisions on the IUCN’s work plan for the next four years are made. Here, the approximate 1,300 members of the IUCN are invited to vote on motions, elect key positions and lay the foundation for significant conservation action during the next four years under the IUCN.

Rainforest Trust is built on the belief that collaboration is the key to conservation success. The IUCN WCC provides an important opportunity for groups, no matter how big or small, to have a say on the international conservation stage. It helps to empower those groups on the front lines of conservation battles, enabling high level issues to be highlighted in a public arena.

Stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter during the coming week, as we will continue to provide updates on progress throughout the meeting. For those of you attending the meeting, we encourage you to come and meet the Rainforest Trust team and learn more about our efforts and the work of our partners. Please come and find us at booth 633.

Aloha!

Header photo: Rainforest Trust’s CEO and conservation officers with partners. Photo courtesy of Rainforest Trust.