IIED at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025
The IUCN World Conservation Congress is a once-every-four-years gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers from around the world. in 2025, IIED researchers and partners advocated for conservation that is equitable, inclusive and community led.
A mangrove forest grows next to a local community settlement in India (Photo: Faraz Ghori via Unsplash)
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, IIED researchers and partners advocated for conservation that is equitable, inclusive and community led. We showed how Indigenous Peoples, local communities and women are central to protecting nature, sustaining livelihoods and driving restoration.
Together with partners, our delegation shared practical examples and evidence of what this looks like in practice, while opening dialogue on shifting power, ensuring the sustainable use of biodiversity and mobilising finance that truly works for communities.
IIED co-hosted the Reimagining Conservation Pavilion – a space to challenge entrenched systems and imagine fairer, more resilient futures for people and nature.
What is the IUCN World Conservation Congress?
The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 was a major global gathering of conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers that takes place every four years.
It combined a knowledge-driven forum, an exhibition and the members’ assembly, where IUCN’s membership voted on motions that shape international conservation policy and action.
Events
Thursday, 9 October
Feeding the future - which food systems will survive escalating climate events?
Venue: Human-Centred Conservation Pavilion
Hosted by: Jamma International
Organising partners: Wild Sheep Foundation, Species Survival Commission, Conservation Visions, University of Oxford, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations
Speakers included: Dilys Roe, IIED
This panel brought together diverse voices to tackle a defining question: can food sovereignty and biodiversity conservation work together to build resilience, or are they on a collision course?
From the promise and pitfalls of agroecology to the realities of wild-harvested foods, panellists will confront trade-offs, challenge assumptions and share lived experiences from communities adapting on the climate frontlines.
A provocative discussion asked what just, resilient, human-centred food systems should look like, and tested principles of equity, rights, local leadership and cross-sector integration in shaping resilient, just and sustainable food systems.
Related resources: Assessing the sustainability of wild species use
Restore her rights: advancing gender equality and women’s roles in ecosystem restoration
Venue: CR B, Session Room 8
Hosted by: Women4Biodiversity
Organising partners: REDAA, IIED, Commission on Environmental, Economic, and Social Policy (CEESP), Fauna & Flora International, Network for Indigenous Peoples-Solomon, ICCA Consortium, UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration
REDAA and partners explored the vital role of women in restoring ecosystems and building resilience. Across rural and Indigenous communities, women are central to natural resource management, biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices. Yet barriers – from limited land rights to exclusion from decision-making – continue to constrain their leadership.
While the UN decade for ecosystem restoration calls for community inclusion, gender-responsive strategies remain underdeveloped. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) aims to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, with target 23 emphasising gender equity and participation.
Drawing on insights from the ‘Building Resilience and Weaving Gender Responsive Approaches to Biodiversity Governance’ project, led by Women4Biodiversity, this session shared principles and recommendations for gender-just restoration.
Friday, 10 October
Visions of transformation
Room: Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
Hosted by: Reimagining Conservation
Organising partners: IIED, Commission on Environmental, Economic, and Social Policy
This was an interactive discussion about the shifts needed in conservation practice to achieve transformative change for nature.
Starting points included perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities on the shortcomings of current conservation models; input by the authors of the IPBES Transformative Change assessment about key leverage points; and examples of emerging alternative conservation approaches.
It prompted discussions on how to go beyond incremental changes to address the root causes of inequality, separation from nature and biodiversity loss.
Whose area-based conservation? Exploring rights, responsibilities, knowledge and power
Venue: Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
Hosted by: Reimagining Conservation
Organising partners: IIED, Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
A dynamic dialogue on area-based conservation – one of the most contested issues in global conservation – saw Indigenous Peoples, local communities, NGOs and other actors come together to reimagine the values and worldviews that underpin conservation, challenge persistent power dynamics and share rights-based approaches.
The session explored how diverse practices can move from reflection and assessment to transformative change.
Related resources: Scaling up Equitable Governance in Area-based Conservation (SEGA) | Building collective power for equitable governance in conservation
Advancing equity and rights in conservation using the SAGE tool
Venue: Nature Positive Pavilion
Hosted by: RECOFTC Nepal
Organising partners: Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, IIED
Speakers included: Phil Franks, IIED; Naira Dehmel, IIED
This session featured an introduction to the site-level assessment of governance and equity (SAGE) tool and its relevance to the 30x30 target, showing how SAGE helps site-level actors assess governance and equity and plan actions for improvement. It then focused on practical examples from protected areas in Nepal, showcasing assessment results and actions now being implemented.
Staff from the national NGO leading this work in Nepal – RECOTFC – guided the event, with NGO partners from other countries contributing to discussion.
Related resources: Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity (SAGE) for protected and conserved areas: manual for SAGE facilitators
Reimagining species-based conservation
Venue: Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
Hosted by: Reimagining Conservation
Organising partners: IIED, Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
Speakers included: Dilys Roe, IIED
Species-based conservation is often focused on the need to protect endangered species – particularly the most iconic – and there can be an assumption that this protection entails a separation from people.
This session presented alternative perspectives on how to monitor, manage and conserve species – highlighting some of the tensions that exist between Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge, between protection from use and protection through use, and between high-tech approaches and low-tech community-based monitoring.
It also highlighted efforts that have been made to combine these different approaches rather than setting them at odds with each other.
People are big mammals too: advancing governance in community-led conservation
Venue: Online gallery and 12 touchscreens
Hosted by: IIED
Organising partners: KWCA
This interactive multimedia poster explored how to advance governance in community-led conservation. It was available in an online gallery and viewable onsite on 12 touchscreens for the duration of the event.
Saturday, 11 October
Becoming better allies: how can conservation NGOs better support Indigenous and community-led conservation
Venue: Nature Positive Pavilion
Hosted by: IIED
Organising partners: WWF
Exclusionary, top-down conservation is being challenged, and the global biodiversity framework now places human rights-based approaches at its core. Yet barriers continue to slow progress.
This session in a collective space with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth and other marginalised groups shared lessons and explored how NGOs can better support inclusive, ethical conservation. Together, participants examined ways to overcome barriers to Indigenous and community-led conservation.
Related resources: Transforming Conservation: towards Indigenous- and community-led nature stewardship
What are the barriers to shifting power?
Venue: Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
Hosted by: Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
Organising partners: Reimagining Conservation, IIED
Speakers included: Barbara Lassen, IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy/IIED
Despite international commitments, progress towards genuine recognition and support for the rights, values and institutions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in conservation practice and policy is slow.
This session featured a frank discussion between conservation actors on the barriers to progress, and on the necessary actions to overcome them. Speakers presented examples of where the walk does not match the talk; as well as examples of genuine power transfer, collaboration and restitution of rights and governance.
Supporting rights and equity in practice
Venue: Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
Hosted by: Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
Organising partners: Reimagining Conservation, IIED
Rights-based conservation goes beyond community conservation, tackling power imbalances by engaging both duty-bearers and rights-holders.
This session shared practical examples and provide space to discuss how Indigenous and community organisations, NGOs, protected area managers, companies, conservation managers and others can implement more equitable and effective rights-based conservation.
Sunday, 12 October
The wildlife economy: prospering with nature
Venue: Conference Hall A: Session Room 6
Hosted by: International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
Organising partners: Fur Institute of Canada, Commonland, Southern African Wildlife College, The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR- ICRAF), African Wildlife Economy Institute (AWEI), COMFAUNA Comunidad de Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y en Latinoamérica
Speakers included: Dilys Roe, IIED
The wildlife economy integrates the sustainable use of wild species into conservation and livelihood strategies. This session focused on operationalising global biodiversity framework targets 5 and 9: halting overexploitation while enabling sustainable, legal use, and ensuring fair, equitable benefit-sharing for local, rural and Indigenous communities.
Experts shared insights and tools linking biodiversity, livelihoods and global goals, drawing on strategies, reports, analyses and CBD decisions. Interactive discussions explored governance, market-based solutions and co-develop actionable recommendations for legal and sustainable wildlife use.
Related resources: First line of defence (FLoD)
Monday, 13 October
Principles for inclusive nature action
Venue: Nature Positive Pavilion
Hosted by: IIED, CCI
Organising partners: Fauna & Flora International
Speakers includes: Dilys Roe, IIED
This session presented the eight principles and:
- Explored their links to initiatives such as UNEP Core Human Rights Principles for Private Conservation Organisations and Funders, the Global Indigenous Agenda for the Governance of Indigenous Lands, Territories, Waters, Coastal Seas and Natural Resources and the Roadmap for Advancing Rights and Equity in Conservation
- Shared good practices on integration, capacity and funding
- Identified opportunities for collaboration across terrestrial and marine programmes, and
- Built a broader network of actors advancing inclusive conservation to accelerate transformative change through 2030 and beyond.
Related resources: Principles for inclusive nature action
Additional resources
Project: Incentives for coastal conservation and fisheries management
Project: Connecting social protection with fisheries management and conservation
Article: Biocultural territories, biocultural heritage website
Project: Applying a human rights-based approach to conflicts over wildlife
Article: Transforming nature finance
