Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi to host the 5th IUCN Species Survival Commission Leaders Meeting

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will be hosting the Fifth SSC Leaders’ Meeting in Abu Dhabi, from 25-28 October 2024.

The meeting will bring together more than 300 leaders and experts in species conservation from the world’s largest volunteer conservation science network.

Held every four years, the meeting aims to leverage the expertise and experience of SSC Groups to facilitate knowledge-sharing and collective action, with the ultimate goal of advancing species conservation.

Over 120 sessions are planned in a programme designed to reflect the Species Conservation Cycle (Assess-Plan-Act), which is the core framework for SSC activities, with an entire day fully dedicated to each of these components. The agenda comprises more than 20 plenary sessions and numerous workshops, panel discussions, symposia, and training opportunities, among other diverse sessions to share experiences and lessons learned by SSC leaders since the last meeting, and throughout the eight decades of the commission’s existence. 

Her Excellency Razan Khalifah Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature , said: “It is with great pride that the UAE, and Abu Dhabi in particular, continues its tradition of hosting the Fifth IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Leaders’ Meeting. As the sole location for this crucial gathering since its inception, Abu Dhabi remains a steadfast hub for conservation leadership. This year, we are bringing together hundreds of experts who are deeply committed to the urgent and standalone issue of species conservation.

“Our focus remains on the intrinsic value of preserving diverse species, each of which plays a unique role in the stability and functionality of ecosystems worldwide. While our primary mission is to halt and reverse the extinction of species, it's important to acknowledge that these conservation efforts inherently contribute to a broader environmental resilience. These actions not only safeguard our natural heritage, but also fortify our global capacity to mitigate, adapt to, and build resilience against climate change. By focusing on species conservation, we are indeed laying a foundation that benefits both biodiversity and the global community facing climate challenges."

Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said: “For more than 15 years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission has held transformative meetings in Abu Dhabi, shaping the direction and integration of species conservation efforts worldwide. These Leaders’ Meetings have become a cornerstone for strategic planning and cooperation within the Commission, the Union, and beyond. By bringing together such a specialised group of leaders, we will be able to bring to life actionable and inspiring solutions for species conservation for future generations to enjoy the wonders of nature.”

Prof Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair of the Species Survival Commission, said: “We feel at home in Abu Dhabi. Species Survival Commission Leaders now count on this life-changing experience every quadrennium. For some, it will be the first time that they meet in person with a Co-Chair of their own group. For others, it will be an opportunity to reconnect and continue a conversation initiated four years back. But for most, it will be an eye-opening, inspiring, challenging and nurturing four days, where they will recharge their batteries, widen their perspectives and increase their sense of belonging to this unique network. For me, it will be my last Leaders’ meeting as Species Survival Commission Chair, the most fulfilling professional experience that I have had.”

Another feature of this year’s meeting will be the engagement of SSC Leaders with local institutions to share expertise and knowledge on national and global species conservation challenges and actions to address these challenges.

During the previous SSC Leaders Meeting, held in Abu Dhabi in 2019, IUCN issued an urgent call emphasising conservation action for species as a shared responsibility. The Abu Dhabi Call for Global Species Conservation Action was a message to the world’s governments to take emergency measures to save those species most at risk of extinction. As a result, in 2023 IUCN launched the Global Species Action Plan.

The IUCN Species Survival Commission is the largest volunteer conservation science network in the world. One of its core themes is to develop knowledge on the status of species for global assessments. The Red List of Threatened Species remains a benchmark for assigning threat categorisations to species and is used globally as an indicator of the status of biodiversity. Global and national lists are important and most effective tools in mobilising actions for species conservation and their habitats. SSC and members of the Red List Partnership have assessed over 160,000 species globally.

EAD and SSC are the conveners of the meeting and SSC members the core participants. The Commission meets in Abu Dhabi for the fifth time to advance IUCN’s mission, which is: to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. All previous leaders’ meetings, since 2008, have been hosted by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.