The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has approved a historic motion to be presented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi from 9 to 15 October. The proposal highlights the strategic role of wetlands as an essential natural solution for mitigating climate change, adapting to its impacts, and protecting biodiversity.
The motion, promoted by Living Lakes, Fundación Global Nature, Wetlands International and other NGOs, comes at a key moment in addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Its approval not only represents an endorsement of wetlands by the world’s largest nature conservation network, with more than 1,400 members worldwide, including governments, organisations, indigenous peoples, research centres and companies, but also helps guide the work of the IUCN Secretariat and Commissions in the coming years, particularly in international forums such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) and the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP).
The approval of the motion is also an important step forward for all organisations working on wetland conservation and restoration. In recent years, the Living Lakes network and its partners have invested considerable effort into generating knowledge and evidence on the capacity of wetlands to mitigate climate change and combat biodiversity loss. These networking and research efforts, sustained over years, are now beginning to bear fruit.
Motion 023 was approved with overwhelming support from 100% of governments, 98.9% of NGOs, and strong backing of indigenous peoples and academic institutions. It is one of the most strongly supported motions in the entire Congress, reinforcing wetlands as a global priority and consolidating the international leadership of the Living Lakes network in collaboration with other international organisations.
The IUCN has also approved another motion related to wetlands that will be presented at the World Conservation Congress 2025. Motion 024, “Declaration on the urgent preservation of high mountain wetlands in Latin America and other regions of the world,” was adopted with strong support at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025. Governments voted 97.5% in favor, while NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and the private sector supported it with 98% approval. This result underscores high mountain wetlands as a global priority for biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience.
“Living Lakes Biodiversity & Climate Project (LLBCP) shows that protecting wetlands is not only a local necessity but also a global solution. We are at the IUCN Congress 2025 to support Motions 023 and 024, share our lessons, and work with partners to power transformative conservation for people and the planet”, said Johannes Muntau, LLBCP Programme Director.