Description:        Combining unique convening power and scientific authority, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) helps the world find pragmatic, sustainable solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.  The IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain, from 5 to 14 October 2008, will shape future policies and practices of conservation with active participation from all parts of the Union. It will also seek to engage new partners and constituencies to achieve our mission, and to make Barcelona the most successful World Conservation Congress ever.  Coinciding with IUCN’s ^6th anniversary, The IUCN World Conservation Congress will be the place for the conservation community to engage representatives of other sectors to reach agreement, share solutions and work in partnership for a diverse and sustainable world.

The Congress theme – a diverse and sustainable world:     What are our options for a sustainable future? The Congress theme – a diverse and sustainable world – is the umbrella for a compelling vision and pragmatic solutions. Government, civil society, science and the private sector are applying inspiring solutions. Their efforts demonstrate that integrated and long-term approaches to restoring, conserving and sustainably using natural assets can lead to new livelihood opportunities and social, economic and environmental vitality. Our challenge is how to replicate, scale-up and mainstream these encouraging innovations and how to create the enabling conditions for sustainable and equitable alternatives to flourish.  The know-how of these innovations will be showcased at the Congress. It will present community and local level initiatives, policy and governance reforms, solutions based on traditional and indigenous knowledge, new and more sustainable business models and investment opportunities, initiatives that inspire ethical behavior, actions of youth, methods to address gender equity, latest technologies and emerging multi-sectoral partnerships.  A major focus will be the role of economic tools and markets in supporting the transition to sustainability by stimulating new production practices and consumption patterns that enhance social justice and nature conservation. Alternative models for a sustainable future will be explored as will the necessary governance reforms, partnerships and political alliances required to reinvigorate the sustainable development movement.

Framework for contributions:

1. Sharing know how: Contributions to the Forum share know-how and lessons learnt of conservation approaches and techniques. Lessons learnt, best science, tools, techniques and approaches are presented that inform participants to your session on “how to” achieve a specific objective.

2. Reaching agreement: Contributions to the Forum build consensus on contentious issues between different stakeholders. Discussion focuses on trying to bridge differences of perception, knowledge or values and to arrive at a shared understanding of the issue and its solution.

3. Moving to action: Contributions to the Forum generate commitment of participants to work together on shared objectives with other stakeholders or specify what actions will be undertaken to contribute to the achievement of agreed objectives.

Contributions to the Forum don’t need to address all these objectives but should contribute to at least one, and can address all three when appropriate.

Congress streams:

1. A new climate for change: Climate change may soon accelerate beyond our power to avert catastrophic consequences. We must set limits to the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gasses. Setting and meeting such a target is politically and practically difficult, but essential. Besides mitigating the impacts of climate change and reducing emissions, we also need adaptation strategies that reduce risks, allow species to migrate, and keep future management options open. In this stream, we seek to present the best practice and science, discuss the main issues and identify a range of collaborative actions to address the relationships between energy, climate change, ecosystem goods and services and human security.

2. Healthy environments - healthy people. Environmental security is fundamental to human security. Human communities depend on ecosystem goods and services such as air to breathe, water to drink, soils to grow food, seas to fish in, and materials for construction. Nevertheless, the capacity of ecosystems to deliver these vital ecosystem goods and services is being eroded at an alarming rate. In this stream, we will look at the importance of natural resources to human well-being, security, cultures and equity.

3. Safeguarding the diversity of life. Countries and communities depend on natural wealth to fuel their development. Nature provides valuable assets that underpin the world’s social fabric, cultural diversity and economic progress. Yet we are drawing down on those natural assets as our dwindling biological diversity testifies. This stream, will examine the state of biodiversity and how it delivers ecosystem goods and services, how well-managed land and seascapes, including protected areas, sustainably deliver them, and how economic, social and cultural factors contribute to biodiversity loss or conservation. 6.

Multistakeholder involvement:    Contributions to the Congress involve a range of stakeholder involvement as far as appropriate. Participation of representatives of the private sector, indigenous communities, scientists, practitioners, politicians and others is actively sought to arrive at solid outcomes.