News Published: 30 January 2024

Reverse the Red is pleased to announce the first-ever World Species Congress to take place on 15 May 2024 as a fully virtual 24-hour gathering encouraging 100,000 commitments and actions towards species conservation.

In 2008, at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, IUCN Members adopted Resolution 4.019 calling for a World Species Congress to fill the need for a science-based, interdisciplinary, inclusive gathering to highlight the status of species and chart the future course of species conservation. Reverse the Red’s convening of a World Species Congress will be a forum for collaboration to drive conservation action forward, as we work together to meet expectations of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), signed on 19 December 2022.

Michael Clifford, Strategy Director for Reverse the Red says of convening the Congress: “It is time to showcase our achievements and strategically plan what needs to be done to drive real, measurable impact for species forward. Reverse the Red is excited to convene this event because we are committed to catalyzing strategy, efforts, and collaboration to reverse species declines and restore thriving populations. This is what the World Species Congress is all about. With a vast network of government, species impact, and storytelling partners, we can shift the trajectory for species survival.”

The World Species Congress will amplify our collective conservation efforts and facilitate 100,000 critical connections and commitments that accelerate our impact for species. These include commitments to individual next steps such as trainings and network involvement and organizational commitments made as part of the Reverse the Red Species Pledge, which will create a coordinated map of key actions aimed at species recovery. Participants of the Congress will hear from and connect with government agencies, environmental ministers, botanical garden, aquarium, and zoo leaders, Species Specialist Groups and IUCN SSC members, nongovernmental organizations and conservation practitioners, community leaders, biodiversity-minded corporations, wildlife, biology and ecology students and academics, and anyone working to save species. The programme will include live panel discussions, problem-solving sessions, field visits and behind the scenes tours, interviews, and other engaging storytelling.

Prof Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and co-chair of the Reverse the Red Executive Committee believes that: “the future is bright and filled with possibility because of focused, strategic, evidence-based efforts that we see around the world. Since the 2008 World Conservation Congress we have witnessed numerous stories of conservation success that create an opportunity to learn from , but also to amplify their impact and accelerate their utilization. The World Species Congress will help us realize this future.”

David Field, Vice President of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and co-chair of the Reverse the Red Executive Committee, adds: “Reversing declines for threatened species and recovering biodiversity is possible. At the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), we have pledged to reverse the decline of at least 50 species by 2030. Reverse the Red’s species impact partners, including our aquarium, botanic garden, and zoo networks, are critical pieces of the efforts to save species. The World Species Congress is an opportunity to accelerate and amplify successful strategies as we collaborate and, together, increase the collective impact for species.”

World Species Congress Details:

The World Species Congress will be fully subsidized thanks to generous sponsors so that all who care about conserving species can participate. It will take place across 24 hours to highlight wisdom and experience across all time zones and be presented in speakers’ native languages with simultaneous translations or subtitles. In person satellite events will facilitate richer connections, deeper conversations, and a broader reach. Organizations will announce specific commitments to save species as part of the Reverse the Red Species Pledge, increase capacity, or enhance conservation efforts. A series of state-level satellite events will discuss critical next steps for countries planning targets and actions around their biodiversity protection and Reverse the Red will announce the launch of an NBSAP Medal to be awarded at the World Conservation Congress in 2025 to celebrate and reward plans from each region. The programme will include inspiring success stories, invitations to direct next steps for individuals and organizations to enhance conservation impact, time to make connections, and abundant access to tools and resources.

The most up to date information can be found at https://www.reversethered.org/world-species-congress-2024

Registration will open February 7, 2024 on Reverse the Red Day

Interested parties are invited to subscribe to a newsletter on the website to find out more about registration, release of programmes, and to connect with the Reverse the Red team on ways to get involved.

The World Species Congress will be presented thanks to:

Headline Partners: Disney Conservation Fund and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios

Gold Sponsor: Wilhelma Zoologisch-Botanischer Garten

Silver Sponsors: WAZA Contributing Members, Kölner Zoo, and Zoo Leipzig

Logo Design and Contributions by Peppermint Narwhal

And with thanks to all Reverse the Red Executive Committee Member Organisations:

Co-Chairs: IUCN Species Survival Commission and World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Executive Committee Members: HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Zoos Victoria, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, and Re:wild

Contact:

Megan Joyce | communications@reversethered.org

Tania Kahlon | tania.kahlon@waza.org

Aritzaith Lambright | ssc@iucn.org

About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 15,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

www.iucn.org

https://twitter.com/IUCN/

About the IUCN Species Survival Commission

With over 9,500 members in 186 territories, the Species Survival Commission (SSC) is the largest of the seven expert Commissions of IUCN and enables IUCN to influence, encourage and assist societies to conserve biodiversity by building knowledge on the status and threats to species, providing advice, developing policies and guidelines, facilitating conservation planning, and catalysing conservation action. Learn more at www.iucn.org/ssc.

About Reverse the Red

Reverse the Red is a global coalition co-chaired by IUCN SSC and WAZA that ignites strategic cooperation and action to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems and reverse the negative trend of biodiversity loss. Through a strategic initiative, Reverse the Red brings together a diverse network of leading scientists, advocates, and partners committed to using a data-driven and science-based approach to assess, plan, and act for species conservation. Reverse the Red provides the tools and expertise to empower governments, partners and local communities to set and reach species conservation targets and celebrates and amplifies successful achievements for species.

About WAZA

The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats around the world.

Learn more at http://waza.org