Nature crime at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

Ahead of the IUCN World Conservation Congress (Abu Dhabi, October 2025), the Nature Crime Alliance Secretariat is working with members to get environmental crime on the agenda.

Motion resolution

A draft IUCN motion on nature crime was submitted by Alliance members World Resources Institute (WRI), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the National Whistleblower Center (NWC), coordinated by the Secretariat.

This proposal has been merged with a complementary motion submitted by France and the International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) focused on strengthening international cooperation and technical assistance to prevent and combat environmental crimes. The result is a unified motion on ‘Crimes That Affect the Environment’, crafted to ensure coherence, avoid duplication, and elevate IUCN’s positioning on this critical issue.

The motion has already received strong support during the online discussion. When adopted by IUCN Members, it will serve as a meaningful contribution, help guide the work and policies of IUCN, and be a potential model for a resolution at the UN World Crime Congress, which will also take place in Abu Dhabi, in April 2026.

Thematic session on nature crime

There will also be a thematic session on nature crime during the Congress. Submitted by WRI, WCS, and NWC, the session is one of 75 selected from more than 1,000 submissions, and will take place on Saturday 11 October at 11am-12:30pm.  

The thematic session ensures that nature crime will receive the high-level visibility and attention it deserves during the Congress.

Thanks to the leadership of its members and the collective strength of the Alliance, including members of IUCN, nature crime is gaining critical momentum within IUCN, keeping the issue firmly on the global conservation agenda.

For more information, please contact Elodie Perrat, Senior Government Engagement Manager, at elodie.perrat@wri.org