NGOs

After enjoying a day of excursions and respite from discussions in plenary, apart from some contact group meetings, IUCN members reconvened on Friday for the 6th sitting of the Members’ Assembly. In the morning, members considered and adopted the draft IUCN Programme 2017-2020 and the Report of the Congress Programme Committee. Members called for: coherence of motions with the programmatic themes on species, governance and nature-based solutions; recognition of agreed-upon language and definitions of “biodiversity” from other UN processes; elaboration on the biodiversity-agriculture linkages, particularly regarding freshwater; and greater emphasis on ecosystem-based adaptation, mitigation measures and nature-based solutions. In the afternoon, during the 7th sitting of the Members’ Assembly, members heard presentations by, and voted for candidates for the positions of: President, Treasurer and the Chairs of: the Species Survival Commission; the World Commissions on Environmental Law and on Protected Areas; and on the Commissions Education and Communication; Ecosystem Management; and Environmental, Economic and Social Policy. The Secretariat presented: the IUCN's Financial Report by the Director General and Treasurer for the period 2012-2016; the report of the Congress Finance and Audit Committee of the Audited Financial Statements for the years 2012-2015; and the appointment of the external auditors, assigning this role to PricewaterhouseCoopers. In the evening, the Members’ Assembly resumed voting on a number of motions. The Secretariat also presented the outcome of the elections for positions of the IUCN Regional Councillors, Commission Chairs, Treasurer and President for the period 2017-2020. The Members’ Assembly re-elected Zhang Xinsheng as IUCN President and Patrick de Heney as Treasurer for the period 2017-2020. A contact group met in the evening on motion 7 on closure of domestic markets for elephant ivory. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has produced daily reports, daily web coverage, summary videos from the Forum and the Members Assembly, as well as a summary report from the IUCN Congress 2016, which is available in HTML and PDF format. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page 6th Sitting of the Members' Assembly View of the dais during discussions of the draft IUCN programme 2017-2020 Zhang Xinsheng, President, IUCN Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General John Robinson, Councillor for North America and Vice President, IUCN Tamar Pataridze, Regional Councillor for Eastern Europe, North and Central Asia, IUCN Cyriaque Sendashonga, Global Director, IUCN Policy and Programme Group Delegates during the session Gabriela Pignataro, Cultura Ambiental, Uruguay Manu Monge Ganuzas, Geological Society of Spain José Brilha, European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage Abdou Kane, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Senegal Nicholas Robinson, International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) Tereza Thompson, State Nature Conservancy, Slovakia Marina von Weissenberg, Department of the Natural Environment/Biodiversity, Finland View of the dais during the discussion on the progress report of the Resolutions Committee Malik Amin Aslam Khan, Vice President, IUCN Simon Stuart, Species Survival Commission, IUCN Cath Wallace, Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand Antonio Claparols, Ecological Society of the Philippines Margaret Beckel, Canada National Committee, IUCN Skumsa Mancotya, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Delegates vote for various motions throughout the morning 7th Sitting of the Members' Assembly Delegates gather for the 7th sitting of the Members' Assembly to elect the IUCN Commission Chairs, Treasurer and President Michael Wilson, Election Officer, IUCN Delegates vote for the officers Patrick de Heney, Treasurer, IUCN Spencer Thomas, Chair, Finance and Audit Committee, IUCN Delegates applaud the election of the IUCN Regional Councillors, Commission Chairs, Treasurer and President Sean Southey, Chair, Commission on Education and Communication Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair, Species Survival Commission Angela Andrade, Chair, Commission on Ecosystem Management Antonio Herman Benjamin, Chair, World Commission on Environmental Law Kathy MacKinnon, Chair, World Commission on Protected Areas Kristen Walker Painemilla, Chair, Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy Patrick de Heney, Treasurer, IUCN Zhang Xinsheng, President, IUCN Around the Venue Delegates speak informally between sessions Sione Leolahi, Niue Island United Association of NGOs, with Siosiua Latu, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy and Information, Tonga Susan Lieberman, Wildlife Conservation Society, US, with Dawud Mume, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority A delegate reads the IISD website for coverage of the IUCN Congress Jaime Bonilla Barbosa, Mesoamerican Society for Biology and Conservation, Mexico, and Olivier Chassot, Mesoamerican Society for Biology and Conservation, Costa Rica

On Saturday, participants attended the second day of the Forum, during which they continued to explore solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing conservation and sustainability challenges. High-level events convened on empowering next generations, with panelists sharing new approaches to conservation of nature and integrated approaches to empowerment. In another high-level event, panelists addressed ending wildlife trafficking with perspectives from government as well as solutions from the private sector, civil society NGOs and CITES. Throughout the day, participants explored: achieving the conservation imperative for sustainable development; engaging Pacific youth as future environmental and cultural leaders; making pledges towards achieving the Bonn Challenge; incorporating climate adaptation into agency-level planning in the Pacific islands region; and the importance of gender equality for SDG implementation and conservation projects. In other events, panelists discussed: Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA); the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP); effective Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA); new Bonn Challenge pledges; and solutions for a crowded planet in global commons. During the Heritage Heroes awards, Bibhuti Lahkar was announced as the winner for presented his work on the Manas Tiger Reserve and his efforts in the area of capacity building for local youth, NGOs, and ex-poachers. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has produced daily reports, daily web coverage, summary videos from the Forum and the Members Assembly, as well as a summary report from the IUCN Congress 2016, which is available in HTML and PDF format. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth and Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Bonn Challenege High-Level Dialogue 1: Restoration Leadership in Action Panel speakers during the session Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Zhang Xinsheng, President, IUCN Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany José Pedro de Oliveira Costa, Secretary of Biodiversity and Forests, Ministry of Environment, Brazil Sydney Alexander Samuels Milson, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Guatemala Listen to Young Voices: Engaging Pacific Youth as Future Environmental and Cultural Leaders and Communicators through Creative Expression Panel speakers during the session Takiora Ingram, Pacific Writers' Connection Robert Pennybacker, PBS HIKI NŌ, and Hoku Subiono, HIKI NŌ graduate Joni Mae Makuakāne-Jarrell, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Craig Santos Perez, English Department, University of Hawai‘i Kenneth Makuakāne, Musician Making Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Effective: Evidence from the Field to Improve Policy and Practice Participants during the workshop Ali Raza Rizvi, IUCN Shaun Martin, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Adam Whelchel, The Nature Conservancy Marta Perez de Madrid, IUCN Xiaoting Jones, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Participants engage in small group discussions The SDGs Journey: Achieving the Conservation Imperative for Sustainable Development L-R: Hugh Possingham, University of Queensland; Xavier Sticker, Ambassador for the Environment for France; Charles Barber, World Resources Institute (WRI); James Watson, Wildlife Conservation Society; Jeffrey Sachs, The Earth Institute; Celeste Conners, Hawai‘i Green Growth; and Nestor Batio Bassiere, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Green Economy, Burkina Faso Celeste Conners, Hawai‘i Green Growth James Watson, Wildlife Conservation Society Presentations made during the session Charles Barber, WRI Nestor Batio Bassiere, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Green Economy, Burkina Faso Leah Silverman graphically records the discussions Participants during the session Conservation 2.0: Empowering Next Generations Participants gather for the high-level session Inger Andersen, Director General, IUCN Paul Rose, National Geographic Society, and Alison Sudol, Goodwill Ambassador, IUCN Justin Bogardus, Independent Filmmaker Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT) Bruno Monteferri, Founder and Director, Conservamos por Naturaleza Jonathan Jarvis, Director, National Parks Service Anne Walton, International Marine Protected Area Management Capacity Building Program Rick Bates, CEO, Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) Jane Goodall, UN Messenger of Peace Everybody's Business: Ending Wildlife Trafficking Panel speakers during the session Patricia Zurita, CEO, BirdLife International Cristián Samper, President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Society Jesca Eriyo, Deputy Secretary General, East African Community Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International Nyi Nyi Kyaw, Director General, Forest Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Myanmar Catherine Novelli, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, US John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES Incorporating Climate Adaptation into Agency-Level Planning in the Pacific Islands Region Christin Reynolds, Hawaiʻi Green Growth, addresses participants Chip Fletcher, University of Hawaiʻi, and Sam Lemmo, State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Rick Camp, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Zena Grecni, East-West Center Clay Trauernicht, University of Hawaiʻi Global Commons - Solutions for a Crowded Planet Panelists of the event Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, the GEF Nebojsa Nakicenovic, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Andrew Steer, President, World Resources Institute (WRI) Penny Langhammer, IUCN WCPA/SSC Joint Task Force on Biodiversity and Protected Areas Aroha Mead, IUCN The youngest delegate at the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress Heritage Heroes Awards Participants gather for the Heritage Heroes Awards Cyril Kormos, WILD Foundation Musicians perform at the awards ceremony Awards are presented to the Heritage Heroes (L-R): Julia Miranda Londoño, WCPA; Bibhuti Lahkar; Bantu Lukambo; and Yulia Naberezhnaya Press Conferences Throughout the Day Press conference on SEIC Agreement (L-R): Giulia Carbone, Panel Chair, IUCN; Doug Nowacek, Duke University; Wendy Elliott, WWF; Deric Quaile, Shell Global Solutions; Azzedine Downes, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW); and Stewart Maginnnis, IUCN. Press conference on New Bonn Challenge Pledges - Passing the 100 Million Hectares Milestone (L-R): Stewart Maginnis, IUCN; Bianca Jagger, IUCN’s Global Ambassador for the Bonn Challenge, Clement Chilima, Forest Department, Malawi; and Martin Keller, Latin American Alliance of Private Nature Reserves, Guatemala Event celebrating partners in knowledge: Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership and the Red List Partnership Around the Venue L-R: Alison Sudol, Goodwill Ambassador, IUCN; Bruno Monteferri, Founder and Director, Conservamos por Naturaleza; Paul Rose, National Geographic Society; Jane Goodall, UN Messenger of Peace; Rick Bates, CEO, Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF); Jonathan Jarvis, Director, National Parks Service; Justin Bogardus, Independent Filmmaker; Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, AFPAT; Anne Walton, International Marine Protected Area Management Capacity Building Program Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, shakes hands with Zhang Xinsheng, President, IUCN Achim Steiner, Director, Oxford Martin School Participants meet informally throughout the day L-R: Aida Greenbury, Managing Director, Sustainability at Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) ; Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany; Sydney Alexander Samuels Milson, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Guatemala; Marcelo Furtado, Executive Director, Arapyaú Institute; Rosa Lemos de Sá, CEO, Funbio; and José Pedro de Oliveira Costa, Secretary of Biodiversity and Forests, Ministry of Environment, Brazil Members of civil society demonstrate outside the venue