2025 IUCN Motions and Sustainable Use

This policy brief reviews the Motions before the 2025 IUCN Members' Assembly from the perspective of sustainable use. It aims to assist Members in making decisions on whether to vote in favour or against IUCN Motions with implications for sustainable use of wild species.

Section 1 summarises a selection of 11 key documents which set out IUCN’s position on sustainable use. These include the Statutes, the World Conservation Strategy, Caring for the Earth, and various adopted Resolutions and Recommendations.

Section 2 briefly explains the voting process, which includes Motions to be voted on electronically from 27 August to 13 September and Motions to be voted on at the Members Assembly taking place from 13 to 15 October at the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. 

In Section 3, we highlight the Motions which appear to be particularly relevant to sustainable use and indicate whether these are likely to support or undermine IUCN’s position on sustainable use. 

In Section 4, we provide additional details and comments on preambular and operative clauses of the Motions that have implications for sustainable use. For some that are to be further debated at the Members’ Assembly, we highlight potential changes that could be made. 

Finally, Section 5 provides additional details and comments on the Motions we do not think have direct relevance to sustainable use. We provide these too, as Members will have different perspectives and may want to think about them from a sustainable use perspective.

Our commentary and suggestions as to whether or not a Motion is likely to support or undermine sustainable use are intended to stimulate reflections by the Members about the efficacy of the Motions, recalling the centrality of sustainable use in the IUCN Mission: 

To influence, encourage, and assist societies to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

Produced by the African Wildlife Economy Institute and the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation, in collaboration with the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group, Jamma Conservation and Communities, and Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation.