A recent warning from the natural world came via the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ last April. Two of Antarctica’s most iconic species, the emperor penguin and the Antarctic fur seal, are now Endangered due to climate change. Low levels of sea-ice are wiping out entire penguin colonies, while seals are finding it increasingly hard to hunt krill due to warmer sea temperatures.
When we turn our attention to land and sea ecosystems, the message strikes a similar tone. Climate threats now affect more than 40% of natural World Heritage Sites, some of the most outstanding places on Earth that support climate regulation and provide cultural and economic benefits to communities around the world. In fact, climate change has now surpassed all other threats to these extraordinary areas, according to IUCN’s latest World Heritage Outlook report.
But these and other alerts are not falling on deaf ears.
Last year has shown that renewable energy is now a reality, with solar and wind generation outpacing electricity demand growth, thereby preventing an increase in fossil-fuel generation.
To ensure the energy transition works for both the climate and nature, IUCN is devising a range of innovative solutions with our Members, partners and donors. Examples include advanced technologies and ecological monitoring to minimise the impact of wind turbines on birds and bats, and rethinking offshore wind farm design to create new habitats for fish and other marine life.
At the IUCN 2025 World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, IUCN Members adopted a range of Resolutions and Recommendations to address the climate crisis from multiple angles, including mitigation, adaptation and governance. These include Resolutions calling on States to honour and accelerate their climate commitments; promoting responsible wind energy development; advancing net-zero, nature-positive, just transition pathways; mandating policy development on geoengineering; and analysing governance gaps in the supply of fossil fuels – as reflected in motions 017, 034, 038, 041 and 042, among others. At IUCN, we know that by accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels, recognising the role of nature and urgently scaling up climate finance, humanity can prosper and build a world where generations to come can thrive.
A further reason for hope comes from the landmark Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which clarified that States have obligations under international law to protect the environment from anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and to act with due diligence to prevent significant environmental harm. Its subsequent affirmation by the United Nations General Assembly reinforces the growing recognition that addressing climate change is not only an environmental imperative, but also a matter of international responsibility, cooperation and justice. IUCN welcomes both the ICJ Advisory Opinion and its endorsement by the UN General Assembly. Together, they strengthen the foundation for more ambitious, science-based and equitable climate action, and reaffirm the importance of safeguarding nature as an essential ally in building a resilient and sustainable future.
Above all, this year’s theme reminds us that climate action is a collective endeavour. Governments, businesses, cities, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, scientists and young people all have a role to play in shaping a more sustainable future. Nature-based Solutions demonstrate the power of this collaboration, bringing together different sectors to protect, restore and sustainably manage ecosystems while delivering benefits for climate, biodiversity and human well-being. From restoring forests and wetlands to protecting mangroves and grasslands, every action matters. No contribution is too small, and no single actor can succeed alone. The scale of the challenge demands that we work together, guided by science, inspired by nature and united by a shared responsibility to future generations.
Nature has delivered its message. The question now is whether humanity will answer. Let us choose action over delay, cooperation over division, and leave future generations a planet where both people and nature can thrive.
Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General
