Their common cause is concern for the sustainable future of the planet.  Human activity has had a massive impact on the world's ecosystems in the last hundred years.  Most, if not all, have been damaged in some degree, and it is generally accepted that the long-term economic and social costs of further deterioration could be heavy.  In many cases, the scale and complexity of the challenges involved are beyond the reach and resources of any one country or organization to address.  Hence, IUCN's evolution over six decades into the world's largest community of environmental experts. 

Our members act collectively to provide leadership, governance and set the organization's strategic agenda.  They benefit, in turn, from IUCN's scientific credibility, its unsurpassed knowledge base, its convening power, its networking opportunities, and the access it provides to high-level political, economic and social decision making.

In effect, we offer a unique, neutral forum where different interest groups come together to develop balanced, fact-based environmental proposals that carry real weight around the world.  By joining, you advance your own cause and add to our collective strength in overcoming barriers to a sustainable future.

Julia Marton-Lefèvre
IUCN Director General

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