Celebrating 60 years of the IUCN Red List: A crucial tool in global conservation
2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This milestone was marked with the launch of a year-long social media campaign at the Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 16 in Colombia. It aims to create awareness about the importance of protecting species and to raise funds to accelerate the work of the IUCN Red List.
The campaign ‘Iconic Things are not Things’ is built on the idea that in today’s world people are fascinated with iconic things like sneakers, cars, motorbikes, watches etc. While these things hold high value, the same should be ensured for iconic species listed on the IUCN Red List.
The campaign leverages iconic things to raise awareness about iconic species which are significant animals, plants and fungi that represent the unique diversity of a habitat or region. For instance, the most iconic lobsters are not expensive sneakers, the most iconic blackberries are not outdated smartphones etc.
Since 1964, the IUCN Red List has evolved to become the most comprehensive source of information on extinction risk of animals, fungi and plants. Over 2.8 million people access the IUCN Red List every year. It guides donors in identifying the species, habitat or sites that need urgent attention. Educational institutions utilise the IUCN Red List to educate students about species and conservation efforts. It is also used by the private sector to understand the risks and opportunities of business operations.
The IUCN Red List is becoming a strong Barometer of Life serving as a starting point for informed conservation action. The campaign which will culminate at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 aims to raise funds so that the IUCN Red List can continue with these assessment and reassessment of species and guide conservation efforts.
Interested in the campaign? Follow us on —
Facebook— IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Instagram— iucnred_list
