Connected by Nature: Highlights from the Americas Pavilion at the 2025 World Conservation Congress
Over five days, the Americas Pavilion showcased how the region is shaping global conservation, through Indigenous leadership, cutting-edge science, innovative finance, and partnerships that link local action to global ambition.
Minister of Environment of Panama Juan Carlos Navarro at the event OECMs: Effective, Representative, Equitable and Fair Conservation, with IUCN ORMACC Regional Director Úrsula Parrilla.
Photo: Oscar Villeda Ceballos
Photo: @Mariana Saba
IUCN WCEL Chair Dr. Christina Voigt speaking at the event: From standards to practice: international and regional frameworks on environmental and climate justice.
Photo: Oscar Villeda Ceballos
Photo: Oscar Villeda Ceballos
Karen Keenelyside speaking at the event: Sustainable Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban and Land Planning
Photo: Oscar Villeda Ceballos
Photo: @Mariana Saba
Connected by Nature
From the Arctic to Patagonia, the Americas Pavilion stood out as one of the most dynamic spaces at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Co-organized by IUCN’s Regional Offices for North America (NARO), Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (ORMACC), and South America (SUR), the Pavilion brought the continent’s extraordinary ecological, cultural, and political diversity into a shared platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action.
A Continental Hub for Collaboration and Action
Serving as a regional anchor within the Congress theme “Powering Transformative Conservation,” the Americas Pavilion functioned as a space where regional priorities directly informed global conversations. Governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth, scientists, and the private sector came together to address biodiversity loss, climate change, and social equity in an integrated way.
Key figures at a glance:
72 events across five days
1,500 participants
350 speakers from more than 250 IUCN Member organizations
Representation from all seven IUCN Commissions
Through scientific sessions, high-level panels, and inter-regional dialogues, the Pavilion highlighted both shared challenges and region-specific solutions—demonstrating the Americas’ essential role in advancing a just, resilient, and nature-positive future.
The full Pavilion agenda is available in English and Spanish, with additional resources hosted on the Americas Pavilion at Congress IUCN Engage page.
Seven Themes, One Shared Vision
Events at the Pavilion were organized around seven core themes, reflecting the breadth of conservation challenges and innovations across the Americas:
Protected and Conserved Areas & OECMs
Blue Economy: Coasts and Oceans
Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Adaptation
Regenerative Agriculture and Water Security
Environmental Justice and the Rights of Nature Defenders
Nature-Positive Private Sector Action
Sustainable Cities and Subnational Leadership
Sessions explored topics ranging from ecological connectivity in marine protected areas and protection of the ocean twilight zone, to sustainable food systems rooted in Indigenous knowledge, green finance aligned with nature-positive outcomes, and evolving frameworks for environmental and climate justice.
From Dialogue to Impact: Major Announcements and Launches
The Americas Pavilion was not just a space for conversation—it was a launchpad for concrete action, policy leadership, and new partnerships spanning the continent.
Scaling Forest Restoration
A major highlight was the official launch of the Forest Action Facility, created by IUCN and KfW with an initial €19 million investment from Germany. The Facility aims to mobilize large-scale finance to restore forests and landscapes in Central America and Ecuador, strengthen community resilience, and reinforce Indigenous leadership.
Learn more: IUCN and KfW Launch New Initiative to Scale Up Forest Restoration in Latin America
Advancing Large-Scale Conservation
IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) unveiled a new global publication on scaling up large, connected conservation areas, drawing on 12 international case studies and offering guidance aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The launch emphasized the urgency of coordinated, science-based conservation at scale to address both biodiversity loss and climate change.
Read more: IUCN WCPA launches new publication on scaling up conservation
Strengthening Human Dimensions of Conservation
The Wilder Institute officially launched a new IUCN Centre for Species Survival (CSS) focused on the human dimensions of conservation. Developed in close collaboration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission, the Centre will address often-overlooked social and cultural dimensions of conservation—linking sustainable use, livelihoods, and human health with species survival. The Centre will serve as a global hub for inclusive, multi-sectoral conservation approaches.
Learn more: IUCN Centre for Species Survival – Wilder Institute
Mobilizing Philanthropy and Conservation Finance in North America
The IUCN US Fund hosted a high-level dialogue on U.S. funding for international conservation, bringing together leading philanthropies and donor institutions to explore evolving funding landscapes and future opportunities. Panelists included representatives from the Arcus Foundation, EarthX, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Bezos Earth Fund, African Parks, and others. The discussion complemented the IUCN Philanthropy Summit held prior to Congress and highlighted the strategic role of North American philanthropy in scaling global conservation impact.
Related event: US funding for conservation: what can be expected in the “new normal”
Learn more: IUCN US Fund
Driving Multilateralism and Global Cooperation
North American leadership was further reflected through events hosted by NRDC, which used the Pavilion as a platform to build momentum around several NRDC-led IUCN Motions adopted at the Congress. Among them was Motion 145, reaffirming IUCN’s commitment to multilateralism and global cooperation. The Motion calls for urgent analysis of how declining international cooperation undermines biodiversity, climate, and health goals, and urges renewed engagement in multilateral processes critical to conservation outcomes.
Learn more: Motion 145 – Reaffirming IUCN’s commitment to multilateralism and global cooperation
Related release: IUCN Congress adopts nine NRDC-led resolutions
Recognizing OECMs in Panama
The Minister of Environment of Panama, Juan Carlos Navarro, signed the ministerial resolution that formalizes the recognition of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in the country, setting a precedent for other governments in the Mesoamerica and Caribbean region to develop their own regulatory frameworks for OECMs. The signing took place during the “OECMs: Effective, Representative, Equitable and Fair Voluntary Conservation” event, where Government representatives, Indigenous Peoples, and regional experts highlighted OECMs role in advancing the global 30x30 target and strengthening conservation beyond traditional protected areas and where the Guidelines for the Identification, Assessment, and Monitoring of OECMs in Mesoamerica were presented. The main objective of the guidelines is to support the efforts of countries in the region to meet their biodiversity conservation targets, through the review of current conservation systems, the establishment of new priorities, and the identification of new management models.
Read more: Panamá lidera el reconocimiento de las OMEC en Mesoamérica
Policy Leadership and Regional Influence
The Pavilion played a strategic role in shaping outcomes beyond the exhibition space. It served as a coordination hub for Congress Motions, enabling Members from across the Americas to align positions, strengthen proposals, and build cross-border coalitions.
As a result:
112 of the 148 Motions adopted at the Congress were sponsored or co-sponsored by Members from the Americas.
Key issues advanced included ecological connectivity, Indigenous rights, climate-biodiversity linkages, and species protection.
Partnerships That Made It Possible
The Americas Pavilion was supported by $260,000 USD in sponsorships from governments, development agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. Sponsors included: The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, The Global Environment Facility, KFW German Development Bank, CAF, Para La Naturaleza, KOICA, IKI - International Climate Initiative, The European Union through the BIOPAMA Programme, The Government of Canada, Italian Development Cooperation Agency, World Economic Forum (WEF) - Global Plastic Action Partnership, IUCN US Fund, Conservation Allies, NRDC, Ministry of Environment of Brazil, Fundación Meri, Aje Group, Wilder Institute - Calgary Zoo, Yellowstone to Yukon, National Audubon Society, The Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation, and SUR + UAE Alliance for COP30.
An Advisory Committee—bringing together regional leadership and national committee representatives—provided strategic guidance on themes, event selection, and fundraising, ensuring strong regional balance and relevance.
A Lasting Legacy
Beyond its physical presence, the Americas Pavilion strengthened networks, elevated regional voices, and translated shared priorities into global commitments. From high-level policy influence to grassroots knowledge exchange, it demonstrated how collaboration across borders and sectors can accelerate conservation at scale.
As the Congress concluded, one message was clear: The Americas are not only responding to global conservation challenges—we are helping to lead the way forward.
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