Secretary-General, in Message to World Conservation Congress, Says Combination

Of Science, Passion Needed to Translate Rio Commitments into Lasting Legacy

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the fifth International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, held in Jeju Province, Republic of Korea, 6-15 September:

I am pleased to greet the fifth International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) World Conservation Congress.  I thank the Government of the Republic of Korea and Jeju Province for hosting.

Jeju Island embodies the intricate beauty and harmony of nature for which IUCN is such a successful advocate.  The United Nations places great value on its partnership with IUCN.  Thanks to its observer status in the United Nations General Assembly, your organization is a dynamic participant in our discussions.  And indeed, we need your voice and your engagement.

Our planet faces formidable environmental challenges.  It is increasingly clear to an ever-greater number of people — from pastoralists to policy makers — that our well-being and sustainable development depend on taking nature into account in all our decision-making.  This understanding was reinforced at the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development earlier this year.

Our challenge now is to turn the Rio commitments into a lasting legacy.  For that we will need the combination of science and passion that IUCN has provided for so many years.

The theme of your Congress — “the Resilience of Nature” — tells us that there is still time to change course.  The world counts on you to help us build the future we want.  I look forward to working with you in that crucial endeavour, and I wish you a successful meeting.

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For information media • not an official record