RCF24ENCA Programme

Opening Ceremony (1st floor, Plenary)

Global Transformations Dialogue (1st floor, Plenary)

The Global Transformation Dialogue will explore key global development trends at the intersection of socio-ecological systems and planetary boundaries. Five global leaders will discuss the major challenges facing these systems and how nature-based solutions can address them. The central question to be answered is: What kind of future are we heading towards, and what can we, as a community, offer to shape it? Moderator: Boris Erg, Director of the IUCN European Regional Office (EURO)

Introduction to the Forum Themes (1st floor, Plenary)

(1) Sustainable growth: Working with nature; (2) Low-impact food systems: a needed balance; (3) The climate challenge; (4) Conservation outcomes and (5) Nature restoration. Moderator: Alberto Arroyo Schnell, Head of Programme and Policy, IUCN European Regional Office (EURO).

Parallel Thematic Sessions 1

• IUCN Contributions for Nature Platform (IUCN)
• Climate change adaptation in action – the conservation challenge (The Wildlife Trusts)
• IUCN Youth Strategy: a dialogue for all (IUCN YAC)
• One Health in Nature Conservation (IUCN ECARO, Camp Alatoo)
• Europe's Key Role in Advancing Global Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (Wildlife Conservation Society EU Office)
• Pathways of Protected and Conserved Areas to meet Target 3 (IUCN WCPA-Europe)
• Genetic diversity indicators for long-term conservation of biodiversity (Copenhagen Zoo) 
• Nature Restoration – joint efforts and new endeavours in the Alpine Region (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation - BfN)
• Natural capital accounting and nature-based solutions: synergies for transformative change (VITO, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO))
• Challenges, solutions and policy impact of national red listing in the ICENCA regions (Europe, and North and Central Asia) (ICENCA, IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands, Zoological Society London,  Leo Foundation, Floron Foundation and other partners)

Parallel Thematic Sessions 2

• What can IUCN Members do for World Heritage conservation? (IUCN – World Heritage Team)
• Protected Areas Management Effectiveness and how to measure it against the 2030 goals? (EUROPARC Federation)
• NL2120: The Green Earning Capacity of the Netherlands (IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands - IUCN NL)
• Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in the Western Balkans: Collaborative Efforts of BDTF WB and IUCN (IUCN ECARO, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning of North Macedonia)
• Central Asia: Spotlight on wildlife trade, sustainable use and community management of wild resources (TRAFFIC)
• Recognising the role of youth in driving the transformation we need. A European perspective on pathways, strategies and accountability (WWF-Netherlands) 
• Species Survival Commission Members Meeting (IUCN SSC)
• Connecting to the knowledge and intelligence of animals – a novel high-tech approach for research and conservation (Zoological Gardens of Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin)
• Passing a warming baton – intergenerational (inter)action for effective leadership (Global Youth Biodiversity Network (Europe))
• Pollinators conservation: Advancing the National Red List Initiative (IUCN NL / IUCN SSC Specialists Group Hoverflies & Wild Bees / IUCN Med)

Parallel Thematic Sessions 3

• Life Prognoses: Bridging Science and Policy for the Protection of Europe's Old-Growth Forests (Stichting Zoniënwoud)
• Innovative Technology and Digital Solutions to Scale Fair and Effective Area-based and Species Conservation (IUCN, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey,  Nature Conservation Centre (Doğa Koruma Merkezi, DKM), Barcelona Provincial Council)
• Taking the next steps: moving from species assessment to planning and implementation of in situ and ex-situ species management actions - examples of tools, processes and programmes (European Association for Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) in collaboration with IUCN SSC CPSG)
• Youth involvement for next-generation leadership (Jane Goodall Institute Belgium)
• Ecocide Law and Financial Responsibility: Uniting for a Safe and Regenerative Future (Stop Ecocide International)
• Species Survival Commission Members Meeting (IUCN SSC) (continued)
• Mining and the Energy Transition: Protecting Forests, Biodiversity, and People (IUCN NL)
• The Green List Value Proposition for Protected and Conserved Areas in Europe and Central Asia (French Committee of IUCN)

Intergenerational Breakfast Sessions (4th floor). Young professionals meet:

• Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General   
• Boris Erg, Director of the IUCN European Regional Office
• Hilde Eggermont, Director General of the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)
• Madhu Rao, Chair, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 
• John Samaranda, IUCN Regional Councillor for East Europe, North and Central Asia

IUCN 20-year Strategic Vision (1st floor, Plenary)

• Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General
• Hilde Eggermont, IUCN Vice President/Director General, Flemish Institute of Nature and Forest
• Oliver Avramoski, Director, IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia 
• Boris Erg, Director, IUCN European Regional Office

IUCN Vision and Programme - discussion (3rd Floor, Meeting Rooms)

Lunchtime meetings 

• IUCN and shrinking civic spaces: network consultations with membership from Europe, North and Central Asia

Parallel Thematic Sessions 1

• Protected and Conserved Areas for a Sustainable and Secure Europe (IUCN WCPA Europe)
• Scaling Finance of High Integrity Tropical Forests (Wildlife Conservation Society - Europe)
• Land Stewardship: a great opportunity to boost public-private collaboration and other effective area-based conservation measures for nature conservation (Fundación Biodiversidad, Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Spain)
• Empowerment of volunteers as a driving force for nature conservation in Flanders. Grassroots in action (Natuurpunt)
• The C2C: Conflict to Coexistence approach - for integrated HWC management (World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF))
• Nature-based Solutions for agriculture and climate (IUCN French Committee)
• Update on IUCN resolution on Synthetic Biology (IUCN)
• Environmental Conservation of Protected Areas: Law Enforcement and the Role of Civil Society (Urban Research Institute)

Parallel Thematic Sessions 2

• Protected and Conserved Areas for a Sustainable and Secure Europe (IUCN WCPA Europe) (continued)
• Illegal wildlife trafficking, how is the EU coping? (IUCN French Committee)
• Nature Conservation in Wartime: Ukraine's Experience (Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group)
• Shifting the dial on Nature-based Solutions; temperate rainforest restoration in the UK (The Wildlife Trusts)
• Parasite Conservation - Importance, assessment and challenges (Hasselt University - Parasite Specialist Group)
• The Dutch Collective Nature-inclusive, a societal initiative of public private cooperation on integrating nature in the living environment, with (inter)national impact, (Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food quality) - Meeting room 1
• Nature-based education: empowering children & youth for a prosperous future (IUCN CEC)
• The Key Geoheritage Areas (KGA) initiative: an opportunity to promote geoconservation worldwide (IUCN WCPA-GSG, Geoheritage Specialist Group; ProGEO, The International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage; CPG-SGE, The Geoheritage Commission of the Spanish Geological Society; SEDPGYM, Spanish Society for the Defence of Geological and Mining Heritage)

Parallel Thematic Sessions 3

• Protected and Conserved Areas for a Sustainable and Secure Europe (IUCN WCPA Europe) (continued)
• Operationalising a Nature Positive Economy (Aarhus University/INBO)
• IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law meeting (for members and those interested in WCEL) (IUCN WCEL) - Meeting room 11
• IUCN Commission on Education and Communication Member Meeting (IUCN CEC)
• Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation)
• Peatland Restoration for Climate & Biodiversity - High-Impact Innovation (IUCN UK National Committee - Peatland Programme) 
• Subnational governments accelerating progress towards global biodiversity goals (Government of Catalonia)
• National Parks in Flanders: from idea to reality  (Flemish Agency for Nature and Forest)
• Towards an IUCN Policy on Natural Capital - Progressing IUCN Resolution WCC-2020-Res-120 (IUCN CEESP-CEM Task Force on Natural Capital)
• Marine Spatial Planning Challenge (Department of Marine Environment, Belgian FPS Health)

Intergenerational Breakfast Sessions (4th floor). Young professionals meet:

• Oliver Avramoski, Director of the IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) 
• Ann-Katrine Garn, Chair – IUCN National Committee of Denmark
• Chris Mahon, Co-Chair - IUCN Interregional Committee Europe, North and Central Asia
• Christina Voigt, Chair - IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law
• Thomas Brooks - Chief Scientist - IUCN

IUCN Commissions (1st floor, Plenary)

• Madhu Rao, IUCN WCPA Chair
• Christina Voigt, IUCN WCEL Chair
• Jon Paul Rodriguez, IUCN SSC Chair
• Luc Bas, IUCN CEESP Regional Vice-Chair for Europe, Central Asia and Mediterranean 
• Katalin Czippan, IUCN CEC Strategic Advisor & Nature Education for Sustainability Co-Chair
• Ian Convery, IUCN CEM Vice-Chair for Western Europe

The IUCN Policy Cycle: From Motions to Resolutions (1st floor, Plenary)

• David Goodman, IUCN Multilateral Policy Officer  
• Jan-Olov Westerberg, Chair, IUCN National Committee in Sweden / National Property Board of Sweden

 Process for nominating candidates from the regions for the IUCN Council (1st floor, Plenary)

• Maud Lelievre and Karlo Amirgulashvili, IUCN Councillors

Road to Congress: Preparation for IUCN WCC, Abu Dhabi 2025 (1st floor, Plenary)

• Iain Stewart, Director of Membership and Commissions, and Global Communications
• Vilmos Kiszel,  IUCN Councillor 

IUCN Governance processes including the changes to Statutes and Regulations and Membership Model (1st floor, Plenary)

• Sonia Castañeda and John Smaranda, IUCN Councillors 

Recap of vision and programme session and Key Forum Takeaways: Looking ahead (1st floor, Plenary)

• Chris Mahon, IUCN NCUK Chief Executive / ICENCA Co-Chair
• Stewart Maginnis, IUCN Deputy Director General 
• Abi Gardner, Founder and coordinator of GYBN UK

Closing remarks

• Chris Mahon, IUCN NCUK Chief Executive / ICENCA Co-Chair
• Boris Erg, Director IUCN European Regional Office
• Hilde Eggermont, IUCN Vice President/Director General, Flemish Institute of Nature and Forest
• Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General

Closing reception at the Concert Hall

Address: Concertgebouw Brugge / ‘t Zand 34, 8000 Brugge, Belgium