Themes
The five RCF24ENCA themes will be discussed in a structured and facilitated manner during the Thematic Sessions to offer guidance for IUCN’s future work.
- Sustainable growth: Working with nature
Sustainability lies at the core of all development patterns. Existing approaches to growth have proven inefficient and highly detrimental to natural resources. These are not only environmental targets; they have a strong social and economic angle. Approaches like the circular economy or natural capital will be crucial in this transition. - Low-impact food systems: a needed balance
Biodiversity-positive food systems ensure food security and nutrition for everyone, everywhere, in a manner that supports economic, social, and environmental well-being for current and future generations. Identifying new and innovative tools, approaches and best practices are key to achieving sustainable food systems. - The climate challenge
Climate change ranks amongst the biggest challenges our planet faces today and it cannot be tackled in isolation from the biodiversity crisis. Biodiversity and the ecosystem services it underpins are essential to both climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Designing climate-smart policies and solutions requires cooperation and coordination across multiple sectors. - Conservation outcomes
Conservation outcomes remain at the centre of our effort to curb the tide of biodiversity loss. The Global Biodiversity Framework and EU Biodiversity Strategy set ambitious goals which require bold decisions and concerted action at all levels. Examples of successful policies and activities on the ground are essentially important to keep momentum and boost ambition. - Nature restoration
Nature restoration implies taking proactive measures to restore and conserve ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed. Apart from providing multiple environmental benefits, it has great potential for developing new tools and technologies, resource mobilisation, community engagement and private sector involvement.
Example topics include: Wetland restoration, Nature-based Solutions, private sector engagement, nature restoration tools, ecosystem monitoring, community action, nature restoration policies and regulation, and post-conflict recovery.
Pathways
Within their construct and discussions, the RCF24ENCA sessions will reflect transformation pathways addressing the following issues. Members across the region have identified these pathways as cross-cutting issues that need collective attention and action. RCF24ENCA aspires to embed these key issues throughout the different elements of the conference.
- Civic spaces
Strong civic engagement is an indispensable part of norm-making and healthy and sound decision-making processes. Civic forums, civil society organisations, citizens’ assemblies, and similar forms of civic engagement are becoming more important for good and fair environmental governance. This follows the “whole of society approach” of the Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). - AI and digital solutions
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to revolutionise human society and life on Earth. Still, there are many unknowns as to how it will unfold and mean to nature conservation. - Next generation leadership
Promoting a new generation of leaders is a timely investment into an inclusive, diverse and sustainable future. It should not be understood as the question of generational transition, in fact, it is a whole set of values, attitudes and operational principles which would enable young professionals to be fully integrated into all decision-making processes. - Innovative tools and standards
Science, knowledge and standards have always been the backbone of IUCN’s work, recognition and credibility. The question we want to address is how to stay relevant and keep the knowledge edge while embracing emerging new technologies, knowledge management systems, and approaches to data generation and governance. - Finance for nature
The needed resources to make actions happen are still not secured, even after decades of discussions. New promising targets (such as the CBD’s $200bn/year, or the EU’s 10% of its budget) point in an ambitious direction, but it is to be seen if they will be achieved.
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