A Voice for Nature #31, IUCN news from Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Dear Readers,

Welcome to issue #31 of A Voice for Nature, and thank you, as always, for your continued interest in nature conservation across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Just before the summer break, we reached several milestones and shared some exciting news - discover more in our In Focus section dedicated to IUCN updates in Central Asia.

We are pleased to share a special feature marking the International Day for Biological Diversity, taking you on a journey through recent efforts by IUCN Members, Commissions, and the Secretariat to protect species diversity across our region. As preparations for the IUCN World Conservation Congress continue, we invite you to explore an inspiring draft programme taking shape.

We take this opportunity to congratulate our members once again: Center for the Protection and Research of Birds of Montenegro CZIP on their 25th anniversary, Camp Alatoo for receiving the national medal for strong environmental engagement, and the two 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize winners from Albania! As always, we round off with the latest publications, announcements, and media highlights.

We hope you find inspiration in these updates, and warmly thank all our contributors to this issue.

Enjoy the read,

IUCN ECARO Editorial

IUCN in Central Asia

IUCN opens Central Asia Office in Tashkent to strengthen regional cooperation for conservation

The IUCN and the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan officially inaugurated IUCN’s new Central Asia Office in Tashkent. This marks a major step in scaling up conservation efforts in Central Asia, driven by IUCN’s expertise and Uzbekistan’s commitment to fostering regional environmental collaboration.

IUCN welcomes Tajikistan as its newest State Member

The world’s largest environmental network, IUCN, proudly welcomes the Republic of Tajikistan as its 88th State Member. The announcement was made at the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, hosted in Dushanbe, underscoring the country’s leadership in putting glacier conservation and water management at the centre of global environmental dialogue.

Uzbekistan hosts first IUCN Red List training to strengthen biodiversity conservation

The Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with IUCN, welcomed participants from across the country to the first national training on applying the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. The workshop helped increase national capacity for assessing species extinction risk and support evidence-based biodiversity conservation, while further reinforcing Uzbekistan’s growing contribution to global conservation efforts.

IUCN at the Glaciers’ Preservation Conference

IUCN participated in the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 29-31 May, calling for urgent action to safeguard glacier ecosystems as critical assets for climate regulation, water security, biodiversity, and regional stability.

Stay informed

We are excited to invite you to join the new IUCN Eastern Europe and Central Asia Telegram channel, launched to mark the opening of our regional office in Tashkent. Stay connected for the latest updates, opportunities, and insights from across the region!

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LAND, WATER AND OCEAN