THE 2016 WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: EXPLORING A WIN–WIN AGENDA FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET

This policy briefing describes the 2016 World Conservation Congress (WCC) convened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Honolulu, Hawai’i. It outlines the congress's role in shaping the global conservation agenda through a motions process, its alignment with 2015 global sustainability frameworks, and the specific strategic interests and challenges facing African and South African member organisations.

• The 2016 World Conservation Congress (WCC), held in Honolulu, Hawai’i from 1–10 September 2016, serves as a forum for 1,300 IUCN member organisations from 161 countries to address biodiversity loss. The event focuses on 100 proposed motions centered on valuing and conserving nature, equitable governance, and nature-based solutions for climate, food, and development.
• The IUCN Programme 2017–2020 is designed to act as a mechanism for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011–2020) and its Aichi biodiversity targets, as well as nationally determined climate change commitments.
• The IUCN utilizes a motions process to shape the global conservation agenda, which has produced 1,239 resolutions and recommendations since 1948. This process contributed to the creation of major treaties including the 1968 UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the 1971 Ramsar Convention, the 1975 CITES, and the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity. However, the system lacks formal compliance mechanisms or coordinated action plans for implementation.
• Specific motions at the 2016 WCC target diverse environmental issues, including natural capital valuation (Motion 063), extractives and mining in protected areas (Motion 026), and the role of local communities in fighting illegal wildlife trade (Motion 022). Other contentious topics include the closure of domestic ivory markets (Motion 007) and the termination of commercial captive-bred lion hunting (Motion 009).
• For Africa, the WCC is a platform to link regional priorities to international processes, specifically through Motion 086 regarding the African Agenda 2063 and the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Other relevant issues include the protection of all eight pangolin species (Motion 011) and combating illegal wildlife poisoning in Africa (Motion 010).
• South Africa participates in the WCC through 26 member organisations, including the national Department of Environmental Affairs, SANPARKS, Cape Nature, and various NGOs. These entities must balance divergent interests between government national objectives and NGO-led conservation agendas to maintain consistent voting positions.

APA

Chevallier, R. (2016). THE 2016 WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: EXPLORING A WIN–WIN AGENDA FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Policy-Briefing-152.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy. THE 2016 WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: EXPLORING A WIN–WIN AGENDA FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2016. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Policy-Briefing-152.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |title=THE 2016 WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: EXPLORING A WIN–WIN AGENDA FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Policy-Briefing-152.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier20162016, author = {Chevallier, Romy}, title = {{THE 2016 WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: EXPLORING A WIN–WIN AGENDA FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Policy-Briefing-152.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }