International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – Motion 042
Context:
The IUCN has adopted Motion 042 during its World Conservation Congress on October 16, 2025, marking a historic moment as it became the first multilateral organisation to formally recognise fossil fuel production as a direct threat to nature.
About IUCN
• Full form: International Union for Conservation of Nature • Founded: 1948 • Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
• Purpose: To influence, encourage, and assist societies to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.
• Composition: A unique membership of both government and civil society organisations.
• Major publications: Red List of Threatened Species, Global Biodiversity Outlook reports, etc.
About Motion 042
• Adopted by: IUCN during the World Conservation Congress (October 16, 2025)
• Tabled by: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) • Co-sponsors: • BirdLife International • Coordinadora de la Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica (COICA) • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Key Features of Motion 042
1. Recognition of Fossil Fuels as a Threat:
• For the first time, a multilateral body has explicitly recognised that fossil fuel production itself (not just emissions) is a direct threat to biodiversity and ecosystems.
2. Focus on Supply-Side Measures:
• Calls for tackling the root causes of both climate and biodiversity crises by focusing on supply-side interventions—limiting extraction and production, rather than only reducing demand.
3. Phase-Out of Fossil Fuels:
• Urges governments to phase out coal, oil, and gas production. • Calls for a moratorium on new extraction projects. • Emphasises a just transition for workers and affected communities to ensure social and economic stability.
4. Ecosystem Protection at Source:
• Prioritises the protection of ecosystems at the site of extraction—acknowledging that damage begins long before combustion (through mining, drilling, and habitat destruction).
5. Exploration of New Global Instruments:
• Encourages the development of new international legal instruments to close gaps in global fossil fuel governance. • This includes exploring frameworks such as the proposed Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, modelled on nuclear disarmament principles.
6. Call for Civil Society Action:
• Urges civil society organisations, indigenous groups, and local communities to push for fossil fuel phase-outs and resist new extraction projects.
Linked Motions
1. Motion 038: • Focuses on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and a “just, orderly, and equitable” transition away from fossil fuels.
2. Motion 141: • Welcomes the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion that affirms states’ legal obligations to prevent climate harm and protect intergenerational rights.
Significance of Motion 042
• Global First:
• Marks the first formal recognition by a major multilateral organisation that fossil fuel production itself poses a fundamental threat to the planet’s ecosystems.
• Shift in Conservation Policy:
• Moves the global conservation agenda from managing impacts to addressing root causes.
• Supports Global Climate Goals:
• Aligns with the Paris Agreement and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Strengthens international advocacy for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Empowers Developing Nations and Indigenous Voices:
• Emphasises indigenous rights, community-led conservation, and equitable transitions in fossil fuel phase-outs.
Motion 042 represents a landmark shift in the global conservation and climate discourse.By directly identifying fossil fuel production as a threat to biodiversity, IUCN has bridged the long-standing divide between the climate and nature agendas. It calls for a global rethink of how societies produce and consume energy, anchoring environmental protection at the source of ecological harm rather than its aftermath.