International Union for Conservation of Nature

In the last few years, the concept of “shared value creation” has been a persistent catch phrase used by many progressive businesses indicating a shift away from water risk mitigation to creating value for the companies themselves but also communities, catchments, and nature as a whole. There is good reason for this shift. Water stewardship was never intended simply to make factories more water efficient.

Across Europe, North America, and beyond, landscapes are burning at a scale few imagined possible a decade ago. France, Spain, Greece and Turkey have endured another devastating fire season. The United Kingdom has declared drought across large parts of England and Wales following its driest July on record, while hundreds of wildfires have scarred landscapes more commonly associated with temperate forests than fire-prone ecosystems. Climate change is undoubtedly amplifying these extremes.

Asia’s efforts to conserve biodiversity beyond protected areas entered a new phase at the Regional Workshop on Advancing Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Asia, held in Tokyo, Japan, from 9 to 11 July 2026.

As Odysseus journeyed back to Ithaca from Troy, passing Crete, something watched silently and patiently from the rocks. Wedged into the crevices of the Cretan cliffs, looking down at sea and the ships sailing by, the Cretan dittany sits. It has seen legends and myths unfold under it, but whereas these have faded into the past, the Cretan dittany continues to thrive; standing the test of time, a silent observer of Greek history.

After ten non-stop days in Busan, Republic of Korea, the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee has closed. IUCN brought a strong delegation here, with Regional Director for Asia Dindo Campilan delivering our Opening Remarks, and supported by IUCN’s Key Messages for the event, as well as our extensive and detailed site-specific technical work.

As climate change intensifies pressures on people and ecosystems, IUCN’s Global EbA Fund projects demonstrate how Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) can advance climate resilience while fostering social cohesion, strengthening inclusive governance, and contributing to lasting peace outcomes. The world is currently facing the converging and escalating crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation.

Last week I had the opportunity – for the first time – to participate in the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee (48COM), which, this year, was held in the beautiful coastal port city of Busan in South Korea. The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention and oversees the famous World Heritage List, which – as of this Committee session – now includes 1,273 cultural, natural and mixed sites from 173 countries.

In Kashkadarya, Khorezm and the Republic of Karakalpakstan, local communities are helping turn restoration assessments into practical plans that respond to the needs of both people and nature. Restoring degraded land is not only about improving soil health or planting trees.

The Coral Triangle, one of the most biodiverse marine regions on earth, took a significant step forward in May 2026, as more than 80 marine conservation professionals gathered in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, for the 12th Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Coral Triangle Atlas Technical Regional Exchange (T-REX) and MPA Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting, hosted by the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) together with Sabah Park.

Brazil has been advancing the implementation of the IUCN Green List, showcasing concrete experiences of equitable governance and social participation in protected areas.