Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 8, 2025—The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will soon adopt a motion aimed at curtailing crimes impacting the environment at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, which opens on October 9 and runs through October 15.

The motion—co-led by WCS and supported by a wide coalition of IUCN Members—commits the global conservation community to coordinated action against wildlife trafficking; illegal logging and mining; illegal fishing; and other forms of environmental crime. 

Despite rising urgency, enforcement and policy responses remain fragmented and under-resourced. Since 2015 WCS helped strengthen over 100 laws, assisted over 2000 wildlife crime cases, and trained over 6000 people, including law enforcement and judicial officials through its capacity building efforts, building partnerships that unite science, justice, and conservation in over 30 countries globally.

Environmental crime a crisis that touches us broadly. It undermines livelihoods, stability, and trust in institutions. Illegal trade in wildlife, timber, and fish fuels corruption and erodes the natural systems that sustain life.

“WCS has spent decades working with partners to strengthen laws, train officers, and protect wildlife at risk,” said Joe Walston, WCS Executive Vice President for Global Conservation. “But the challenge is growing. The IUCN motion on environmental crime is an opportunity to align science, policy, and action in defense of nature and people.”

“Governments and civil society must recognize that environmental crime is not a peripheral issue,” said Sue Lieberman, WCS Vice President for International Policy. “It strikes at the heart of conservation, governance, and human rights. This motion is an essential step toward building a global response equal to the scale of the threat.”

“Wildlife trade and emerging infectious diseases pose a dual threat to biodiversity and human health,” added Scott Roberton, WCS Executive Director for Counter Wildlife Trafficking. “The global spread of avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases has shown that illegal and poorly regulated trade puts us all at risk. Stronger laws, sustained enforcement, and behavior change are vital to prevent future outbreaks while protecting species and communities.”

The motion has been approved and will be adopted on October 9th; it will guide IUCN Members to strengthen cross-border law enforcement; harmonize laws governing wildlife, timber, and fisheries trade; support community-based efforts to combat environmental crime; and integrate environmental crime responses into global frameworks such as CITES and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

WCS looks forward to the motion’s adoption and to working with IUCN, governments, and partners to turn commitments into action—protecting wildlife, forests, and oceans from criminal exploitation.

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