International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

An international organization which exists to promote sustainable use and conservation of natural resources. Founded in 1948, and based in Switzerland, by 2004 the members made up a global network of 1010 institutions and organizations in over 140 countries. Its Commissions consist of more than 10 000 conservation experts from over 180 countries. It publishes Red Data books which list endangered species of plants and wildlife, and administers the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (commonly known as the World Conservation Union) is a nongovernmental organization (NGO). As an environmentalist and conservationist group, the Union has four broad categories of policy action:

Species (such as species conservation) Equity and justice (including economics and social policy interests) Ecosystems Cross-cutting issues (such as biodiversity policies, business, climate and change, and education and communication)

To those ends, the Union participates in knowledge dissemination programs, policy advice, and action-based programs in conservatories and parks around the world.