BOSTON – State officials have announced that Massachusetts and California are acting in unison as the first states to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a network of 1,400 governments and independent associations united in protecting global biodiversity.
The announcement was made as the organization’s 2025 World Conservation Congress continues in Abu Dhabi and comes on the heels of the state unveiling its 25-year Biodiversity Conservation Goals.
“Massachusetts is leading the way to a future where people and nature thrive,” said Governor Maura Healey. “As the first states to announce our intention to join the IUCN, Massachusetts and California are standing firm by our commitments to lead the nation on biodiversity conservation.”
“The value of the work,” she said, “is undeniable; this will help us protect wildlife, strengthen our local economies, and really preserve what makes Massachusetts so special.”
Entrance into the union will facilitate increased collaboration with international experts and initiatives as nations around the world grapple with the ever-increasing challenges in preserving biodiversity at home and abroad.
“Biodiversity is a key climate solution,” said Melissa Hoffer, the state’s Climate Chief. “By joining this network of global leaders at the forefront of tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis, we can collaborate, innovate, and drive progress, both globally and right here in the Bay State.”
To view the state’s climate goals, click here.
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