Motion 065

The involvement of IUCN members in armed conflict, war, and occupation presents ethical and operational challenges to the Union's vision and mission. Establishing a guidance policy with clear engagement mechanisms will ensure that IUCN's cooperation and engagement with such members is consistent with its principles [and contributes to the protection of the environment during times of armed conflict, war, and occupation.]
The IUCN's vision of "a just world that values and conserves nature" and its mission 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" are fundamentally challenged when IUCN members are involved in armed conflict, war, and occupation.
It is noted that the International Law Commission's “Draft Principles on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts” (2022), which includes “international and non-international armed conflicts, including in situations of occupation” that highlights that “effective protection of the environment… requires that measures are taken by States, international organizations and other relevant actors to prevent, mitigate and remediate harm to the environment before, during and after an armed conflict.”
While past IUCN Resolutions have significantly addressed the environmental impacts of armed conflict, war, and occupation, they have not adequately confronted the ethical implications of member involvement in such conflicts, wars and occupation.
This motion seeks to initiate a critical reflection on the IUCN's current approach and explore the development of mechanisms to hold members accountable for actions that undermine the IUCN's core values declared in the vision and mission. By adopting this motion and developing a comprehensive policy to guide its engagement with members involved in armed conflict, war, and occupation IUCN can reaffirm its commitment to peace and conservation and ensure its effectiveness as a global leader in building a just world that values nature.