Mohammad Khalid Sayeed PASHA

M.K.S. Pasha joined the Science and Strategy Group (SSG) at the IUCN Asia Regional Office as Asia Regional Coordinator – Protected, Conserved, and Heritage Areas, IUCN Asia Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand. A conservation leader and changemaker in Asia, with over 30 years of experience in wildlife conservation, biodiversity governance, and sustainable natural resource management across Asia. He specializes in protected, conserved, and heritage areas (PCHAs), as well as landscape and seascape-level conservation, ecological connectivity, biodiversity mainstreaming, and the development and implementation of global conservation standards for species and area-based conservation to ensure long-term sustainability and measurable conservation outcomes.

In his current role at IUCN, Pasha coordinates large-scale landscape and seascape initiatives, engaging governments, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities to advance ecological integrity, sustainability, and equitable governance. He has been instrumental in promoting the IUCN Green List, Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), and World Heritage processes in Asia, helping to set standards for effective, sustainable, and high-quality conservation. His work supports regional and national efforts to achieve the Kunming–Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) targets.

Pasha serves as Coordinator of the Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) and the CBD Subregional South Asia TSC Centre. He is an active member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), the IUCN Asia OECM Specialist Group, and the WCPA Task Force on Integrating Human–Wildlife Co-existence into PCA Standards. He also advises the 30x30 Thailand Coalition, contributing to strategic conservation policies and initiatives across Asia.

Expertise & Focus Areas:

• Area-based, landscape, and seascape conservation
• Biodiversity and flagship species conservation
• Sustainable natural resource management
• Protected area governance, standards, and measurable sustainability
• Policy development, capacity building, and multilateral collaboration

Publications & Contributions:
Pasha has authored several peer-reviewed publications on biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, and PCA governance, and is widely recognized in Asia for advancing innovative, sustainable, and standards-based conservation practices.