CNCFlora receives award at International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) meeting in the United Arab Emirates

The National Center for Flora Conservation (CNCFlora), of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Research Institute (JBRJ), received the “Work of Excellence in Species' Conservation” award during the 5th Meeting of Leaders of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The award was given to CNCFlora in recognition of its work in the conservation of Brazilian flora, one of the richest and most threatened on the planet.

The event was held on October 31 in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, and brought together more than 300 conservation experts from around the world to discuss urgent solutions to protect global biodiversity.
CNCFlora was represented by the Project Coordinator of the Coordination of Species Conservation Status Assessment (CoAC) and chair of the IUCN SSC Brazil Plant Red List Authprity (IUCN SSC BP-RLA), Eduardo Fernandez, who presented the results achieved by the Center in the last four years, highlighting the successful actions in preserving native species and promoting sustainability.

At the end of the meeting, a declaration entitled “Safeguarding species is safeguarding life” was published, highlighting the vital role of species in guaranteeing essential services for human life, such as food security, climate stability and access to clean water. The declaration also called on governments, companies, indigenous peoples and local communities to prioritize species conservation as part of their strategies for a sustainable future.

- The declaration 'Safeguarding species is safeguarding life' reminds us that the fate of biodiversity is deeply intertwined with our own, impacting everything from climate stability to human health and well-being. Our actions to protect species are essentially actions to safeguard our collective future - said Razan Al Mubarak, IUCN President.