In her opening remarks at the high-level event Charting Pacific Blue: Accelerating 30x30 through Regional Roadmaps and Inclusive Marine Conservation, IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar welcomed leaders from across the Blue Pacific Continent: Samoa, Vanuatu, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, and IUCN's Oceania team by reaffirming the essence of the Union itself.
More than a policy platform, Dr. Aguilar described IUCN as a living network rooted in local leadership and grounded in collective action. She said our greatest asset lies in who we are: a union of governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples’ organisations, scientific experts, and community voices—coming together as one to speak with one united voice for nature.
“Today, IUCN has 1400 Members and 18,000 Experts. What is truly remarkable about the Pacific is that the Pacific is the region where conservation is deeply ingrained in the culture here. In Nice, it has been clear that the Pacific is leading on ocean action with historic commitments to expand marine protected areas and new announcements on ratification of the High Seas Treaty,” she said.
