IUCN Red List workshop: recommendations for National Red Lists

At the IUCN National Red List workshop important steps were taken towards standardised and effective National Red Lists, which are crucial for biodiversity conservation worldwide. Experts and other stakeholders discussed how to promote the quality and use of these National Red Lists.

Header photo: IUCN National Red List workshop participants © IUCN

The workshop, organised by IUCN Interregional Committee for Europe and North and Central Asia  (ICENCA) in collaboration with IUCN NL, Institute for Nature and Forests (INBO),  ZSL, Belgian Biodiversity Forum, Leo Foundation and other partners, took place at the INBO in Brussels on 27 September 2024. A few days later, the main results and outputs were presented during a session at the IUCN Regional Conservation Forum in Bruges on Monday 30 September.

Key workshop recommendations

1. Distinction between different types of Red Lists. It is crucial to make a clear distinction between different types of IUCN Red Lists, such as national, regional and global. At these different levels, each Red Lists has a different function and are complementary.
2. Early detection and protection plans. National Red Lists are essential for early detection of negative trends of subpopulations of species which are assessed in the threat categories (Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered) in a specific country and the subsequent drafting of national protection plans and laws to prevent extinction. To fulfill early detection of population trends, it is crucial the National Red List are updated at least every ten years.
3. Diversity in methodologies. There is great diversity in the methodologies used for national red lists, highlighting the need for standardised guidelines. In this respect it is recommended for those countries that are using national criteria, to consider following the Dutch example of preparing two National Red Lists: one with national criteria for the application of national legislation and a second list with IUCN criteria for international comparison and exchange.
4. Listing endemic species. When listing endemic species it is recommended to consider using the IUCN criteria so that the Red List assessment results can be used for the assessment for the IUCN global Red List and no duplication of assessment efforts will occur.

Launch of the guidelines

At the IUCN Regional Conservation Forum, a few days after the workshop, the launch of the new guidelines for National Red Lists had also been announced. Developed by the IUCN National Red List Working Group, these guidelines provide a standardised approach to the preparation of national red lists.

It is recommended to support countries in the global south who want to make a National Red List through funding and capacity building, so they can further apply the new IUCN guidelines for National Red Listing.

National Red Lists website

The new National Red Lists website, facilitated at the Zoological Society of London, is a hub for countries wishing to share their National Red Lists. The website includes tools, guidelines and an extensive library of reviews and publications.

It is recommended that there is continued investment and collaboration to strengthen the National Red List database and website, to fulfil their remit in facilitating international data exchange and supporting the National Red Listing community.

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Abstracts and recordings of the workshop

The abstracts and recordings of the presentations during the workshop are available online. These presentations provide valuable insights and discussions on the best practices of National Red Lists and can be consulted for further study and implementation.