DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, May 31. Tajikistan has officially become the 88th state member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest and most influential environmental network, Trend reports via IUCN.
The announcement was made during the International Conference on Glacier Preservation held in Dushanbe. The Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan will serve as the national focal point for coordination with IUCN.
“Tajikistan is proud to join IUCN and strengthen our commitment to protecting glaciers, biodiversity, and ecosystems,” said Bahodur Sheralizoda, Chairman of the Committee. “We look forward to working with the global conservation community to support our national priorities and contribute to shared goals.”
IUCN notes that Tajikistan is home to unique mountain ecosystems, including the Pamirs and glacier-fed rivers that support both biodiversity and millions of people downstream. The country’s environmental strategy includes expanding protected areas, restoring ecosystems, and safeguarding endangered species like the snow leopard and Marco Polo sheep.
“We are thrilled to have Tajikistan as a new member. The country has shown impressive dedication to conservation. We’re excited to work together on protected areas, glacier protection, and sustainable water management,” said IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar.
As part of IUCN, Tajikistan will now benefit from global expertise, technical tools, and access to international funding platforms such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF).
The country’s membership comes at a time of rising regional cooperation. Tajikistan is involved in initiatives like Blue Peace Central Asia, promoting cross-border water collaboration, and the One Health approach to improve ecosystem and human health across the region.
Tajikistan is the second country from Central Asia to join IUCN, following Uzbekistan in 2021. This new partnership strengthens efforts to protect nature and promote sustainable development across the region and beyond.
IUCN is a membership union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organizations. It harnesses the experience, resources, and reach of its more than 1,400 member organizations and the input of more than 17,000 experts. This diversity and vast expertise make IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
The IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (IUCN ECARO) was established in 2015 with a view to supporting IUCN constituency and implementing the IUCN Program in most countries of the IUCN Statutory Region East Europe, North and Central Asia. In an effort to contribute to a more sustainable future for this region, IUCN ECARO focuses its work on good governance, the long-term protection of biodiversity, and sustainable use of natural resources. The office is based in Belgrade, Serbia, and was initially established as the IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe (IUCN SEE) in 2004.
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