India to Launch First Red List at 2025 IUCN Congress

In a historic step for biodiversity conservation, India will unveil its first-ever Red List of Endangered Species at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE from October 9–15, 2025. The Red List, tailored for India’s unique biodiversity, will highlight species at risk and strengthen national conservation priorities. India’s delegation to the Congress will be led by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and External Affairs.

What is the Red List and Why It Matters

The Red List of Threatened Species, originally maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is a critical tool for assessing the extinction risk of species. While global in scope, India’s own national version will help track the status of its rich flora and fauna at a country-specific level.

This move will,

• Provide scientific data to support conservation decisions
• Help prioritize species and habitats under threat
• Improve reporting for global biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

India and the IUCN

• India has been a State Member of the IUCN since 1969.
• It has long contributed to conservation science and policymaking but has never before released its own national Red List.
• The 2025 launch aligns with India’s broader push toward a nature-positive economy, underlined by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework commitments.

About the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025

Held every four years, the IUCN Congress is one of the most influential global gatherings on conservation and sustainable development. It brings together,

• Over 1,400 member organizations including governments, NGOs, and Indigenous groups
• Experts in biodiversity, climate policy, and sustainability
• Decision-makers who vote on motions to guide future action

The 2025 Congress in Abu Dhabi will address five priority themes,

• Scaling Up Resilient Conservation Action
• Reducing Climate Overshoot Risks
• Delivering on Equity in Conservation
• Transitioning to Nature-Positive Economies
• Disruptive Innovation and Leadership for Conservation

The last Congress in Marseille, France (2021) attracted over 9,200 participants and led to the Marseille Manifesto, focusing on post-Covid recovery and the global biodiversity crisis.

India’s Biodiversity: What the Red List Will Cover

India is one of the 17 mega-diverse countries, hosting,

• Over 45,000 plant species
• Nearly 100,000 documented animal species
• Unique ecosystems such as Western Ghats, Himalayas, and Sundarbans

The national Red List will include,

• Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and plants
• Threatened categories like Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened
• Data on habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and climate change impacts

This initiative will complement global conservation efforts and feed into international databases, aiding researchers, policymakers, and conservationists.

India at the Congress: Representation and Impact

Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh will represent India, emphasizing the country’s commitment to international biodiversity governance. Notable global figures attending include,

• Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary, CBD
• Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President
• Grethel Aguilar, Director General, IUCN
• Ricky Kej, Grammy-winning composer and environmental ambassador

India’s participation will showcase initiatives like Project Tiger, Project Elephant, and the National Mission for Biodiversity and Human Well-being, along with its new Red List framework.

Important Points

• Red List launch: October 9–15, 2025, at IUCN Congress Abu Dhabi
• India’s first national Red List of Endangered Species
• Led by: Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh
• IUCN Congress Themes: Conservation, climate, equity, innovation
• India’s IUCN membership since: 1969
• Last Congress: Marseille, France (2021)
• Focus: Species assessment, habitat threats, extinction risk