Matching the thinkers with the doers
07 September 2012 | Article
“Species conservation is not something that should be viewed as a side product, but instead it is central to broader efforts to save the environment,” says Jean-Christophe Vie, Deputy Director of IUCN’s Global Species Programme. That’s the message that Vie and others in IUCN’s Species Programme hope to reinforce at the 2012 IUCN World Conservation Congress.
Vie and his team will use the Congress to connect with people from around the world to discuss successes, challenges and opportunities in the field of species conservation. From Vie’s perspective, discussing lessons learned with the global species conservation community at the Congress helps address specific issues and generate real solutions. “It’s an opportunity for people to share what they’ve done and it also helps us discover important places in the world to focus on going forward,” he says.
“The Congress is the link between those who influence policy and generate knowledge, and those in the field who are doing the implementing,” adds Vie. In essence, the Congress helps connect the thinkers with the doers, allowing for the exchange of knowledge between both parties to improve processes and ultimately generate positive change for species. “This event serves as a link to something bigger for those who are focused locally and a chance for high level decision makers to see what’s happening on the ground.”
Vie and the Global Species Programme will host a number of events during the Congress. See the full programme of events at http://events.iucn.org/wcc2012/official_programme
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Photo: IUCN
