The Trust's Chief Executive Jonathan Hughes has been re-elected to the Global Council of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for a second term at the World Conservation Congress in Hawaii. 

Jonathan was first elected to the Council at the IUCN World Congress held in South Korea in 2012.

Jonathan Hughes said: “The world needs a strong Union for nature as never before in the seventy year history of IUCN. I am honoured and humbled that both government and non-government members of the IUCN across the world chose to re-elect me to serve for a second term on IUCN Council.

“At the World Conservation Congress here in Hawaii, attended by over 10,000 delegates, I have heard many inspiring global leaders calling for concerted action to protect species, habitats and ecosystems, including U.S President Barack Obama who reminded the Congress that climate change and nature conservation are inextricably linked.

“In the next four years, I look forward to harnessing my position on IUCN Council to provide leadership on addressing the critical environmental challenges we face at both global and local levels.

“Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and The Wildlife Trusts family have much to learn from the world through the IUCN family. In turn, the world has much to learn from us.”

Founded in 1948, IUCN is the world’s largest environmental body, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,300 government and non-governmental member organisations and some 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.