Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
August 30, 2016

From September 1-10, the State of Hawaii will host the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) under the theme “Planet at the Crossroads.” At the Congress, the State Department will help showcase the Administration’s accomplishments on a range of international environmental issues, including climate, oceans and wildlife trafficking. The United States will work to build support for increasing protection of species, such as pangolins, under CITES. Also, the United States will build momentum for action in advance of the 2016 Our Ocean conference, which aims to catalyze major commitments to address the ocean issues of our time: marine protected areas (MPAs), sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, and climate-related ocean impacts, including ocean acidification.

The World Conservation Congress is the largest conservation event in the world. It is held every four years and brings together thousands of leaders and decision-makers from governments, the public sector, non-governmental organizations, businesses, UN agencies and indigenous organizations to discuss and create solutions for challenges with biodiversity and conservation. This is the first time the World Conservation Congress will be held in the United States.

The U.S. Department of State’s Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Catherine Novelli, the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Acting Assistant Secretary Judith Garber, and high-level officials from other U.S. government agencies will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii to participate in the IUCN World Conservation Congress.

The United States will host a Pavilion in the Exhibition Hall that will be open to the public. The U.S. Pavilion will serve as a venue for speeches, panels, and interactive presentations of U.S. government officials and experts. Also, visitors will be able to view stunning and powerful data visualizations on the NASA “Hyperwall” and NOAA “Science on a Sphere.”

For more information about Department of State participation in the conference follow @StateDeptOES and @CathyNovelli on Twitter. To view recordings of the presentations at the U.S. Pavilion, please go to http://owl.li/lSmw303ozPO. For questions about the conference, please contact Esther Bell (BellEF@state.gov) and follow #USAPavilionIUCN, #OurOcean, and #IUCNcongress on Twitter.
(end media note)

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