IUCN guidance seeks ecological integrity as measure of conservation success
New IUCN report offers principles for measuring ecological integrity, aiming to make biodiversity and climate action more accountable and effective.
The story in focus
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released new guidance on incorporating ecological integrity into conservation policy. The report, produced by an IUCN task force, argues that measuring how well ecosystems function and recover should guide biodiversity and climate action, and offers principles for consistent measurement.
- Ecological integrity describes how closely an ecosystem's species, structure, functions and processes remain within their natural range of variation.
- The IUCN task force found integrity is a unifying principle for biodiversity, climate action and human well-being, but inconsistent definitions and measurement have limited its use.
- The report provides principles for measurement, including clear baselines, ecosystem-specific indicators, recognition of scale, accounting for human influences, and measurability.
What the guidance says
The IUCN launched the guidance on 19 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia. It was produced by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, the Commission on Ecosystem Management and the Climate Action Commission Task Force on Ecological Integrity, with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
The report defines ecological integrity as how closely an ecosystem's species, structure, functions and ecological processes remain within their natural range of variation. It says high-integrity forests, rivers, grasslands or reefs retain native plants and animals, physical features and natural processes largely intact, and can handle normal disturbances and recover over time.
Why measurement matters
The task force found that ecological integrity is a unifying principle for biodiversity conservation, climate action and human well-being, but its use in policy and planning has been limited by inconsistencies in definition and measurement. The report offers principles for measurement: establishing clear baselines, using ecosystem-specific indicators, recognising scale, accounting for anthropogenic influences, and ensuring measurability and verifiability.
It also notes that ecosystems are dynamic and that integrity can be maintained by long-standing, low-impact stewardship such as Indigenous management and restoration. The report encourages assessments to account for this history and knowledge.
Policy context
Ecological integrity is prominent in global agreements, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The report says adopting its measurement principles would allow integrity to be systematically incorporated into national targets and plans. It also links integrity to assessing whether protected and conserved areas are working for nature and people.
What does ecological integrity mean in the IUCN guidance?
It describes how closely an ecosystem's species, structure, functions and ecological processes remain within their natural range of variation, indicating whether a place is still working and can recover from disturbances.
Sources & further reading
- New IUCN guidance calls for ecological integrity to guide global biodiversity and climate action ↗iucn.org
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