Reverse the Red is a global movement that “aims to ignite optimism and collaborative action to guarantee the survival of all species we share this planet with and the ecosystems they live in. Reverse the Red means to reverse the declining trajectory of species and ecosystems in the Red List and to empower communities around the world to make this happen”.

This video is part of a series of webinars hosted by the IUCN Species Survival Commission, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Smithsonian Earth Optimism, HHMI Tangled Banks Studios, On the EDGE Conservation, and San Diego Zoo Global to discuss and showcase how the Species Conservation Cycle is working at the national level.

The panelists describe the tools, resources, and practices which they apply to save species. Conservation is a team effort, and requires us to work together. With enough coordination, skill, and passion, we might stop the decline in species and Reverse the Red.

What is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species?

One of the technical instruments used by scientists, governments, and communities to monitor the status of biodiversity is the IUCN Red List of threatened species. “The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Far more than a list of species and their status, it is a powerful tool to inform and catalyse action for biodiversity conservation and policy change, critical to protecting the natural resources we need to survive. It provides information about range, population size, habitat and ecology, use and/or trade, threats, and conservation actions that will help inform necessary conservation decisions.”

Two thousand nine hundred and eighty-seven (2987) species from Fiji are listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened species, of which 537 (18%) are threatened with extinction – if there is no intervention to save the species and its habitat.

Fiji is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity and is a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

As governments of the world prepare to meet at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15) of the CBD, we acknowledge that our common home, Earth, is in a Biodiversity Crisis and Climate Crisis. At the COP15, governments will agree on a new global deal to arrest declining biodiversity and the destruction of nature. One of the key parts of this deal is the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework, where the goal is to make 30 percent of Earth’s land and seas into protected areas by 2030.

We need a meaningful Global Biodiversity Framework if we are to ensure that our common home – Earth, and Oceania remains a liveable planet for our children and future generations.

This update has been provided by Nunia Thomas-Moko, Regional Vice-Chair for Oceania of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and Steering Committee member.

For more information on how you can be involved in species conservation research and action in Fiji, contact [email protected].