Esri Supports IUCN Global Initiative for Nature-Based Education

New Collaborative GeoPortal Will Help Deliver Data, Maps, Educational Resources, and ArcGIS Technology for Students, Teachers, and Conservationists Around the World

At the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress, Esri, the global leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology, announced a joint initiative with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its Commission on Education and Communication to expand access to data, maps, and GIS technology in support of Nature-based Education (NbE) worldwide.

Esri is making a $10 million in-kind donation to enable the development of a new NbE geoportal that will allow students, teachers, and IUCN conservationists around the world to understand and explore our planet through maps and the science of geography, collaborate on critical conservation solutions, and develop critical technical skills for future careers in conservation. This new initiative, now in the pilot phase of consultation and design, will support IUCN’s NbE aspirations to promote environmental learning and action as adopted by the Members during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi this October.

This collaboration builds on a long-standing commitment Esri holds to conservation and geographic education. “Nature-based education is more important than ever,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri president. “It develops crucial life skills like problem-solving, creativity, and resilience, while also cultivating a lifelong connection to and responsibility for the environment. We are pleased to be working with IUCN in this important endeavor.”

NbE is a holistic approach that places nature at the core of learning. By blending environmental education, Indigenous knowledge, outdoor and experiential learning, it fosters a deep human–nature connection. This approach treats nature as a learning environment, cultivating systems thinking, empathy, responsibility, and the skills needed to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and planetary health across formal and informal settings. Combining GIS and NbE allows students, teachers, and conservationists to visualize the world around them using the critical context of location. This provides a holistic, geographic approach to better understand what is occurring, how it is changing—and most importantly—where action is needed to protect and conserve nature.

To help facilitate this initiative, IUCN is working towards setting up a new Nature-based Education Facility. It will serve as a global fund, incubator, and knowledge hub where students and conservationists will be able to access the new NbE GeoPortal.

“Esri’s contribution of geospatial technology to the new geoportal supporting nature education and expertise is timely and transformative,” said Sean Southey, Past Chair of the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication and CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “A boost to Nature-based Education is what the world needs, at a time when it is most needed.”

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world’s most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.

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About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organizations. It provides public, private, and non-governmental organizations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development, and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organizations and around 17,000 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.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems, and improve people’s well-being.

About IUCN Commission on Education and Communication

The IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) is a global network of experts dedicated to advancing nature conservation through education, communication, and public engagement. By empowering people with knowledge, storytelling, and behavioral insights, the CEC helps shape mindsets, inspire action, and build societal support for conservation policies and sustainable living. It connects practitioners worldwide to foster innovation in environmental learning, outreach, and community mobilization.

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