IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: The Global Standard for Assessing Risks to Ecosystems

IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: The Global Standard for Assessing Risks to Ecosystems

Short course

2 weeks

Free

This course introduces the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems and its successful use and policy impact through real-world case studies.

Learn how the Red List of Ecosystems is helping to sustain global biodiversity

Nature is under threat around the world. Understanding where ecosystems are at greatest risk allows us to act to sustain species and ecosystems.

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Ecosystems is a rigorous standardised assessment method that supports decision making while generating strategies for policy and management practice.

The Red List of Ecosystems is the global standard for ecosystem risk assessment, used by governments, NGOs, scientists and practitioners to sustain biodiversity worldwide.

In this course, students will learn about the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, a standardized assessment method that enables them to understand and assess the risk levels of ecosystems globally, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions and develop strategies for biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management.

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to:

Describe the purpose of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems
Assess the benefits of the Red List of Ecosystems approach to ecosystem conservation and management
Explore the process of completing ecosystem assessments
Identify the characteristics of ecosystems
Explore the challenges of defining ecosystems
Identify threats to ecosystems and how to measure them
Classify Red List of Ecosystems outcomes and categories of risk
Assess the Red List of Ecosystems in the landscape of conservation policies and tools

People interested in sustainability of the world’s ecosystems.
Practitioners who need to understand the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems approach, its purpose and its place relative to other conservation tools.
Decision makers who will value the scientific basis and global authority of Red List of Ecosystems assessments.
People interested in cutting-edge approaches to sustainable conservation.
People who seek to undertake their own ecosystem assessment using the Red List of Ecosystems method

The course was created for practitioners who need to understand the Red List of Ecosystems processes and decision-makers who will value the scientific basis and global authority of Red List of Ecosystems assessments.

The amount of time it takes you to complete this course will vary depending on your level of interest and experience of ecosystems.

Thematic Area