At the Congress, WWF-Viet Nam is sharing practical community-based conservation models that balance nature protection and economic development, highlighting the vital role of local communities.

Sharing Traditional Knowledge
With the support of WWF-Viet Nam, Ms Ka’ Thi Ngoc Huong - representing the Chau Ma ethnic community in Ta Lai, Dong Nai Province - actively joined several WCC 2025 sessions, bringing her community’s stories and voices to the global stage. Her community-led conservation initiatives, connecting cultural traditions with sustainable livelihoods, offered deep and practical insights. These stories also reflected the need to further promote meaningful participation of local communities in implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and Viet Nam’s National Biodiversity Strategy.

Through this engagement, WWF emphasises the importance of strengthening the voices and authentic participation of local communities in conservation forums at all levels and in decision-making processes. Local people are not only directly dependent on natural resources but also hold valuable indigenous knowledge - a foundation for developing more effective and sustainable conservation solutions.

Sustainable Plantation Forest Managements
Another community-driven initiative presented by WWF-Viet Nam in Abu Dhabi is the case of the Hiep Thuan Cooperative in Quang Nam (now part of Da Nang). Together with local forest smallholders, the cooperative has developed a sustainable supply chain, cultivates the forests according to FSC standards. It is now ambitiously intercropping native tree species within its FSC-certified forests to help restore local biodiversity.

The Hiep Thuan story is an example of a community contributing to both conservation and sustainable livelihoods, under the BIODEV2030 project implemented in 15 countries, including Viet Nam.

In this WCC2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shared updates on the progress of developing Viet Nam’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to implement the GBF and prepare the national report to the Convention Secretariat. The discussions offered an opportunity to review achievements and exchange experiences in addressing implementation challenges.

From Viet Nam to the world, we believe that nature conservation is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity, a pathway toward harmony with nature and sustainable development for all.