The IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) uses creative communication and education tools and approaches to raise awareness and inspire action to conserve nature. Our job is to mobilize people all over the planet for a world committed to protecting nature now and into the future.
CEC recognises that knowledge is only useful in influencing conservation policies and actions if people are engaged in constructive dialogue and motivated to action by its findings. In this line, the Commission drives change for the co-creation of sustainable solutions through leading communication, learning and knowledge management in IUCN and the wider conservation community.
Our Mission
To strengthen the work of the Union through creative, innovative, participatory, responsive, and effective communication and education, as tools to effect positive social and behavioural change for the well-being of people and planet.
Our Members
CEC members are professionals from around the globe who volunteer their time and talent in pursuit of sustainability. We encourage diversity in terms of experience, disciplines, cultures, languages, ages and gender.
Our Networks
As a CEC Member, you are invited to join and contribute to our programme priorities and be part of their networks. Our networks are focused on weaving communities of practice between members, initiatives, countries and regions.
The Commission undertakes its mission through engaging its members’ expertise, research and actions, including indigenous and traditional knowledge, to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the IUCN Programme, the post-2020 biodiversity framework, and other emerging needs and priorities of IUCN. We undertake this work through four programme priorities.
Our work is driven by the CEC 2021-2025 Mandate.
A global movement to inspire, celebrate and restore love of nature. Share your love of Nature!
CEC aims to integrate nature education as part of the formal, non formal, and informal education systems. Share your expertise!
CEC supports the inclusion and empowerment of young people to advance Nature 2030. Join us!
A global movement to listen, discuss, imagine and act towards a sustainable planet. Reimagine with us!
Sean Southey has over 30 years of experience in the international development and communications field. He is the CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, one of the largest environmental organizations in Canada working to conserve and inspire the conservation of Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all.
With a multi-sectoral background, Sean started his career with 5 years in the Canadian Ministry of Environment, followed by 12 years working with United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) environment team. His NGO experience was enriched through work with ICLEI (Secretary General), Rare (Vice-President) and ten years as President of PCI Media. Sean has led the development of over 100 campaigns world-wide, won over 100 awards for this work, and has literally reached billions of people with life and planet saving information. In 2016, Sean was elected Chair of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Commission on Education and Communication (CEC). In this role, he has worked tirelessly to enhance IUCN’s use of strategic communications for social change. This has included a lead role in designing and implementing IUCN’s #NatureForAll campaign and helping grow and support the work of the CEC and its 1,800 members.
Sean is a dual Canadian and South African citizen and has lived, worked, and traveled in over 125 countries. He holds a MSC from the London School of Economics and a BA in Economics from University of British Columbia, and has a wonderful daughter, Safia.
Sean Southey has over 30 years of experience in the international development and communications field. He is the CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, one of the largest environmental ...
I see the role of our Commission as advancing our collective capacity to use the tools, ideas and creative approaches of education and communication to help create the social norms, values, organizations and behaviours that will help us realize the vision of IUCN and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Deputy Chair
Dr Margaret Otieno is the CEO/National Coordinator of Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, a national NGO targeting the youth and communities with Conservation Education. Margaret is also a board member of Worldlife Kenya, African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, Elsa Conservation Trust and is Deputy Chair for the Kenya Steering Committee (IUCN) and Deputy Chair for IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) for Eastern and Southern Africa. A holder of a PhD in Climate Change and Education for Sustainable Development and an MSc in Environment and Development, she is the 2020 winner of the 2020 International Brandwein Medal award. Margaret is a passionate hands-on environmental education professional and is driven by the belief that sustained education from grassroots to leadership levels is the single most important element in improved environmental protection and conservation. Through Africa wide workshops, WCK has stimulated a continental wildlife clubs movement. It has also helped spawn clubs in Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere in the developing world. In over 50 years, WCK has helped educate over 1,000,000 young Kenyans and placed many of them in positions of influence.
Deputy Chair
Dr Margaret Otieno is the CEO/National Coordinator of Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, a national NGO targeting the youth and communities with Conservation Education. Margaret is also a board ...
Strategic Advisor & Nature Education for Sustainability Co-Chair
Katalin Czippan is an educator with experience in the field of environmental and sustainability education and communication from running nature camps and campaigns to support governments in policy making. In IUCN CEC she is Co-Chair of the Nature Education for Sustainability Network and Strategic Advisor to the Chair. Previously she served as Deputy Chair of CEC and prior to that as a European Regional Vice Chair. She initiated and worked together with several European CEC members on the Experiential Learning and Education for Nature Awareness project (www.elena-project.eu) at the IUCN member Bavarian Academy for Nature Conservation and Landscape Management.
She is an active member of several NGOs and scientific organisations, like the Hungarian National Committee of UNESCO, and chair of the Board of Trustees of Tiszta Út (Clean Way) Foundation. At the foundation she initiated and supervises a donor program to support greening school yards with the participation of students to use new or extended green places for learning and school-community purposes.
She has authored several publications, given lectures, and ran several projects in the field of education and education for sustainability. She believes that all conservation efforts should apply education as a strategic tool. She also believes that all forms of education should facilitate learning about and from nature – to see nature as a system, to understand the human-nature interconnectedness and to love, appreciate and protect natural values.
Strategic Advisor & Nature Education for Sustainability Co-Chair
Katalin Czippan is an educator with experience in the field of environmental and sustainability education and communication from ...
The IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) extends the #NatureForAll invitation to be part of the Global Lessons on School Ground Greening and Outdoor Learning project, which aims to identify and disseminate successful…
