News Blog

The 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially started on 19 July 2026 at BEXCO in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK), marking the country's first time hosting this prestigious international event. The session will continue through 29 July 2026. Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), together with its partners from the Republic of Korea, Jordan, and civil society organizations, participated in the meeting to promote the preservation and sustainable management of World Heritage sites and to strengthen international cooperation in the conservation of cultural and natural heritage. A major outcome of the session was the inscription of the Aqaba Marine Reserve in Jordan and the Korean Tidal Flats, Getbol (Phase II), in the ROK on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These...

Over two days in the municipality of Villa Montes, Bolivia, which is located in the vast Gran Chaco region, thirty environmental and human rights defenders from Potosí, Chuquisaca, Santa Cruz, and Tarija came together to share something that rarely travels beyond their own communities: the memory of their struggles. The Territorial Gathering "Socio-Political Weaving from the Body and Territory for Environmental Defense," held on July 13 and 14, 2026, closed a months-long process led by Colectivo Plurales, with the support of the Hanns Seidel Stiftung (HSS) and the Bolivian Platform on Climate Change (PBFCC). A South Under Pressure Southern Bolivia is experiencing an intensification of extractivist and polluting policies that, according to the gathering's organizers, violate the fundamental rights of local...

HSF Korea has strengthened its international partnerships and expanded knowledge exchange on flyway conservation and biodiversity governance through a series of meetings and expert discussions held from 6–10 July. The engagements brought together leading conservation organizations, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), BirdLife International, and the Conservation Research Institute, providing valuable opportunities to share experiences, discuss regional conservation challenges, and explore future collaboration. During the meetings, HSF Korea presented the progress of the Central Asian Flyway Project under the GMACC project and exchanged views on emerging priorities for migratory bird conservation across the flyway. Discussions identified several areas for future cooperation, including joint surveys for the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and collaboration on activities related to the...

On 11 June 2026, the Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea Office hosted a virtual masterclass on the conservation of migratory shorebirds in cooperation with the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). The online event brought together participants from government agencies, environmental organisations, research institutions and local communities to discuss the challenges and opportunities of protecting one of the world's most endangered migratory bird species. The masterclass was opened by Felix Glenk, Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Korean Peninsula and Mongolia, who emphasized the importance of international cooperation and knowledge exchange in addressing conservation challenges that extend beyond national borders.The keynote lecture was delivered by Dr. Sayam U. Chowdhury, Coordinator of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force under the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership. He...

From 8 to 12 June 2026, a delegation of the TH!NK GLOBAL Sustainability Network participated in the UNFCCC SB64 in Bonn, Germany. Representing partner organisations from Bolivia, Malaysia, and Lebanon, the delegates joined climate discussions, engaged with international stakeholders, and launched the TH!NK GLOBAL Position Paper during a dedicated press conference. The delegation brought together voices and experiences from different regions of the Global South to contribute to ongoing discussions on climate action, sustainability, and inclusive governance. A Journey that Started Online The delegation's participation in Bonn was the result of months of preparation and collaboration within the Global Project for Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change (GMACC). Through a series of online meetings and exchanges, partners from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle...

The TH!NK GLOBAL Position Paper for UNFCCC SB64 brings together the voices and recommendations of civil society organisations and grassroots actors from across the Global South. Focusing on climate justice, inclusive governance, biodiversity protection, a just energy transition, and sustainable food and water systems, the paper calls for moving beyond commitments towards concrete, community-led action. Download the full Position Paper here.

The Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea (HSF) organized a side event titled “Nature-Based Pathways along Flyways: Integrating Water, Wetland and Food Systems for Climate Resilience”, bringing together experts, researchers, and stakeholders from across Asia. The event explored how migratory flyways can function as practical platforms connecting water governance, wetland conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate-resilient food systems. Discussions emphasized the growing importance of Nature-based Solutions  in addressing climate change, water stress, glacier retreat, and wetland degradation while contributing to sustainable development and regional resilience. Held within the framework of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” (2018–2028), the event highlighted the urgent need for stronger policy coherence among biodiversity, water, and food-system strategies in Central Asia. In his opening remarks, Mr....

Throughout April 2026, the Pre-SB64 Virtual Conference successfully brought together civil society partners from across the TH!NK Global Sustainability Network, including participants from MENA, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. Designed as a multi-session preparatory process ahead of the June UNFCCC Subsidiary Body Meetings (SB64) in Bonn, the conference created an important collaborative platform for capacity building, strategic coordination, and collective advocacy development among civil society actors from the Global South. Structured around three interactive virtual sessions and an intensive intersessional working phase, participants worked through thematic groups focused on: Climate Finance & GovernanceAdaptation, Biodiversity & EcosystemsFood Systems & WaterEnergy & Just TransitionCross-Cutting Issues Through these working groups, participants jointly developed and refined a shared position paper that reflects regional priorities,...

The pre-COP meeting on “Strengthening Flyway Cooperation”, hosted by Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea under the GMACC framework, was held on 22 March 2026 in Campo Grande, Brazil. The meeting brought together stakeholders from major flyway initiatives to strengthen dialogue and advance coordinated international action ahead of CMS COP15. The discussions highlighted that migratory species face multiple shared and interconnected threats - including habitat loss, infrastructure-related risks, and poisoning - which require coordinated responses at the flyway level. Case studies on species such as bustards, the Steppe Eagle, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, and the Black-faced Spoonbill reinforced the need for cross-border collaboration. In particular, the recovery of the Black-faced Spoonbill demonstrated how long-term monitoring, citizen science, international cooperation, and policy support can collectively...

Bolivia is currently facing multiple interconnected crises—climatic, environmental, water-related, and socio-economic—that are deeply affecting communities and ecosystems across the country. Against this backdrop, strengthening democratic dialogue between citizens and political decision-makers has become increasingly important to ensure that public policies respond to territorial realities and the growing impacts of climate change. In this context, the Hanns Seidel Foundation, in strategic partnership with the Bolivian Platform on Climate Change (PBFCC), has supported a broad advocacy process aimed at strengthening climate governance and promoting public policies grounded in climate justice, territorial rights, and citizen participation. Voices from the Territories: Climate and Democracy in the Electoral Context As Bolivia prepared for the 2026 subnational elections, the PBFCC organized a series of Voices from the...