Since 2014 and the adoption of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) criteria as the global standard for assessing risks to terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems, several countries have initiated national-scale assessments and used the results in their legislation. Showcasing those national-scale initiatives, this session examines RLE impacts on national legislation in terms of ecosystem management and conservation. We will use an impact evaluation framework to present the outputs, outcomes and impacts of those assessments in terms of specific legislation, land-use planning, protected area management or biodiversity monitoring and reporting. Thus, impacts are still emerging due to varying pace and commitment to implementation across different countries, and expanding the coverage of RLE assessments, building capacity for both assessors and decision makers and establishing stronger policy instruments will be key to maximizing conservation impacts in the future.
