What is SULi
The IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi) is a global volunteer network formed by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2012, as a joint initiative of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP). It aims to mobilise global expertise across the science, policy and practice sectors to address the urgent challenges of overexploitation of wild species and support robust, equitable models of sustainable use that meet human needs and priorities.
What is sustainable use?
Sustainable use is one of the three objectives of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Sustainable use is defined by the CBD as “the use of components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations.” Click here to read the new SULi flyer on sustainable use or click here to access older IUCN documents on sustainable use.
What are livelihoods?
Quite simply, a livelihood is means of making a living and securing the necessities of life. People’s livelihoods vary according to their cultures and aspirations and according to the assets they have to draw on – including land and natural resources, social networks and support systems, finance, personal attributes and capabilities and physical and physical assets such as roads, vehicles, telecommunications. In SULi we are predominantly concerned with the livelihoods of rural communities who live with and alongside wildlife and count on it as a real or potential asset that can support their livelihoods.