BOSTON (WWLP) - Massachusetts has announced its intention to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), becoming one of the first U.S. states to do so in 2026.

The announcement was made last Friday in conjunction with the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, highlighting Massachusetts' commitment to global biodiversity conservation efforts.

Massachusetts and California would mark the first U.S. states to become official members of the IUCN. This environmental membership network comprises 1,400 governments and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to biodiversity conservation on a global level.

"Massachusetts is leading the way to a future where people and nature thrive," said Governor Maura Healey. "As the first states to a

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