The IUCN Congress has voted in favor of Motion 130, “Strengthening restrictions against unsustainable tourism infrastructure”. Upfront the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress, members overwhelmingly approved Motion 130 with more than 98% of votes, calling for stronger restrictions on unsustainable tourism infrastructure in IUCN Category I and II protected areas.
This motion was initiated by PPNEA (Albania) and co-sponsored by 14 partner organizations from 13 countries, including EuroNatur, BirdLife International, Tour du Valat, Wetlands International, and others. What started as a call from a small country like Albania, against the controversial amendments to the Law on Protected Areas (Law No. 21/2024), has now grown into a global achievement for conservation. Together, we reaffirmed a simple principle: protected areas are for conservation, not massive development, including for mass tourism.
The adoption of Law No. 21/2024 in Albania, defended under the false narrative of “following IUCN criteria,” opened the door for tourism complexes, airports, and energy facilities even in national parks. This dangerous precedent prompted the development of Motion 130 to ensure governments worldwide cannot use similar loopholes to justify the destruction of nature under the guise of tourism. The motion specifically urges the Albanian government to reinstate restrictions on heavy infrastructure development within protected areas.
This outcome also adds weight to recent calls from the European Union, which has already required Albania to restore its environmental protections as a condition for advancing EU accession (see our recent statement: Despite nature conservation concerns, EU opens negotiations with Albania on environment).
From Albania’s coastal wetlands and aged sand dunes of Vjosa–Narta, where luxury resorts and airports are planned, to similar struggles across the globe, Motion 130 is now a strong international reminder to governments that tourism is no excuse to destroy protected areas.
But while the vote is a major success, the work is not over. Without immediate action, the Albanian government may continue to pursue destructive projects in national parks, ignoring both European requirements and IUCN’s global stance.
