How the Red List is Used
The IUCN Red List shows us where and what actions need to be taken to save the building blocks of nature from extinction. It provides a straightforward way to factor biodiversity needs into decision-making processes by providing a wealth of useful information on species.
Guiding scientific research
Scientific journals regularly cite The IUCN Red List in peer-reviewed literature. Each year numerous new conservation articles examine the values of The IUCN Red List and refer to its important contribution to conservation planning. Downloads of IUCN Red List data from the website show that academics from research institutions worldwide export IUCN Red List data for research purposes on a daily basis.
Informing conservation planning
Several conservation planning methodologies use The IUCN Red List to identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for conservation including: Important Bird Areas; Important Plant Areas; and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites. For example, one of the criteria that AZE sites must meet is that they contain at least one Endangered or Critically Endangered species, as listed on The IUCN Red List.
