The ESG works to promote understanding and implementation of the ethical commitments of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and what it deems the requirements of sound ethical reasoning and action. It stands ready to respond as appropriate to issues of moment that come before the IUCN membership.
The ESG has the three fold task of
(1) sharing its recommendations on what is required to advance a strong ethical vision of the place and role of humankind on the planet, either in the form of general ethical principle and purpose, or a specific ethical position or action;
(2) sighting (identifying, lifting up for attention, etc ) the unattended, often implicit and hidden ethical presuppositions and issues that inform the policies, strategies, research and ongoing projects and work of IUCN;
(3) demonstrating in its own reflections, white papers, or policy analyses and prescriptions, how good ethical deliberation leading to reasoned and informed judgments on critical issues, recognized or hidden, might ideally proceed.
These three functions are undertaken with the clear understanding that nothing ESG says or does should be interpreted as representing the position of the Union, or its Commissions or Members unless they decide to so indicate.
Ethics Specialist Group 