Senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Dr Vivek Saxena of the Haryana cadre (1991 batch) has been selected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a desk reviewer for UNESCO World Heritage nominations to be considered by the 2027 World Heritage Committee. The appointment marks a significant international recognition for both Haryana and the state's forest service.
Dr Saxena, the senior-most IFS officer in the Haryana cadre, is set to retire on July 31, 2026, after a distinguished career spanning more than three decades. His selection reflects his extensive expertise in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and international environmental governance.
The IUCN serves as the official Advisory Body on natural heritage under UNESCO's World Heritage Convention. It provides independent scientific and technical evaluations to the World Heritage Committee on nominations relating to natural and mixed heritage sites across the globe. Experts are selected as reviewers on the basis of their scientific credentials, professional standing, and ability to assess the global significance, ecological integrity and conservation value of nominated properties.
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Dr Saxena has been closely associated with several global environmental initiatives throughout his career. He is an active member of three specialist bodies of the IUCN—the Species Survival Commission (SSC), the Commission on Environmental Law (CEL), and the Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), contributing to international efforts in conservation policy and sustainable ecosystem management.
Between 2007 and 2012, he served as India's National Coordinator for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and also represented the country as its Scientific Correspondent. During the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the UNCCD, held in Changwon, South Korea, in 2011, Dr Saxena chaired the Asia-Pacific Group, playing a key role in facilitating regional discussions on combating land degradation and promoting sustainable land management.
His international contributions also include serving as a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment of Land Degradation and Restoration, published in 2018. The landmark assessment is regarded as one of the most comprehensive global scientific evaluations on ecosystem degradation, land restoration and sustainable environmental management.
In another recognition of his expertise, Dr Saxena was shortlisted for the post of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), an acknowledgement conferred by an independent United Nations selection committee.
His appointment as a desk reviewer for UNESCO World Heritage nominations comes as he concludes a distinguished 34-year career with the Haryana Forest Department. The selection is being viewed as a fitting recognition of his contributions to environmental conservation, biodiversity research and international environmental policy, while bringing global recognition to Haryana's forest service and India's expertise in natural heritage conservation.
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