Energy, environment and natural resources

Executive Order 12986: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (regarding national parks)

President: Bill Clinton

Extended selected statutory privileges to the International Union for Conservation of Nature while withholding immunity from suit and several related protections.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 12986 still in effect? Yes. Continuing designation with expressly limited privileges and immunities.

What does Executive Order 12986 do?

EO 12986 applied the International Organizations Immunities Act to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The designation deliberately excluded the Act’s organizational immunity from suit, property protection from search and confiscation, archival inviolability and official-act immunity for representatives, officers and employees. Other eligible privileges could apply, and separate agreements or legislation were preserved. The official disposition record shows no revocation.

Administration position: The order facilitated IUCN activity in the United States but did not give the organization or its personnel blanket legal immunity.
SignedJanuary 18, 1996
OrganizationInternational Union for Conservation of Nature
AuthorityInternational Organizations Immunities Act

Before and after

Before the order

IUCN lacked this tailored presidential treatment under the federal immunities statute.

After the order

Selected privileges applied while core immunity-from-suit provisions remained excluded.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Federal authoritiesRecognize the selected statutory privilegesContinuing
Courts and agenciesRespect the order’s express exclusionsWhen relevant

What happened next

EO 12986 made the limited designation.

No express revocation appeared in the official disposition table.