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The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States. It is the world's largest independent conservation organization with over 5 million supporters worldwide, working in more than 100 countries, supporting around 1,300 conservation and environmental projects.
WWF is a foundation, in 2010 deriving 57% of funding from individuals and bequests, 17% from government sources (such as the World Bank, DFID, USAID) and 11% from corporations.
The group says its mission is "to halt and reverse the destruction of our environment".
Currently, much of its work focuses on the conservation of three biomes that contain most of the world's biodiversity: forests, freshwater ecosystems, and oceans and coasts. Among other issues, it is also concerned with endangered species, pollution and climate change.
Panda symbol The well-known panda logo of WWF originated from a panda named Chi Chi that was transferred from the Beijing Zoo to the London Zoo in the same year of the establishment of WWF.
As the only giant panda residing in the Western area at that time, along with its physical features and status as an endangered species, panda is seen to serve the need of a strong recognizable symbol of the organization.
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Proficient in: Biodiversity
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“ Ok, let me say I’m extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. I really enjoy the effort put in. ”
Moreover, the organization also needs an animal that would have an impact in black and white printing.
The logo was then designed by Sir Peter Scott from the preliminary sketches made by a Scottish naturalist, Gerald Watterson. 50 years of Achievements From its origins as a small group of committed wildlife enthusiasts, WWF has grown into one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations – supported by 5 million people and active in over 100 countries on five continents.
Over this time, WWF's focus has evolved from localized efforts in favour of single species and individual habitats to an ambitious strategy to preserve biodiversity and achieve sustainable development across the globe.
This timeline provides a snapshot of just some of the many successes that WWF – working with a broad range of partners, including scientists, park managers, local communities, governments, other conservation organizations and businesses – has helped bring about as it strives for a world in which people live in harmony with nature. 1960S In its first decade, WWF raised over US$5. 6 million – an enormous sum in the 1960s.
Based on the best available science, this money was distributed as grants to support 356 conservation-related projects around the world – from wildlife surveys to anti-poaching efforts to education.
Many of the animals and habitats supported by these early grants went on to become iconic conservation symbols, and continue to be a focus of WWF’s work. The popular fundraising appeals also, for the first time, brought conservation into the public arena. 1970S While WWF remained focused on species and habitat preservation throughout the 1970s, its approach began to change. Instead of providing more-or-less ad hoc support to individual projects, it began encouraging more comprehensive conservation efforts for entire biomes as well as species across their range.
As part of this, WWF stepped up its engagement with governments and international environmental treaties and started to tackle some of the drivers behind environmental threats. 1980S By its 20th anniversary, WWF had supported protected areas on five continents covering 1% of the Earth’s surface and contributed to the continued existence of a number of species. As impressive as this was, the organization realized that parks and crisis-led conservation efforts – while important – were not enough.
Now with an expanded global presence and starting to run its own projects, WWF began more heavily promoting the ideas of its founders: that conservation was in the interest of people and needed to be integrated into, rather than viewed as in conflict with, development. These concepts laid the foundation for sustainable development, a philosophy that now permeates conservation, development, and even corporate strategies. 1990S The 1990s saw more widespread acceptance of the global links between the environment, human activities and human welfare – as well as the value of biodiversity and the emerging threat of climate change.
These issues were explicitly incorporated in WWF’s 1990 Mission Statement, and have framed the organization’s on-the-ground and policy work ever since. Continuing the move from country-based projects to a targeted and more unified approach, WWF developed a global conservation strategy that focused efforts on the world’s most critical ecoregions and in six key areas – species, forest, marine and freshwater conservation, climate change and toxic chemicals.
In addition to its long-standing relationships with traditional conservation partners, WWF also began to more actively engage with business and other new partners to promote sustainable resource management. 2000S The turn of the century saw WWF vastly upscale its ambition, aiming for transformational changes that lead to lasting conservation, sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles.
With twin goals of conserving biodiversity and reducing humanity's Ecological Footprint, the organization is drawing on the combined strength and expertise of its global network to create innovative partnerships that integrate on-the-ground conservation, high-level policy and advocacy, and strategic private sector engagement. These efforts are particularly focused on globally important areas and species, including vast areas like the Arctic and animals and plants important both for their habitats and for people, and tackling global challenges like climate change and bringing sustainability into global markets.
Reducing humanity's impact WWF is working to reduce humanity's ecological footprint – the amount of land and natural resources needed to supply our food, water, fibre and timber, and to absorb our CO2 emissions. We are specifically focusing on 5 priority footprint areas that we believe need addressing most urgently: · Carbon, Energy & Climate (energy use, impact of forest loss, and the need for a new global policy on climate change) WWF's goal is for the world to develop an equitable low carbon economy by 2050, which is resilient to that level of climate change which is unavoidable.
All efforts should be undertaken to keep warming of global average temperature below 1. 5°C (compared to 1850). WWF works on low carbon development and climate policy, clean and smart energy, forests and climate, climate finance, and climate business engagement. Their work to achieve a "climate-safe" future includes: Advocating a new international climate agreement – one that is just and legally binding Promoting energy efficiency – the most rapid and cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions Promoting renewable energy ources – like wind, solar, and geothermal power Preventing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation – currently responsible for 20% of all emissions Developing and promoting climate change adaptation strategies – to safeguard the most vulnerable people and the most exposed ecosystems. They also work with businesses to help them prepare for the low carbon economy. As part of their work on conserving ecosystems and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, WWF's forest, freshwater, marine, and species programs are developing climate change adaptation strategies. · Farming food, fibre, grazing, aquaculture, and biofuels) WWF is working with major companies and their supply chains to ensure that key farmed commodities are produced and processed in a sustainable manner – one that preserves and restores critical habitats, helps protect watersheds, and improves soil health and water quality. · Fishing (over-fishing, illegal & unregulated fishing, and bycatch) WWF's Smart Fishing Initiative particularly seeks to move four major, global fishery types – whitefish, tuna, shrimp, and forage (or reduction) – towards long-term sustainability. Work centres on: Reducing bycatch · Reducing illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing · Increasing public awareness and preferential purchasing of sustainable seafood in key markets · Engaging the processing and retail sector to demand legal, traceable and sustainable seafood · Addressing the key drivers of overfishing, including private and public finance · Generating solutions that address the very real and difficult socio-economic issues underpinning and fuelling overfishing. · Forestry (timber, paper, pulp, and fuel wood) Communities play an important role in sustainable forest management.
By helping local people manage forest resources—whether it is rattan or mahogany—WWF supports local economies while securing forest ecosystems. Water (dams, irrigation, and drinking supplies) Work centres on: · promoting the water footprint concept to measure both water use and the impacts of this use · reducing harmful water footprint impacts · defining public and private sector actions that support better water management in specific river basins. This work is underpinned by the knowledge and expertise of WWF's Global Freshwater Programme, and carried out in conjunction with the:
Market Transformation Initiative, specific agricultural initiatives (such as cotton & sugarcane), WWF offices and programmes around the world, and many valuable and indispensable partners. To reduce humanity's footprint in these areas, we are developing and implementing new ways of growing crops, managing fisheries, forests and wetlands, generating energy, and dealing with waste. We are also looking at ways to transform markets: where and how companies and their supply chains obtain and process these vital commodities.
The aim is that everyone lives within the Earth’s capacity to sustain people and nature, and has equitable access to, and use of, natural resources. What does WWF do? WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of our planet's natural environment, and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. In order to achieve this mission, WWF focuses its efforts on two broad areas: Biodiversity Footprint The first, is to ensure that the earth's web of life - biodiversity - stays healthy and vibrant for generations to come.
We are strategically focusing on conserving critical places and critical species that are particularly important for the conservation of our earth's rich biodiversity. The second, is to reduce the negative impacts of human activity - our ecological footprint. We are working to ensure that the natural resources required for life -land, water, air - are managed sustainably and equitably. 2050 Biodiversity Goal By 2050, the integrity of the most outstanding natural places on Earth is conserved, contributing to a more secure and sustainable future for all 2050 Footprint Goal
By 2050, humanity's global footprint stays within the Earth's capacity to sustain life and the natural resources of our planet are shared equitably HOW DO THEY DO THIS? Through innovative partnerships that combine on-the-ground conservation, high-level policy and advocacy, and work to make business & industry more sustainable. They are strategically focusing on conserving critical places and critical species that are particularly important for their habitat or for people. They are also working to reduce humanity's ecological footprint – the amount of land and natural resources needed to supply our food, water, fibre and imber, and to absorb our CO2 emissions. It's not about keeping people out of nature. Or turning back the clock. Or preventing countries or communities from developing. It is about finding practical solutions for a healthy planet. A planet where people and nature can thrive together, in a stable environment, now, and for generations to come. WHY DO THEY DO THIS? The decisions, actions and inactions of one species – ours – over the next decade will determine the fate of all life on Earth. Across the world, biodiversity and natural habitats are disappearing faster than ever before. Why?
Because as a whole, people are using wood, water, wild animals and other natural resources more quickly than they can be replenished, polluting and altering natural habitats, and changing the entire planet's climate. This is damaging the ecosystems that supply us – and all other life – with freshwater, food, clean air, shelter, and more. Millions of people, in rich and poor countries alike, are already feeling the consequences – uncertainties over food and water security, increased vulnerability to natural disasters and diseases. Things will get much worse if we keep going the same way.
WWF: Dedication to Conservation and Research.. (2020, Jun 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/wwf-new-essay
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