World Wildlife Fund

View all press releases from:  2008    2007    2006    2005    2004    2003    2002

• WWF Releases G8 Climate Scorecards, Urges Us Government To Strengthen Energy Efficiency And Energy R&D Efforts

  In advance of next week’s G8 summit in Japan, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has released a new report examining the progress of each of the G8 countries toward addressing climate change, a main focus of this year’s meeting.

  July 03, 2008

• Endangered Tiger Moved to Reserve in India

  In a groundbreaking effort to preserve the species, an endangered Bengal tiger was relocated to the Sariska tiger reserve in India on June 28th—an area where the entire tiger population was wiped out a few years ago.

  July 03, 2008

• Impacts from Extreme Weather Events Made Worse Due to Lack of Conservation, Report Finds

  Environmental degradation is a key factor in turning extreme weather events and natural hazards, like floods, earthquakes, cyclones, forest fires and hurricanes into catastrophic natural disasters, according to a new report from World Wildlife Fund. In the wake of a series of recent devastating events, like the flooding in the Midwest, the massive earthquake in China and the typhoon in the Philippines, among others, this report illustrates how natural resource protection could have helped to mitigate the effects of these disasters and highlights the potential for conservation now to help alleviate impacts from future episodes.

  July 02, 2008

• Tigers Disappear From Himalayan Refuge

  World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is alarmed by the dramatic decline of at least 30 percent in the Bengal tiger population of Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in Nepal, once a refuge that boasted among the highest densities of the endangered species in the Eastern Himalayas. The recent survey of April 2008 showed a population of between 6-14 tigers, down from 20-50 tigers in 2005.

  July 02, 2008

• Who Will Save Pacific Tuna?

  Faced with declining populations of bigeye and yellowfin tuna, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) concluded its annual meeting last week in Panama City and failed to produce a binding conservation agreement. This was the IATTC’s fourth attempt in the past year to adopt conservation measures to combat overfishing and launch the recovery of certain tuna populations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Once again negotiations failed.

  July 02, 2008

• A Bitter Pill to Swallow

  Two reports from TRAFFIC, the world's largest wildlife trade monitoring network, on traditional medicine systems in Cambodia and Vietnam suggest that illegal wildlife trade, including entire tiger skeletons, and unsustainable harvesting is depleting the region’s rich and varied biodiversity and putting the primary healthcare resource of millions at risk.

  July 01, 2008

• Philippine President Gloria Arroyo Meets with NGO’s, Public and Private CEOs and Officials to Discuss Global Food Security and Sustaining the Resources of SE Asia’s “Coral Triangle”

  WWF Enlists President’s Support for Coral Triangle InitiativeWashington, D.C. - On Monday, June 23rd President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, together with World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International held a luncheon with CEOs and top officials of various public and private organizations, to enlist their support of Coral Triangle Initiative, which the President and her country are founding members of.

  June 30, 2008

• Senior WWF official Urges Congress to Embrace Global Approach to Species Conservation

  In testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives today, Tom Dillon, senior vice president for field programs at World Wildlife Fund (WWF), urged a new paradigm in international species conservation, comprised of a globally based strategic vision and greater funding for conservation efforts.

  June 24, 2008

• WWF Applauds Passage of Legislation to Curb Illegal Fishing

  World Wildlife Fund (WWF) applauded the passage of legislation today by the Senate Commerce Committee that would significantly improve fisheries monitoring and enforcement.

  June 24, 2008

• Ecosystem and Resource Managers Must Prepare for Climate Change, New Government Study Finds

  A key government report issued today concludes that climate change is having a significant and irreversible impact on sensitive ecosystems and resources and urges the immediate implementation of ecosystem adaptation strategies on federally protected and managed lands and waters. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) officials called on Congress and the administration to provide the leadership, funding and reforms that federal managers require to implement the report’s recommendations.

  June 20, 2008

• Climate Change Fueling Extreme Weather Events, Government Study Finds

  Climate change is altering the frequency and severity of many extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts and hurricanes, according to a government report issued today. In the wake of devastating flooding throughout the Midwest – for which President Bush is seeking nearly $2 billion in emergency aid – the report illustrates the nation’s economic vulnerability to climate change and reinforces the urgency of developing a national preparedness strategy for climate change impacts, said a senior World Wildlife Fund (WWF) official.

  June 19, 2008

• Tuna Populations at Risk

  A historic meeting next week may decide the fate of tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, one of the world’s most important marine resources.

  June 19, 2008

• WWF-Supported Timber Provision Becomes Law

  The import, purchase, sale and transport of products made from illegally harvested wood will for the first time become a federal crime under legislation passed today by the U.S. Congress.

  June 18, 2008

• Update: Pandas have been safely relocated

  The unspeakable human tragedy resulting from the massive earthquake in China and the major reconstruction efforts ahead have been very much in the news lately.  As you are aware, this is a critical region for WWF because of our work to protect giant pandas and panda habitat and I wanted to update you on the current state of our efforts. The situation in the field is still very fluid, with sometimes contradictory reports being issued. Thankfully, all WWF staff and volunteers in China are now reported safe.

  June 12, 2008

• Monumental Debt-for-Nature Swap Provides $20 Million to Protect Biodiversity in Madagascar, WWF Announces

  The largest debt-for-nature swap agreement in Madagascar’s history was signed today between the Government of Madagascar and the Government of France, allocating roughly $20 million (13 million Euros) to preserve Madagascar’s rich biodiversity, WWF announced today.

  June 11, 2008

• WWF Statement on Senate Climate Bill

  The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 3036) today failed to garner a 60 vote supermajority necessary to advance the legislation in the U.S. Senate. However, the 48-36 vote in favor of proceeding marked a significant shift in political support for addressing climate change, said Dr. Richard Moss, vice president of climate change at World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

  June 06, 2008

• Rarest Rhinos Make Video Trap Debut

   

  June 02, 2008

• Eleven Major Corporations Urge Senate Passage Of Climate Change Legislation

  Eleven major corporations today urged the U.S. Senate to pass climate change legislation, saying the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 3036), which will be voted on this week, “represents a real effort to establish the regulatory framework that we need.”

  June 02, 2008

• Brazil's Environment Minister Commits to New Protected Areas in the Amazon

  Bonn, Germany, May 30, 2008 – Brazil's Environment Minister, Carlos Minc, has confirmed the imminent creation of four new protected areas, three of them in the Brazilian Amazon, totaling 2.3 million hectares. The announcement of the creation of these areas will be made on June 5th, World Environment Day. Minc announced this commitment yesterday at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, Germany, where, together with Environmental Ministers of 60 countries, he also signed onto a WWF campaign of zero net deforestation by 2020.

  May 30, 2008

• New Federal Assessment Confirms Climate Change Dangers, Says WWF

  A report focusing on the impacts of climate change in the U.S. that was issued today by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is consistent with previously published research, but falls far short of meeting the needs of decision-makers for timely and useful information on the growing impacts of climate change, said World Wildlife Fund (WWF) officials.

  May 29, 2008

• More Protection for Africa’s Rainforests

  The Democratic Republic of the Congo will establish 13 to 15 million hectares of new protected areas, the country announced yesterday at the UN Environmental Summit in Bonn, Germany. These proposed protected areas make up an area of rainforests roughly the size of Greece.  WWF applauds this commitment as a step towards creating an important and expansive network for the preservation of tropical rainforests. With this commitment, the Congolese government will reach its goal to protect 15 percent of the country.

  May 28, 2008

• U.S. Government Study Finds Climate Change Impacting Water Availability, Agriculture, And Wildlife

  Climate change is fueling forest fires, creating water scarcity, harming animal habitats, and causing other significant changes throughout the United States that will only worsen as global temperatures increase, concludes a new federal government assessment of current and future climate change impacts.

  May 27, 2008

• International organized smuggling group charged with trafficking Amur tiger body parts and 480 bear paws

  On 27 May 2008, Primorskii regional court handed out its verdict in the trial of three Russian and three Chinese individuals charged with trafficking Amur tiger body parts and 480 bear paws, for which they had tried to pass to China in August 2007.

  May 27, 2008

• Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue Begins

  The process of creating standards for certifying farmed abalone is underway. The standards will help minimize the key environmental and social impacts associated with abalone production.

  May 23, 2008

• World Wildlife Fund Offers Unique Eco-Friendly Gifts For Father’s Day

  For fathers who are as “wise as an owl,” as “strong as a lion,” or as “lovable as a grizzly bear,” World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is making it easy for people to salute and celebrate the special men in their lives for Father’s Day. Symbolic animal adoptions in support of a worthy cause are a great way to honor a great father while protecting the environment.

  May 23, 2008