March 2011

"When we talk about tipping markets toward sustainability in order to protect the species and places we love, what we’re really talking about is saving ourselves."

When WWF was created in 1961, saving species stood at the heart of our mission. Today, while species still animate everything we do, the past 50 years have taught us that in order to truly protect animals, we must also address the vast array of forces threatening their lives and their habitats. Which is why WWF’s work to transform global commodity markets has become such an important part of our work.

We can’t succeed in creating a stable future for tigers or orangutans if we don’t reduce the impact of palm oil production on the forests of Indonesia. Because palm oil is so ubiquitous—it’s found in nearly half of all packaged goods on supermarket shelves, from soap to ice cream to crackers—the way palm oil is grown, sold and distributed can make all the difference.

So we’ve helped create community production standards for palm oil to minimize the cutting of forests. We’ve forged transformational partnerships with companies like Kraft and Cargill, who are pushing the envelope of best practices to minimize waste and deforestation and move production to already degraded lands. We’ve engaged in similar efforts for other commodities as well—including soy, cotton and beef—to find ways to use less land, energy and water in their production.

Fish provides the primary source of protein for 950 million people, so WWF’s work to create a sustainable global fisheries industry is central to our mission of creating a world in which people live in harmony with nature. We work with the fishing industry, governments, communities and others to develop environmental standards for sustainable, well-managed fisheries; create and expand marine protected areas; institute sustainable fishing practices to protect marine life; and more.

Everywhere I go—from the Coral Triangle to the lowlands of Nepal to Mozambique or the Amazon—our local staff asks for help in minimizing the impacts of global markets and commodities. In order to protect the places and species we hold most dear, improving global markets so they incorporate the value of nature must be near the top of our list of priorities.

Of course, the truth is we need nature more than nature needs us. We depend on it for everything—our livelihoods, sustenance, shelter, health and inspiration. So when we talk about tipping markets toward sustainability in order to protect the species and places we love, what we’re really talking about is saving ourselves.

- Carter S. Roberts