World Wildlife Fund

U.S. Government Affirms that Climate Change is Putting Polar Bears in Peril

Climate change is destroying vital polar bear habitat, putting the species at risk of extinction, the U.S. government said today as it listed the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world’s largest conservation organization, said the government’s decision clearly indicates that climate change impacts are already threatening the survivability of animals and habitats, and illustrates the urgency of preparing for and adapting to a rapidly changing climate.  

WWF Joins Suit Opposing Lease Sale 193 in the Chukchi Sea

Gulf Coast Students and WWF to Explore How Vulnerable Region is to Climate Change

WASHINGTON—Twenty-five high school students displaced by Hurricane Katrina will join WWF and scientists to examine the southeastern United States’ vulnerability to climate change under research awards from WWF and Allianz Foundation for North America this spring.

Climate Change Hitting Arctic Faster, Harder

WASHINGTON – Climate change is having a greater and faster impact on the Arctic than previously thought, according to a new study by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Reducing Deforestation is Key to Addressing Climate Change, WWF Official Tells Congress

WASHINGTON -- National and international plans to combat climate change must address the root causes of deforestation, which is responsible for nearly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) official said in testimony before the U.S. Senate today. 

36 Million Americans Take Part in WWF's Earth Hour

World Wildlife Fund announced today that an estimated 36 million Americans took part in Earth Hour, a global event in support for action on climate change that took place March 29, 2008.

President Bush Refuses to Lead; WWF Looks to Presidential Candidates for Leadership on Climate Change

WASHINGTON – Officials at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today expressed doubt that President Bush’s Rose Garden speech this afternoon will offer any hope for meaningful action on climate change before the end of his term and called on his would-be successors to demonstrate leadership on the issue, specifically urging them to participate in a debate on climate change and other science and environmental issues.

Go with Gold for Quality Carbon Offsetting in Energy Sector

WASHINGTON, D.C.– The Gold Standard for carbon offsets in the energy sector has come out on top after research which, for the first time, rates voluntary offset standards according to clear quality criteria.

Destruction of Sumatra forests driving global climate change and species extinction: WWF

Pekanbaru, Sumatra-Turning just one Sumatran province's forests and peat swamps into pulpwood and palm oil plantations is generating more annual greenhouse gas emissions than the Netherlands and rapidly driving the province's elephants into extinction, a new study by WWF and partners has found.

Sumatra's Forests Disappearing, Bad News for Climate Change, Tigers and Elephants

A groundbreaking report by WWF and partners analyzes the local-to-global connections between deforestation, climate change and the rapid decline of tigers and elephants in the Riau Province, on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour Gains Momentum As Three More US Cities Join Chicago in Historic Global, Climate Change Event

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 15, 2008 – Momentum continues to build for Earth Hour 2008, as World Wildlife Fund announced today that four major US cities will take part in a global effort to turn off the lights on March 29, 2008 to demonstrate concern about climate change.

Media Advisory: “Climate Camp” Teaches Natural Resource Experts from Around the World How to Protect Nature from Climate Change

What: Climate Camp is a week-long program where conservationists, policymakers and resource managers from Papua New Guinea to Northern California learn how to develop programs that help wildlife, habitats and communities prepare for the consequences of global climate change. Climate scientists from around the world will explain the impacts of climate change and help them design programs to help places like the Congo, Amazon and Rockies prepare for a changing climate. They present these programs to their peers and funders and if the last climate camp is any guide, most will successfully implement projects when they return home.

Business leaders sign Tokyo Declaration to tackle global warming and enact industry-wide change

Tokyo – A business group including leading companies such as HP, Sony, Nokia and Nike today released the Tokyo Declaration, a joint call to tackle the urgent issue of climate change. Signing the declaration at the Climate Savers Summit 2008 held by WWF and Sony in Tokyo, a dozen business leaders highlighted that the world’s greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by more than 50 percent by 2050. They added that emissions must peak and start to decline within the next 10 to 15 years in order to keep global warming below the dangerous threshold of 2 degrees Celsius.

HP Joins WWF Climate Savers Program, Pledges Further Reductions in Emissions and Energy Consumption

WASHINGTON D.C. – HP has joined the WWF Climate Savers program, a group of leading corporations from around the world that are working with World Wildlife Fund to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, WWF and HP announced today.

World Wildlife Fund Statement on Climate Change and the State of the Union

WASHINGTON – The head of the climate change program at World Wildlife Fund, the world’s largest environmental organization, today issued the following statement:

Environmental Groups Call for Increased Protection of Coral Reefs as World Marks 2008 International Year of the Reef

Washington D.C.— As 17 countries and 30 organizations launch the International Year of the Reef today, three major environmental groups – World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International – call on governments, businesses, scientists, non-governmental organizations and individuals around the world to vastly increase actions to protect coral reefs. The International Year of the Reef 2008, designated by the International Coral Reef Initiative, is a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and to motivate action to protect them.

WWF Disappointed by U.S. Delay in Listing Polar Bears

WASHINGTON D.C. – World Wildlife Fund (WWF) expressed disappointment over the announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on January 7, 2008 that it will delay by up to one month a final decision on  whether to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Conservation Organizations Decry Controversial Chukchi Lease Sale, Raising Concerns About Survival of Polar Bears

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), an agency within the Department of Interior (DOI), issued its Final Notice of Intent for the Chukchi Lease Sale 193 opening approximately 29.7 million acres of the pristine Chukchi Sea to oil and gas activities on January 2.

Major Cities Around the World Join WWF in Fighting Climate Change During Earth Hour 2008

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2007 - WWF today announced the official launch of Earth Hour, a global initiative in which cities and communities will turn out their lights to symbolize their leadership and commitment to finding solutions for climate change.

Bali Launches Climate Negotiations, Weak on Substance

Bali, INDONESIA – Political leaders meeting in Bali for the UN’s Climate Change Summit hammered out a deal which launches formal negotiations with a 2009 end date, but the deal falls short in its ambition, says World Wildlife Fund.

US Government Proposal Has Potential to Derail Bali Climate Conference, Warns WWF

Bali, Indonesia – A move by the U.S. government could push the Bali climate negotiations to the brink of failure, WWF officials warned tonight. The U.S. proposal would eliminate language that called upon developed nations to consider specific, internationally binding, quantified reduction commitments, replacing it with text that calls upon countries to adopt any measures they deem appropriate.

Amazon Deforestation Rates Decreasing, Rainforests Still Threatened

New data from the government of Brazil shows that deforestation rates for the Brazilian Amazon from August 2006 to July 2007 have fallen for the third consecutive year - and are the lowest registered for the region since 1991.

Penguins in Peril as Climate Warms, WWF

Bali, Indonesia - The penguin population of Antarctica is under pressure from global warming, says WWF’s latest briefing.

WWF Applauds US Senate Committee Approval of Landmark Climate Change Legislation

Bali, Indonesia – Officials with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said landmark climate change legislation sent to the floor of the US Senate by the Environment and Public Works Committee this week will help put the US on the path towards meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate Change Speeds Up Amazon’s Destruction, Says WWF

Bali, Indonesia – A vicious feedback loop of climate change and deforestation could wipe out or severely damage nearly 60 percent of the Amazon forest by 2030, says a new report from WWF. 

Record Breaking Year for Climate, says WWF

Bali, Indonesia– The past year has seen yet more weather records smashed as extreme weather events take a firmer hold of the planet, says WWF.

150 Global Business Leaders Call for Legally Binding UN Framework at Bali COP to Tackle Climate Change

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leaders of 150 global companies today called on world leaders to agree on a comprehensive, legally binding United Nations framework to tackle climate change during negotiations that begin next week during the Conference of the Parties in Bali, Indonesia.

150 Global Business Leaders Call for Legally Binding UN Framework at Bali COP to Tackle Climate Change

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leaders of 150 global companies today called on world leaders to agree on a comprehensive, legally binding United Nations framework to tackle climate change during negotiations that begin next week during the Conference of the Parties in Bali, Indonesia.

Statement by Gold Medalists Ted Ligety and Julia Mancuso on Global Warming’s Impact on Skiing

Ted Ligety:
“With the start of the 2007 ski season, it’s never been clearer that the sport I love is at risk. Global warming has made skiing conditions progressively worse – the seasons are getting shorter and there seems to be less snow on the slopes. Without immediate action to halt global warming we could lose the sport as we know it all together. Scientists say we have less than 10 years to do something before it’s too late.

A More Sustainable Thanksgiving Feast

WASHINGTON - Want to make your Thanksgiving a little more environmentally-friendly? World Wildlife Fund offers some easy steps to make your celebration more sustainable:

Witness to a Changing Planet

Washington D.C. – A new tool from WWF allows people around the world to document first-hand the impacts of climate change on their communities and livelihoods, from melting glacial lakes in the Himalayas threatening to flood Sherpa villages to rising sea levels in the Pacific putting fishermen out of business. Through the Climate Witness Program, WWF collects testimony from citizens in vulnerable areas, verifies it with leading climate scientists and then shares it with the world.

World Wildlife Fund Names Climate Expert Richard Moss as Vice President and Managing Director for Climate Change

WASHINGTON - World Wildlife Fund announced today that internationally-recognized climate expert Richard Moss has been named WWF's vice president and managing director for Climate Change for the United States. In that role, Moss will be at the forefront of WWF's efforts to secure a strong global climate agreement that includes steep emissions reduction targets, addresses forest carbon policy and protects the world's key eco-regions from the effects of global warming.

The Golden Compass Brings New Line Cinema and the World Wildlife Fund Together To Educate Public About Global Warming

WASHINGTON, October 16, 2007 -In the new fantasy adventure film "The Golden Compass," polar bears protect themselves with suits of armor. In the real world, threats to polar bears are not so easily abated. This majestic species is one of many in danger of extinction due to harsh changes in climate, which is why New Line Cinema has launched a unique partnership today with the World Wildlife Fund to help educate the public about the impact global warming is having on animals throughout the world.

World Wildlife Fund Hails Award of Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and UN's Climate Change Panel

WASHINGTON DC - The CEO of World Wildlife Fund, the world's largest environmental organization, said today that the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to former Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognizes that climate change is one of the great destabilizing forces of our era and a root cause of some of the world's most violent conflicts.

Celebrities Say They're 'Hotter than They Should Be'

What do Scarlett Johansson, Orlando Bloom and Rachael Ray have in common? They’ve joined together with 13 other hot celebrities to support an online auction for World Wildlife Fund. Each has signed a WWF “Hotter than I Should Be” t-shirt to be auctioned off on eBay starting today with funds going to support WWF’s global climate change and other conservation initiatives.

Unprecedented Pact to Save Amazonian Forests

Brasilia, Brazil - Today nine Brazilian conservation organizations, including WWF-Brazil, launched an initiative to protect the Amazon's rainforests. This historic pact establishes a system of economic incentives for conservation with a goal of eliminating deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon by 2015 - an ambitious 7 year target.

Time Running Out for Polar Bears

WASHINGTON— A new report on the fate of polar bears in a world of rapid climate change predicts disaster for one of the world's most charismatic species, World Wildlife Fund said today.

Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Endorsed by APEC Summit

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - At yesterday's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, 21 world leaders endorsed a new proposal to safeguard the rich marine resources of the Indo-Pacific region for future generations. The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security aims to bring together six governments in a multilateral partnership to conserve the extraordinary marine life in the region. The proposal was endorsed in the Sydney APEC Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development.  U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed this Initiative during the Summit.

Opportunity for Students Displaced by Katrina to Assess Climate Change Vulnerability of Southeastern U.S.

WASHINGTON—World Wildlife Fund and the Allianz Foundation for North America today announced a new opportunity for high school students displaced by Katrina and now residing in nine U.S. cities to assess the climate change vulnerability of the Southeastern United States.

No Matter What Your School Colors, Make Sure Your Backpack is Green

As you make your Back to School list, you might want to check it twice, according to World Wildlife Fund who offers ten important tips on how you can make a positive impact on the environment by making sure the school supplies that make it into your backpack are good for the Earth:

Coral Reef Recovery

Coral reefs attract a diverse abundance of marine animals and plants that rely on each other for food and shelter. They create rich spawning grounds for fisheries and feeding grounds for sea turtles. They protect coastal areas from extreme ocean storms. They provide areas for tourism and recreation. There is even evidence that some organisms found within the reefs are a valuable resource for modern medicine.

Energy Efficiency is Fastest, Cheapest, Easiest Way for G8 to Cut Emissions

WASHINGTON – Despite the enormous potential of energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the planet from dangerous climate change, too many of the existing efficiency policies and measures in the G8 industrialized countries, including the United States, are ineffective according to a new WWF report, Making Energy Efficiency Happen: From Potential To Realization. The report outlines what each of the G8 plus 5 countries can do to save energy and the climate while promoting their energy security with sustainable economic growth.

Whales in Hot Water: Global Warming's Effect on World's Largest Creatures

WASHINGTON – Whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) are facing increasing threats from climate change, according to a new report published by WWF and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) released in advance of the 59th meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Anchorage, Alaska, May 28-31.

"Hotter Than I Should Be": WWF Launches New Campaign to Fight Global Warming

World Wildlife Fund today introduced a bold consumer campaign created to aid in the world's fight against global warming.  A series of public service announcements will air this month dramatically demonstrating how unchecked climate change will affect average lives.  The new public service announcements show a young boy playing baseball elbow deep in water and a couple being married amid a torrential hurricane.

WWF Report: Possible to Meet Energy Demand and Stop Global Warming

WASHINGTON– Sustainable energy and technology can curb climate change and meet projected growth in demand for energy but only if key decisions are made within the next five years, according to a new WWF report.  Climate Solutions: WWF’s vision for 2050 concludes that sustainable technologies can meet global projected energy demand while avoiding the most dangerous impacts of climate change.  But it warns that the governmental policies needed to propel this transition are not now in place, or even in prospect in most cases. 

Rising Sea Levels,Temps Threaten Madagascar's Marine Life

The dramatic effect climate change is having on our oceans is especially evident in the waters surrounding the island nation of Madagascar, which boasts some of the richest arrays of marine biodiversity in the Indian Ocean.

Americans Nationwide Pledge to Make a Difference for Earth Day

From organizing an Earth Day-themed karaoke fundraiser to participating in a trash clean-up in their local community, Americans have pledged to take action to conserve mother earth for Earth Day 2007. More than 2,000 people have made pledges for change on World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Day website.

Global Warming Threatens World's Natural Wonders

WASHINGTON ­– A new report from WWF shows how global warming threatens ten of the world’s greatest natural wonders, including two in the United States.  Saving the World's Natural Wonders from Climate Change finds that global warming is already affecting places like the Amazon and Himalayas.

Surveying climate change impacts on Central America's coral reefs

Placencia, Belize — A WWF survey shows that rising temperatures, altered rainfall and coral bleaching are among the main threats to Central America's Mesoamerican Reef.

HP to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Increase Energy Efficiency of Products

Technology-based solutions eyed as part of new agreement with World Wildlife Fund-US

Climate Change Poses Serious Risks to Insurers and their Customers, According to New Report

The insurance industry should do more to address the growing impact of climate change-induced damages, according to a new report released today. This is the first time that a major insurance company has publicly released a study of this kind in the U.S. The report examines the latest scientific findings about climate change, specifically on forest fires, storms and floods, and the potential impact on the insurance industry and its customers.

WWF and Sony Work Together to Reduce Climate Change

Washington - World Wildlife Fund congratulates Sony, which has agreed to cut carbon dioxide emissions from both operations and its product range as part of a deal struck with WWF. The company's commitment, which was announced today in Tokyo, includes all its subsidiaries and its production facilities globally, including Japan, China, Europe, and the US.

Global Warming Capable of Sparking Mass Species Extinctions

Washington, D.C. - The Earth could see massive waves of species extinctions in around the world if global warming continues unabated, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Conservation Biology.

WWF and Tetra Pak to Work Together to Improve Management of Forests and Climate

Washington, DC - Tetra Pak and WWF today signed a three year agreement to cooperate to improve management of the world's forests and to reduce industrial emissions contributing to climate change. Under the agreement, Tetra Pak will take steps to strengthen its purchasing of forest-based products from well-managed forests and to reduce its CO2 emissions over the next five years by an absolute 10 percent.

WWF works to reduce effects of global warming

In an effort to reduce the effects of global warming, including an increase in polar bear drownings, World Wildlife Fund is working to educate people, businesses and governments around the world about the importance of reducing CO2 emissions.

One Year After the Tsunami: Building Back the Right Way

One year after the Southeast Asian tsunami, reconstruction is finally under way. But some of the hardest hit areas risk sowing the seeds of future disasters unless donor countries include sustainably sourced building materials in their long-term aid packages, according to experts from the World Wildlife Fund.

2005 a Record Year for Climate Change

A World Wildlife Fund report released last week said that 2005 is on track to be the warmest year on record, surpassing the record set in the 1998 El Niño year. By October of this year, NASA reported that the global average temperature was already 0.06ºC (0.1ºF) warmer than 1998.

Hot, hungry and gasping for air - climate change puts fish at risk, warns WWF

A week ahead of a key Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, Canada, the global conservation organization's report " Are we putting our fish in hot water? " shows that global warming is causing the world's waters to warm while rainfall patterns, currents and sea levels are changing.

Aspen, Annapolis, Major Paper Company Commit to Clean Energy and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions - IBM Reduces CO2 Emissions by More Than 1 Million Tons, Saving $115 Million

WASHINGTON - The cities of Aspen and Annapolis, along with NorskeCanada (TSX:NS), a leading paper producer, have reached agreements with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Center for Energy & Climate Solutions (CECS) committing to significant actions that will reduce heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions. WWF and CECS also announced that IBM (NYSE:IBM), a participant in their Climate Savers program, has surpassed its reduction target and avoided more than 1.28 million tons of CO2 emissions since the 1998 base year of its Climate Savers goal, saving $115 million in reduced energy costs. These efforts are part of the growing trend of businesses, states and local communities taking direct action to address the challenge posed to nature and people by global warming.

Indonesia Adopts WWF Reconstruction Guidelines for Aceh

JAKARTA, Indonesia - With a strong endorsement from Indonesian officials, World Wildlife Fund Tuesday unveiled a set of reconstruction guidelines designed to promote both the economic and environmental recovery of tsunami-ravaged Aceh province.

World Wildlife Fund Calls for U.S. Action as World Celebrates Climate Change Treaty

WASHINGTON - "As the world celebrates the launch of the first international agreement to protect our living planet from global warming, the United States shouldn't remain paralyzed by inaction--it can do its share by passing the bi-partisan Climate Stewardship Act now in Congress.

Bill Introduced to Boost Water Supplies

State Senator Shannon Robinson (D-17, Bernalillo) and Representative Mimi Stewart (D-21, Bernalillo) introduced the Water Efficient Technology act (WET) today in the New Mexico Senate and House of Representatives. The bill would raise $10-20 million annually to increase the productivity of the state's water supplies by fixing leaking pipes, funding infrastructure, water-efficient technology and other water projects. Cosponsors include Representatives Ben Lujan, (D-Santa Fe), Speaker of the House, Irvin Harrison, (D-McKinley, San Juan), Manuel Herrera, (D-Grant, Hildago), Antonio Lujan (D-Doña Ana), Jim Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), Ernest Chavez (D-Bernalillo), Edward Sandoval (D-Bernalillo), Roger Madalena (D-Bern, McK., R.A. & Sandoval), Nick Salazar (D-Mora, R.A., S.M., S.F. & Taos), Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe), Joni Gutierrez (D-Dona Ana), Gail Beam (D-Bernalillo), Danice Picraux (D-Bernalillo).

'Green Reconstruction' Vital in the Aftermath of the Tsunami

Washington, DC - In the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, WWF, the global conservation organization, is calling on governments to support the devastated communities by ensuring that efforts to rebuild their livelihoods are environmentally sustainable. The call comes as a UN conference on the vulnerability of small island developing states gets underway in Mauritius in the Indian Ocean -- the area severely impacted by the tsunami.

Power Companies Fail To Chart Clear Course To Combat Climate Change

Washington, DC - Despite their role as the biggest contributors to climate change, a new report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveals that the planet's largest power companies are failing to make use of available technologies to address the threat that climate change poses to the environment. Ranking Power, a new WWF report, documents the overall failure of major power sector companies around the world to significantly invest in renewable and efficient energy in order to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Almost two thirds of the companies evaluated received a score of less than one out of a possible ten for their response to global warming, with more than 90% rating below three. Rankings are based on the companies' current use of available technologies to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as clear commitments they have made for future improvements.

WWF Report Warns of Looming 'Budget Deficit' with Nature

WASHINGTON - People are consuming the earth's natural resources 20 percent faster than nature can renew them--a dangerous imbalance that is fueling the loss of species and may lead to critical resource shortages in the years ahead, according to a World Wildlife Fund study released on Thursday.

Switching to Clean Energy Will Stop Great Barrier Reef Destruction from Global Warming, Says WWF

WASHINGTON - A new World Wildlife Fund report shows that the corals of the Great Barrier Reef may continue to degrade over the coming decades if the world fails to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by rapidly switching to clean, renewable energy sources and limiting CO2 emissions.