Conservation highlights of 2024

What a year it’s been. 2024 held plenty of hard news for nature, but there were also notable wins. Those successes deserve to be celebrated!

In the year ahead, we will continue to tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, knowing that solutions are possible and together with communities, partners, and supporters, there are more wins to come.

Here are some big wins for conservation in 2024.

New partnership helps restore bison to Tribal lands

The historic Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration was officially chartered in June. Through this Tribal-led initiative, WWF and partners recognize the intrinsic value of bison restoration on Native lands, not only for cultural and spiritual rejuvenation but also for ecological restoration and economic development. By stabilizing and expanding existing bison programs, establishing new ones, and facilitating land leasing, acquisition, infrastructure, and management, the collaboration is paving the way for restoration, reconnection, and healing.

First ever photograph of rare bird species New Britain Goshawk

The rare New Britain Goshawk (Accipiter princeps) was photographed for the first time in history. The bird of prey is found only on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. The last documented scientific record of the bird is from 1969. The sighting and photograph, which occurred during a WWF expedition, were confirmed by internationally-renowned ornithologists.

Building the capacity of Indigenous organizations

The Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources project—funded by the US Agency for International Development and led by WWF—ran from August 2019 through August 2024. It brought together a network of specialized nongovernmental organizations in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to partner with national and local Indigenous peoples’ organizations. Through the project, we helped to build the capacity of Indigenous organizations, which were able to influence policies affecting their territories and livelihoods. Results include supporting 29 Indigenous businesses to help them achieve greater autonomy and economic results, benefiting 3,830 people and improving the management of 252,544 acres.

Supporting women’s leadership to address climate change

Positioned at the nexus of development and conservation, the CARE-WWF Alliance recognizes women as pivotal drivers of change for their families, communities, and the ecosystems on which they depend. As water gatherers, food producers, and stewards of natural resources, women have a deep understanding of the tangible impacts of a changing climate. With access to skills, resources, and decision-making platforms, they can lead in creating nature-based solutions that strengthen livelihoods while restoring their ecosystems. Sowing Change is the CARE-WWF Alliance’s livelihood-to-leadership initiative that equips women to establish nature-based enterprises and guide their communities in addressing challenges caused by climate change. Launched in the Amboseli landscape, Kenya, in February, the program is set to expand across East and Southern Africa, Asia, and Latin America in 2025 and beyond.

Increasing global food sustainability and resilience

The Markets Institute at WWF is charting a new path forward with Codex Planetarius, a proposal for minimum environmental standards designed to reduce the key impacts of production of globally traded food. In 1963, a pioneering set of global food safety standards, known as Codex Alimentarius, was established to set minimum health and safety standards for globally traded food. Codex Planetarius will build on this example, proposing environmental standards for farms and all production areas.

Growing the wild tiger population

On Earth Day 2024, the Royal Government of Bhutan hosted the Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen to discuss innovative solutions to sustainably finance tiger landscape conservation. Co-organized by the Tiger Conservation Coalition, which WWF is a part of, the conference concluded on a historic moment with participants committing to catalyze an additional $1 billion to conserve tigers and their landscapes over the next ten years. Over the last 12 years, wild tiger populations have rebounded, thanks to the remarkable TX2 campaign and collaborations, and we are beginning to see progress in Southeast Asia, a region where most of the wild tiger populations are in decline. Tigers have gone extinct in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam in the last 25 years. But, after years of concerted conservation efforts, Thailand’s wild tiger populations are increasing, with a new estimate of 179 to 223 tigers. This news, released by the Royal Thai government, comes after decades of poaching and forest loss that has threatened Thailand’s wild tigers. This increase marks a significant turn in Southeast Asia and reiterates the urgency to further scale our efforts across the region.

Expanding seaweed farming

As part of an effort to amplify species that are beneficial to nature, WWF is driving greater public acceptance of seaweed and shellfish farming in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Farm permit applications continued to grow, with over 300 new applications submitted since WWF’s work began. Early research supported by WWF suggested that when added to animal feed, seaweed improves feed conversion, lowers antibiotic use, and may reduce methane production. WWF developed an accredited seaweed curriculum for middle schoolers, piloted in Maine, as a long-term goal to educate children and their communities. Sixty-five teachers integrated the curriculum into their classrooms, reaching over 1,200 students. Two of them won the Maine Teacher of the Year award.

Strengthening climate resilience in Pakistan

The Recharge Pakistan project is channeling $78 million to strengthen climate resilience, water security, and sustainable livelihoods in Pakistan. Through a multifaceted approach that includes the restoration of forests and wetlands, rehabilitation of water flow paths and channels, and development of recharge basins, the project is estimated to directly benefit more than 680,000 people and indirectly support more than 7 million.

Growing corporate climate action

The Science Based Targets initiative, of which WWF is a founding partner, continued its rapid growth, with more than 9,000 companies participating globally. WWF remains a central driver of this work across international markets, with significant support in Asia. This year alone, about 120 leading food and agriculture businesses set new targets, driving action on deforestation, regenerative agriculture, and improved forest management. Additionally, WWF continued guiding efforts to establish the Science Based Targets initiative as an independent organization. Corporate engagement through WWF’s Climate Business Network also grew, with four new members added this year, bringing the total to 22 companies. The new members include Meta, Nike, and Starbucks.

Reducing food loss and waste

In April, WWF launched the Global Farm Loss Tool with a network of global retailers. This free, web-based tool enables growers of all sizes and crop types to measure food losses on farms, one of the most critical points of the global supply chain. In the US, WWF’s Food Waste Warrior and youth engagement program is now expanding to work in Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, and Baltimore, with a goal to expand nationwide and influence the National School Lunch Program, the largest single food service initiative in the country. And as a co-founder, WWF also supported the US Food Waste Pact which saw 13 companies join this year, including ALDI US, Walmart, and Sodexo. The pact standardizes annual food waste reporting for participating companies.

Congress advances bipartisan investments in conservation

Two important bipartisan bills to mobilize US government support for conservation efforts around the world moved forward in Congress following WWF's advocacy. Both the House and Senate passed the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver Reauthorization Act, which would renew the US Fish and Wildlife Service Multinational Species Conservation Funds to protect elephants, rhinos, tigers, great apes, and sea turtles in the wild. And following WWF's longstanding efforts to increase federal resources for global conservation programs addressing species and habitat loss, lawmakers in both chambers of Congress advanced the US Foundation for International Conservation Act that would leverage government funds to draw a 2:1 match of additional investments from private and philanthropic entities.

Tackling plastic pollution in the states and nationally

Multiple policy solutions to keep plastic out of nature advanced nationally and at the state level. In March 2024, WWF activists from 23 states met with 68 Congressional offices for WWF’s Lobby Day in Washington, DC, calling for federal recycling policies, increased funding for plastic waste management, and federal Extended Producer Responsibility. Just a week later, the Senate passed two bipartisan bills—the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act and Recycling and Composting Accountability Act—to invest in America's recycling and composting infrastructure. And in the months that followed, the Biden administration announced executive action to phase out single-use plastics across federal agencies and in food service, packaging, and events, and the Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a new strategy to reduce plastic pollution. WWF also successfully advocated for the enactment of a groundbreaking new law in Minnesota that will require all packaging to be reusable, recyclable, compostable, or collected by an approved alternative collection system by 2032.

Strengthening environmental standards and addressing forced labor in seafood imports

WWF, working in a coalition with environmental, labor and human rights NGOs and security organizations, has been pushing to strengthen US trade controls and NOAA Fisheries'---the US government’s fishery management agency—ability to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing through enhanced transparency and traceability requirements for importers and supply chain actors. In November, NOAA Fisheries released an Action Plan for its Seafood Import Monitoring Program to enhance the US government's ability to combat illegal fishing through improved traceability and risk detection requirements; improve coordination across government agencies to address forced labor in global seafood supply chains; update reporting procedures to strengthen supply chain integrity and promote fair trade practices; and to build capacity to grow the program.

Accounting for biodiversity in infrastructure design

Transportation infrastructure, including roads, rail, waterways, and ports, plays a critical role in connecting people to goods and services—yet transportation infrastructure is one of the greatest drivers of habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation worldwide. In February, the Global Environment Facility approved the $27 million Greening Transportation Infrastructure Development Integrated Program (GRID). It supports national projects in Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Suriname, and Ukraine that aim to balance these countries’ transportation infrastructure needs with protecting or restoring biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Led by WWF in partnership with the Asian Development Bank and United Nations Environment Programme, GRID will strengthen early, integrated planning and decision-making processes to inform countries’ sustainable development of ports and roads. The program will also share information and innovative models through a global knowledge and coordination platform to help drive essential changes in how transportation infrastructure is developed worldwide.

New study confirms FSC-certified forests help wildlife thrive in the Congo Basin

A new WWF-supported study published in the journal Nature revealed a higher number of large mammals in forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo compared to non-FSC-certified forests. This news underscores the importance of FSC-certified forests—where rigorous management practices are implemented—in protecting wildlife, including forest elephants and gorillas. A recently released WWF report also found that over the last 10 years, 742 new species of wildlife and plants were identified in the Congo Basin. This remarkably biodiverse ecosystem must urgently be protected.

Piloting direct support to communities in Belize

In February 2024, WWF, the Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit, the Belize Fisheries Department, and the Development Finance Corporation of Belize launched the Artisanal Fishing Loans pilot, to support licensed fishers to invest in the gear and practices to fish more sustainably. This pilot is being implemented for fishers throughout Belize and is expected to be rolled out nationally as part of Resilient Bold Belize in 2025, because marine conservation success in Belize depends on long-term fisheries protection and sustainable livelihoods for fishers. In the first six months of the pilot program, more than 300 loans were issued, totaling more than $1 million.

30 years of supporting new conservation leaders

2024 marked the 30th anniversary of WWF's Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program (EFN). EFN supports conservation globally by ensuring people working in the most biodiverse places in the world advance their expertise and knowledge to accelerate conversation outcomes. For 30 years, EFN has significantly deepened the pool of global conservation leaders by supporting over 3,700 individuals and 600 organizations in 60 countries. Because of EFN, the conservation community is more impactful and more diverse than ever before.

Living Planet Report reveals the state of nature worldwide

The latest edition of the Living Planet Report, which measures the average change in population sizes of more than 5,000 vertebrate species, shows a decline of 73% between 1970 and 2020. Changes in the natural world may appear small and gradual—but over time, their cumulative impacts can add up to trigger a much larger change called a tipping point. Tipping points can be sudden, often irreversible, and potentially catastrophic for people and nature. It’s not too late to save our living planet, but it will take some big changes. As well as making much greater efforts to conserve and restore nature, we need to tackle the causes of its destruction by transforming our food, energy and finance systems.

Conserving nature at scale

In October, the Bolivian government, WWF, and partners committed to developing a Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative to secure the future of Bolivia’s incredible cultural and natural diversity. The PFP approach aims to secure policies and all the necessary funding for conservation success in a single agreement before the work begins so that systems of conservation areas are well-managed, sustainably financed, and benefit the communities who depend on them for decades. The Bolivia PFP aims to focus on freshwater, forests, and communities, and support the 18% of the country’s territory that is covered by the national protected area system and three Indigenous protected areas. With this announcement, Bolivia joins Namibia, Belize, and Mexico’s Yucatan state, where PFP initiatives are also in development.

Restoring the Natural Flow of the Rio Grande

WWF is working to restore and sustain the Rio Grande basin by addressing water scarcity and ecosystem health. Efforts include assessing water flow needs for a healthy river, conducting comprehensive basin health studies, and supporting local partners in habitat restoration, such as building “beaver dam analogs” and removing invasive species like salt cedar. In Mexico, WWF has constructed filtration dams to replenish groundwater and collaborated with farmers to implement water-efficient irrigation and optimize crop mixes. These initiatives aim to balance the needs of people, agriculture, and nature in a changing climate.

Harnessing new technologies to support conservation

We’re only scratching the surface of how technology can be applied to conservation. In Bhutan, WWF is testing environmental DNA (eDNA) technology to monitor biodiversity. Animals naturally shed DNA as they move through their environment—so by sampling soil, water, snow, or even air, we can access this eDNA and determine what species are present in the area. This year, the results from a pilot study in Royal Manas National Park were more successful than traditional survey methods. It illuminated 134 species, including 33 on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, such as the red panda, golden mahseer, dhole, musk deer, and tiger. As another example, while airport x-ray machines routinely scan bags and cargo for security threats, they are not designed to detect smuggled wildlife, leaving many such discoveries to chance. To address this gap, WWF and partners developed a groundbreaking x-ray scanner algorithm that automatically identifies wildlife products without interfering with existing security protocols. This innovative system is currently being deployed confidentially in two African countries, with plans to expand its use across airports in Africa and Asia.

Supporting Alaska’s Native communities

Alaska’s Native communities have stewarded nature and resources for millennia are critical to the success of conservation efforts. This year, WWF also met with congressional staff to encourage the reintroduction of a bill to protect the rights of Alaska Native Peoples to create and sell artwork from Pacific walrus harvested for sustainable subsistence purposes. WWF worked with the Eskimo Walrus Commission to draft recommended language for a bill that meets subsistence harvest as well as conservation needs. US Senator Dan Sullivan introduced the bill in mid-October. This is an important development in the relationship between WWF and some Alaska Native organizations.

Environmentally sound shipping

WWF is partnering with the Marine Exchange of Alaska, Bering Strait communities, and other conservation organizations to develop Arctic Watch, an information technology system to aid safe, environmentally sound shipping operations in the Arctic. A workshop held in Juneau, Alaska in January brought together delegates from eight Bering Strait communities and galvanized community support and participation. WWF is also engaging shipping companies and their lenders, investors, and insurers to develop innovative blue finance mechanisms to reduce risks for communities, wildlife, and critical marine mammal migratory corridors.

Accelerating sustainable ranching in the Great Plains

WWF’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative achieved an extraordinary milestone—enrolling 1 million acres in its Ranch Systems and Viability Planning network a year ahead of schedule. The initiative equips ranchers in the Northern Great Plains region with hands-on guidance from technical experts and continuous learning opportunities to promote more sustainable grazing practices. It also helps ranchers implement strategies that enhance carbon sequestration, improve water infiltration, and expand biodiversity across this vast expanse of enrolled acres.

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