2022 advocacy in review
Let's celebrate what our community achieved together
© WWF-US/Keith Arnold
Jasmin Graham
2021 Conservation Leadership Award Winner
Graham is a marine biologist, environmental educator, and social justice activist. She is the CEO and president of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization that advocates for equity in marine science, and particularly for removing the systemic barriers that make women and people of color underrepresented in the discipline. Since winning the award, she has used the funds from the Conservation Leadership Award for her research on smalltooth sawfish in Tampa Bay, Florida.
© Cassie Wegeng
The United Nations Environment Assembly agrees to develop a treaty to end plastic pollution
The treaty would address the full life cycle of plastic and focus on eliminating plastic pollution from all environments. Over the next two years, negotiations will frame what ambitions to include in the treaty and lead an effective transition to a circular economy for plastic. Over two years, 2.2 million WWF supporters sent messages to world leaders calling for a global treaty to end plastic pollution and ensure no plastic in nature.
© Sablin / iStock
The Inflation Reduction Act becomes law, setting the US on a solid path toward reaching its climate goal.
Over the summer, the US government passed the most substantial climate package in history—more than $350 billion in investments that would set the United States on a solid path toward reaching its climate goals. WWF Activists sent 11,419 messages to their Senators, covering all 100 Senate offices, and over 2,000 messages to their Representatives in nearly all House offices.
© WWF-US / Paul Fetters
Big Cat Public Safety Act passes the House of Representatives and Senate and is passed into law.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act will prevent captive tigers from ending up in the illegal trade in tiger parts and products, which is a primary threat to the species in the wild. For the last ten years, WWF has been fighting for better oversight over captive big cats in the US, and nearly 690,000 WWF activists have spoken out in support of the bill over the years.
© WWF Sweden / Ola Jennersten
Lobby Day 2022
For the second year in a row, WWF's Lobby Day was conducted virtually through a series of Zoom-based constituent meetings among WWF activists and their representatives in Congress. This year, we expanded the scope of the ask of some congressional offices, adding climate change program funding to our perennial request to continue and increase federal funding for international conservation programs.
Recovering America's Wildlife Act passes the House of Representatives.
If passed, this bill would have been the only federal conservation program to provide sustained funding for Native Nations and their wildlife and habitat restoration efforts. The Recovering America's Wildlife Act would also support the recovery of thousands of at-risk species in the US. The day before the House vote, WWF-US supporters made 550 calls to Congress asking their representative to vote ‘yes’ on the bill.
© WWF-US/Clay Bolt
Bristol Bay is a step closer to permanent protection from the Pebble Mine.
In May 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency released a revised Proposed Determination under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act. If finalized, this would prohibit and restrict using waters in certain watersheds as disposal sites for the discharge from the Pebble Mine. In addition to the official WWF public comment submitted to the EPA, 23,400 WWF-US supporters signed on in support of Bristol Bay.
© Paul Colangelo / WWF-US
Stories and insights shared by our community partners and experts
© WWF-Action Team
Gab Mejia
Filipino conservation photographer Gab Mejia (@gabmejia) shared firsthand accounts of mangroves’ importance to people and nature, captivating stories about mangroves’ presence in Filipino folklore, and breathtaking photos and videos.
© WWF-Action Team
Sam Shores
Panda Ambassador and current graduate student Sam Shores (@bytheseashores) shared his organizing work in eliminating plastic pollution, his research, and his journey with the ocean.
© WWF-Action Team
Alexa White
2020 Conservation Award winner, agroecologist, and food sovereignty advocate Alexa White (@alitebrand), talks food and politics and how they’re all connected.
© WWF-Action Team
Leigh Henry
For Global Tiger Day, Leigh Henry, Director of Wildlife Policy, talks about the main threats wild tigers face, and what we can do about it from the US.
© WWF-US / Keith Arnold