Multinational conservation organization dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change.
Why do we exist?
WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of over 1.2 million members in the U.S. and almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. By 2020 WWF will conserve 19 of the world's most important natural places and significantly change global markets to protect the future of nature.
What have you accomplished?
Building the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders
For 15 years, WWF’s Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program (EFN) has helped build a dynamic and well-trained corps of conservationists working in WWF’s priority places. Train Fellowships have enabled grantees to earn 150 new Ph.D.s and more than 250 master’s degrees in conservation-related fields. EFN has also helped some 400 mid-career conservation professionals attend short-term training courses in a wide variety of fields. In addition, WWF has supported local organizations in conducting 260 on-the-ground training workshops that have collectively involved more than 19,000 people, including park guards, fishers and farmers, small business owners, teachers and students. In a field largely dominated by men, EFN is proud that 40 percent of its grantees are women.
New Park in Congo for Bonobos, Elephants and People
The most significant accomplishment in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007 was the creation of the Tumba-Lediima Natural Reserve. The new reserve covers 1.9 million acres, an area more than two-and-a-half times the size of Yosemite National Park. Biodiversity surveys conducted by WWF identified critical populations of bonobo and forest elephant in this region. The park will benefit nearby communities by giving local people a voice in the governance of the region’s natural resources. WWF is also initiating an ecotourism program that will share revenues with local communities.
Partnering with companies to reduce greenhouse gases
In 2008, WWF secured JohnsonDiversey as a member of the WWF Climate Savers program. JohnsonDiversey is one of the world’s largest providers of commercial cleaning products and services. WWF was successful in getting JohnsonDiversey to commit to an investment of $19 million over the next five years to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. By 2013, JohnsonDiversey officials pledged to reduce emissions from their operations by 8 percent below 2003 levels, an 89,000 ton reduction in emissions.
Campaign to Save the Tiger
On February 14, 2010, the Chinese lunar calendar moved into the Year of the Tiger. Unfortunately, the plight of wild tigers doesn’t call for much celebration. Three subspecies have been driven to extinction in the past century alone and experts estimate there are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild. The good news is that we can secure a future for these magnificent big cats. Save Tigers Now is a global campaign by WWF, supported by Leonardo DiCaprio, which runs throughout 2010. WWF’s goal is to build political and public support to double the number of wild tigers by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger.
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