WWF - WWF South Africa office

G20 finance ministers fail to reach green on climate financing

2009-11-07

St Andrews, Scotland – Finance ministers of the world’s dominant economies failed to reach agreement on the financing required for a global agreement to stave off catastrophic climate change, WWF said today as the G20 finance ministers meeting here broke up with no resolution to issues dividing developed and emerging economies.

The lack of progress made by the G20 in St. Andrews, follows another week of inconclusive negotiations in UN climate talks in Barcelona as the world heads towards the crucial UN climate conference in Copenhagen in a month’s time.

With the G20 now having considered the climate financing issue three times without reaching common ground, WWF remains sceptical about today's promise to make further progress before Copenhagen.

“The G20 Finance Ministers meeting turned out to be a mostly irrelevant sideshow on the way to the talks in Copenhagen in a months’ time," said Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland.

"Failure to come to agreement here is a major disappointment.

“This is a group that can throw money at collapsing banks but cannot find adequate figures for the far worse challenge to the global economy of a collapsing climate system."

In detail, the G20 ministers acknowledged the need to increase significantly and urgently the scale of funding but failed to make any reference to the sums required, estimated to be around $160bn a year of public financing.

They also failed to agree on new sources of funding for a climate deal, such as auctioning emissions credits and levies on aviation and shipping.

"Talk of a financial transaction tax which has the potential to raise hundreds of billions in new funding every year turned out to be a red herring without solid political support," Dr Dixon said.

The G20 agreed some principals on a mechanism to administer and distribute these funds but failed to turn these into concrete proposals and - despite last week's pledges from Europe - no new money was put on the table to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to a changing climate.

It is estimated the immediate need for the most vulnerable nations is around $10bn a year.

WWF endorsed the G20s continuing professed interest in winding back fossil fuel use subsidies, but said the group needed to focus its main attention on getting an effective global deal on climate.

“If we are to keep the planet below the danger threshold of a 2ºC temperature rise, the rich nations of the world are going to have to help developing countries follow a low-carbon development path and help them cope with the impacts of current and future climate change," Dr Dixon said.

"We wanted to see solid proposals on how the money would be raised, managed and distributed and an indication of how soon the countries most vulnerable to climate change will receive assistance. The G20 has failed to deliver and the real work will now have to be done at Copenhagen.”

South Africa launches first-time fishing alliance

2009-09-17

Stellenbosch, South Africa: Fishing industry leaders and WWF have committed to improving the sustainability of South African fisheries in a first-time partnership that will ensure long-term marine conservation in the region.

WWF South Africa, together with four major fishing industry players, namely I&J, Oceana, Sea Harvest and Viking, have launched the Responsible Fisheries Alliance (RFA). This is the first alliance of its kind in the history of South African marine conservation. The Alliance is a bid to achieve the common goal of ensuring the implementation of an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) management in South Africa’s fisheries.

An EAF seeks to protect and enhance the health of marine ecosystems on which life and human benefits depend. The approach depends on balancing the diverse needs and values of both present and future generations.

“Fishing companies and environmental NGOs are often perceived to share little common ground. But in reality, responsible fishing companies that are committed to a long-term business view have a great deal in common with rational environmental NGOs that are committed to sustainable development goals,” said Dr Samantha Petersen, Manager of WWF’s Sustainable Fisheries Programme. “It is against this background that the concept of a Responsible Fisheries Alliance (RFA) was borne.”

The goals of the Alliance include promoting responsible fisheries practices, influencing policy on fishery governance, skills development to enable the implementation of an Ecosystem Approach and facilitating high quality ecological, socio-economic and governance related research to inform the implementation of an EAF.

The RFA was created on the basis of a strong ecological, market, operational and governance case agreed upon by both the fishing companies and WWF. The many years of good working relations between WWF and the key Alliance partners has already resulted in the development of a number of projects including the development of the responsible fisheries training programme, various bycatch assessments such as seabirds and vulnerable finfish amongst others.

Statements issued by the founding members of the Alliance regarding their involvement in this important step in South Africa’s marine conservation efforts, all highlighted the fact that long-term sustainability from both an ecological and business point of view was a priority.

“Sea Harvest has been in existence for over 45 years; and we intend to fish for many more – for our children’s children” said George Bezuidenhout, Managing Director of Sea Harvest. “We are proud to be a founding member of the RFA which will become one of the important interventions enhancing responsible and sustainable fishing.”

I&J Operations Director, Suleiman Salie said “I&J is committed to continue to be actively involved in promoting sustainable and responsible fishing practices for the long term. Collaborative initiatives such as those that will be championed by the Responsible Fisheries Alliance will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to achieve this goal.”

On behalf of Viking, Director, Tim Reddell, said “Viking is proud to be a founder member of the RFA; it highlights Viking’s commitment towards ensuring that future generations will also be able to experience the pleasures and biodiversity that the world’s oceans have to offer”.

Francois Kuttel, CEO Oceana Group Limited added that “environmental sustainability is one of the 3 pillars of the Oceana Groups corporate sustainability framework. Oceana is committed to a policy of fair dealing and integrity in the conduct of its business. The sustainable utilization of marine resources, and support for the responsible management of these resources is fundamental to this commitment”.

The launch of the RFA also received public support from Dr Valli Moosa, former Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and former President of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

Dr Moosa said that the formation of this Alliance was significant because for the first time a forum has been created in which civil society and the private sector can effectively and strategically engage on the mutual objective of a sustainable fishing industry.

“The RFA will facilitate the support of the regulatory framework by sharing the responsibility of the wise management of our oceans and providing additional resources to furthering the World Summit for Sustainable Development Goal of implementing an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management by 2012”, said Dr Moosa.

Massive river water transfers lacking scrutiny

2009-08-20

Stockholm, Sweden - Large scale transfers of water from one river basin to another are generally occurring without adequate scrutiny of their economic, environmental and social impacts, according to an analysis released to World Water Week by WWF.

“With the number of large water transfer schemes possibly nearly tripling by 2020 and the amount of water transferred expected to double, poorly assessed mega-transfers have the potential to inflict immense harm on both the communities donating the water and the communities receiving it,” said WWF-Germany Freshwater Director, Martin Geiger.

Pipe dreams? looked at existing and proposed large water transfer schemes in Spain, Australia, Lesotho and South Africa, Greece, Brazil, Peru and China and found the schemes to be high cost, high risk solutions to water problems “with the benefits much less, or likely to be much less, than the sales pitch,” Geiger said.

By 2020, large scale water transfers from one river basin to another are expected to reach around 800 cubic kilometres a year - around half a Lake Ontario or more than eight Lake Genevas. With problems evident in many of the 360 schemes implemented since 1950, the total number of schemes is predicted to reach between 760 and 1240 by 2020.

Australia’s Snowy Mountains Scheme took 99 per cent of the iconic Snowy River’s flows to produce power and provide for distant irrigation, causing generations of conflict. Despite expensive re-engineering and irrigation efficiency schemes, implementation of a decision to return a forth of the Snowy River flows is well behind schedule while climate change impacts are threatening to seriously reduce power generation.

Both donating and receiving basins experienced depletion and damage as Spain’s 282 km Tagus-Segura transfer provoked a unrestrained expansion of irrigated land, much now watered illegally. Planners were wildly optimistic about the water available and while users of the transferred water were to pay for the scheme and its operations only around 30 per cent of these payments have been collected.

Greece’s proposed diversion of the Acheloos River, mainly an economically questionable US$ 3.9-5.9 billion (€ 2.9 – 4.4 billion) prop to thirsty cotton farming heavily subsidised by the EU on the Thessaly Plains, is likely to go ahead following government circumvention of a Supreme Court declaration it was illegal and would be in violation of local, European and international laws on issues including water management, environmental assessment procedures and cultural heritage protection.

The report finds that in many cases there was little examination of alternatives to massive schemes, particularly in managing demand and promoting efficient water use in the mostly water scarce regions.
“Often it is going to make much greater sense to import water in extra food grown in wetter areas than to import water to grow food in a drier area,” said Geiger. “However, non-technical solutions such as this trade in virtual water, less water intensive farming or more water efficient industries and cities tend to be neglected in planning directed at just supplying more water continually.”

Water planning in isolation is also likely to lead to unforeseen problems. The report details the numerous examples of poor integration with land use planning, particularly for agriculture and inadequate consultation on schemes leading to often severe local and regional conflict.

“Don’t venture into interbasin transfers unless you have done your homework on impacts and alternatives,” Geiger said.

“Otherwise you could face serious planning deadlocks, operational shortfalls, unforeseen economic and environmental disruption, and expensive follow-up works that will only partly remedy the damage. If trends in water tables through climate change are not properly taken into account, the water planned for transfer might not be there any more in future.”

Water footprint of beer more on the farm than in the brewery

2009-08-18

Stockholm, Sweden: The total water involved in producing beer is overwhelmingly used on the farm rather than in the brewery, according to a report presented to World Water Week by major brewer SAB Miller and leading global environment organization WWF.

Water footprinting: Identifying and addressing water risks in the value chain evaluated the water footprints – a way of understanding water use through the whole value chain – of SAB Miller beers produced in South Africa and the Czech Republic.

Better understanding the quantity, efficiency and geography of water use is enabling the two organizations to understand the impacts of water use, improve water management and work with communities and governments to protect watersheds.

The new report reveals that in South Africa, the total water footprint is equivalent to 155 litres of water for every 1 litre of beer such as Castle lager and Carling Black Label, with the vast majority of water use (98.3%) associated with crop cultivation, both local and imported.

For Plzensky Prazdroj, SABMiller’s Czech operation which produces Pilsner Urquell – the original pilsener beer which provided the blueprint for the majority of the world’s commercial beers - agriculture is again the most significant component; accounting for over 90% of the total water footprint.

However, the overall water footprint of Czech beer production is significantly smaller at 45 litres of water to every 1 litre of beer, with the differences due mainly to a greater reliance on irrigation in South Africa and the proportion and origin of imported crops.

In comparison with other beverages, beer’s water footprint is relatively small, with a recent Pacific Institute study finding that coffee, wine and apple juice all have water footprints more than three times that of beer.

However, the water footprint figure itself does not give the whole picture. More important is the context - where the water is used, what proportion of the area’s total water resource it represents, and whether water scarcity creates risks to the environment, communities and businesses now or in the future..

“The water footprints of SABMiller’s beers in South Africa and the Czech Republic are the first detailed corporate water footprints to be published and are progressive in the way they examine the impact of water use within these countries,” said Stuart Orr, WWF’s freshwater footprint manager.

“Most important is that this information is now used to ensure that their business partners – particularly farmers – are encouraged to use water more efficiently.”

In South Africa, SAB Ltd is working with barley farmers to improve irrigation and yields, and with WWF the company is now considering how to develop this further to protect the watersheds within which it operates.

“Water footprinting enables SABMiller to understand which parts of our supply chain might face water scarcity, or poor water quality, in the future, and means that we can plan now to deal with these future challenges,” said SABMiller head of sustainable development, Andy Wales.

“We will build on our existing partnerships with WWF in South Africa, Colombia, and Honduras to create further local watershed protection projects to reduce risk whilst protecting the environment”

Vast reserve to protect remote Prince Edward Islands

2009-05-07

South Africa’s declaration to establish one of the world’s largest Marine Protected Area’s (MPA) around its Prince Edward Islands, is a marine conservation achievement of global importance which will help protecting a suite of spectacular wildlife, including albatrosses, penguins and killer whales.

The announcement of Environment Minister Marthinus Christoffel Johannes van Schalkwyk, came after many years of close cooperation between the government and WWF.

The Islands, which consist of Prince Edward and Marion Islands, are located almost 2000 km south of South Africa in the Southern Ocean, and form an important global biodiversity hotspot, which was subject to rampant poaching during the late 1990’s.

“This is a historic day in marine conservation in South Africa. All of South Africa’s current MPAs are located very close inshore. The commitment of the first large offshore MPA moves South Africa into a new era of marine conservation,” Dr Deon Nel, head of the WWF Sanlam Living Waters Partnership, said.

The Prince Edward Islands is among the world’s most important and diverse regions. But the islands, home to albatrosses, penguins and killer whales, have been threatened by illegal and irresponsible fishing practices in the past. The illegal fishing vessels around the PEIs were targeting Patagonian Toothfish. And the Albatross species were killed as bycatch in these operations.

Given the scarcity of land masses in the Southern Ocean, sub-Antarctic islands contain vast populations of seals and seabirds, which use these islands to breed and moult and are therefore critical to the conservation of such species

The islands support some 13% of King Penguins worldwide, and five Species of Albatross breed there together with 14 species of petrels and five other species.

“South Africa has made a globally significant commitment to our oceans through its intention to declare this large MPA.,” Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International said.

“In particular, South Africa plays a key role with several other countries including Australia, France and New Zealand, in protecting the amazing biodiversity and commercially important fisheries of the sub-Antarctic and, through this, helps to establish a fully representative, viable and effective MPA network for the Southern Ocean.”

Interest grows in neglected global water treaty

2009-03-21

Instanbul, Turkey: Delegates of 14 countries attending the World Water Forum tonight signed pledges of support to a growing call to bring into force a global water treaty that has languished in limbo for more than a decade as anxiety grows about the increased potential for conflict in a world increasingly short of water.

The pledges were made at an awards ceremony held at the forum by a coalition of leading international and civil society organizations to “celebrate the accomplishments of the world’s leading countries in international water policy.”

Recognised by the awards were the 16 countries signed up to the UN International Convention on Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (the UN Watercourses Convention) - Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, Sweden, Syria and Uzbekistan.

The delegates said they shared WWF’s concern that the poor coordination in river basin regulation between nations “represents a major threat to international peace and to the world’s energy and food security.” The pledge also noted that climate change would worsen the global water crisis.

Countires make a start on internal approval processes

The pledge to push for more countries to join the convention was signed by Slovenian President Danilo Tulk, and government delegates from Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Ghana, Greece, Iraq, Niger, Sierra Leone, Spain, and Syria. Internal processes for ratification have already started in some of the 12 countries at the event not already party to the Convention.

Dr Shaddad Attili, head of the Palestine Water Authority also signed, following the reading of a declaration by President Mahmoud Abbas earlier during the Forum that Palestine would ratify the convention once it attained statehood. When that occurs the River Jordan will have the most coverage of any international watercourse, with four of its five riparian states acceding to the Convention.

The UN Watercourses Convention provides a framework for common and cooperative management for the rivers, lakes, wetlands and aquifers crossing or forming international borders. An overwhelming majority of nations voted for the Convention in the UN General Assembly in 1997, but fewer than half the required number have proceeded to ratify it a national level.

“If fully enacted it would provide a strong basis for sharing and caring for the water draining half the world’s land surface and vital to the water supplies of 40 per cent of humanity,” said Flavia Loures, WWF International Water Law and Policy Senior Program Officer

World Water Forum vague on bridging divides

The UN Watercourses Convention has been one of the most contentious topics at the World Water Forum, with specific mention of the convention and its potential for bridging divides on water excluded from the Ministerial Declaration due to be issued on World Water Day (March 22) tomorrow.

“It is ironic in the extreme that with a World Water day themed around sharing transboundary waters the ministerial declaration to be issued that day takes great pains to avoid mentioning the only available instrument for global co-operation,” Ms. Loures said.

In lively World Water Forum discussions on the UN Watercourses Convention, it was also seen as a key legal instrument to foster cooperation on climate change adaptation in shared freshwater systems, crucial as river flows falter and extreme events such as floods and droughts increase in frequency and severity.
Millions of dollars in aid funds for developing cooperative water management schemes for some of the world’s major – and most contentious – river systems also remain available but unapplied for, although some of the countries concerned have been able to cooperate on marine issues.

The multi-stakeholder campaign to have the UN Convention on Watercourses brought into effect is supported by the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, the European Water Partnership, Conservation International, the Global Nature Fund, Living Lakes Partners, Green Cross International, IUCN and WWF, along with many governments in Europe and Africa.

“As climate change further exacerbates the water crisis, the difficulties and cost of expanding and sustaining water security will rise, and potentially very steeply,” said Green Cross International President Alexander Likhotal.

“The risks from failing to act are increasingly understood to be high, and include economic instability, loss of quality of life and reversal of gains in poverty reduction, more frequent disaster and ecological degradation. Therefore, we are calling for a swift ratification of the Convention ."

East meets West for Earth Hour in over 500 cities

2009-02-19

Number of cities and towns signed up to Earth Hour 2009 exceeds 500
75 countries now committed
Global brands pledge support for the lights-out campaign

The global call to action on climate change has been answered from east to west as a record 538 cities and towns in 75 countries sign up to turn their lights off at 8.30pm on 28 March for Earth Hour 2009.

East meets west for Earth Hour as icons such as the Merlion in Singapore, Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights and the Shanghai Hong Kong New World Tower, unite with some of the Western world’s most famous landmarks, including Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney’s Opera House, Table Mountain in Cape Town, CN Tower in Toronto and Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Casino, to go dark.

Earth Hour Executive Director Andy Ridley said the global growth in support for Earth Hour has been phenomenal.

“In 2007, Earth Hour was held in one city, Sydney. A year later, the number of cities had skyrocketed to 371. With six weeks to go before Earth Hour 2009 we are well over the half-way mark towards our goal of 1,000 cities and towns.

“Earth Hour is bringing together the diverse peoples of the world in a truly universal and unifying way. From Auckland to Hawaii and Cape Town to St Petersburg, people are coming together to vote with their light switch for action on climate change,” said Mr Ridley.

As the campaign continues to gather pace, some of the world’s best known brands are leading the call for action from the business community.

“The business community has an incredible ability and responsibility to engage employees, customers and suppliers to create a sustainable future for our planet,” Mr Ridley said.

HSBC is supporting Earth Hour by pledging to turn off lights in offices in 33 countries around the globe. Swedish furniture giant IKEA is running Earth Hour awareness campaigns in its stores, not only in its home country but as far away as China.

Global leader in commercial real estate services, CB Richard Ellis, is encouraging lights-out participation in the more than 2.0 billion square feet of buildings it manages in more than 50 countries. Leading professional services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, is providing consultants across Asia Pacific and other territories.

Boutique companies are getting involved in creative ways, such as luxury travel business Abercrombie & Kent, which will be ensuring Earth Hour is celebrated in some of the most remote parts of Africa, including on wildlife reserves and on the Nile.

“With the support of businesses, countries and citizens globally, Earth Hour 2009 can reach out to one billion people voting with their light switch on 28 March for action on climate change,” said Mr Ridley.

South African wine as green as Obama

2009-02-09

Stellenbosch, South Africa - South Africa’s wine industry was ranked just one place down from US President Barack Obama when it comes to building public awareness of environmental issues thanks to a unique partnership with WWF.

UK magazine The Drinks Business, with a global monthly readership of 30,000, voted Wines of South Africa (WOSA) into fifth place on the 2009 Green List of the 50 most influential drinks companies, individuals and organisations with “a strong environmental influence over many consumers”.

The first three places were taken by multinational retail giants Tesco, Carrefour and Wal-Mart, with President Obama in fourth place. WOSA’s recognition was due to their involvement with the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI), a project jointly managed by WWF and the Botanical Society of South Africa and funded by The Green Trust, a partnership between WWF and Nedbank.

The Drinks Business praised WOSA for its involvement in BWI, a strategic partnership between the wine industry and the conservation sector, its adoption of biodiversity guidelines and its focus on environmental impact studies.

Sue Birch, Chief Executive of WOSA, said: “That we are in the company of the world’s most powerful retail chains, who are able to exercise significant influence, as well as the new and highly popular president of the United States, makes us feel extremely proud!”

She lauded the role of BWI in promoting and protecting biodiversity within the Cape Floral Kingdom, where over 95 per cent of the country’s wines originate. “In less than four years, 140 local wine producers, under the auspices of BWI, have set aside 112,550 hectares for long-term conservation. This is significantly more than the total national vineyard footprint of 102,000 hectares.”

Bruce Jack, chief winemaker for Constellation South Africa which produces Kumlala, South Africa’s leading brand in the UK, said: “South Africa is leading the world in protecting fauna and flora through the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative.

“When you buy a South African wine from one of the participating wine farmers you’re helping to stem the destruction of our natural biodiversity. This coordinated effort between agriculture and conservation is unique in the world.”

WWF Signs New Agreement for African Cetaceans

2008-12-05

Mamadou Diallo, from the WWF's West African Marine Ecoregion Programme today signed a new intergovernmental agreement to conserve the West African Manatee and Small Whales in Western Africa and Macaronesia.

The conservation instrument consists of 2 Action Plans for the conservation of theses species was first adopted by 15 countries in Togo in October, and opened for signatory by implementing partners today.

Along with WWF, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society also signed the agreement.

More than 30 small cetacean species will be covered in this agreement, in an area that stretches from Macaronesia, through Morocco to South Africa.

The need to conserve and raise awareness of western Africa's marine mammals is as pressing as ever. Various threats, includin:

direct and accidental catch,
coastal development,
pollution and
habitat degradation,

...have caused western African marine mammal populations to decline rapidly. These issues require action on a regional, national and global level.

This agreement can play a vital role in future conservation efforts by helping to facilitate transboundary cooperation and by providing an international platform to negotiate and coordinate research and conservation measures.

15 country representatives signed the agreement in October - Angola, Benin, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Togo).

WWF scientist lands international conservation award

2008-12-03

Dr Samantha Petersen, a biologist with WWF, the conservation organisation, has won a prestigious international award for her research into the impact of commercial fishing on migratory seabirds, sea turtles and sharks.

Dr Petersen is the WWF Responsible Fisheries Programme Manager. Her entry to the 2008 UNEP/CMS Thesis Award on Migratory Species Conservation was judged the winner among those submitted by 32 candidates from 18 countries.

Another South African, Dr Ross Wanless, won 3rd place with his research on Impacts of the introduced house mouse on the seabirds of Gough Island.

Dr Lin Xia's thesis on Traffic Disturbance to the Migration of Tibetan Antelopes (Pantholops hodgsoni) in Hoh-xil National Nature Reserve took 2nd place.

The award is sponsored annually by National Geographic Deutschland, Deutsche Lufthansa, Zoological Research Museum Koenig and CMS.

The judges noted that Dr Petersen's thesis on Understanding and Mitigating Vulnerable Bycatch in southern African Trawl and Longline Fisheries has made a significant contribution to improving the affected species' conservation status. The document urges a holistic approach toward sustainable use of marine resources.

Dr Petersen says: "This award is very gratifying as the exposure will help drive further research and action to help save these vulnerable species from extinction.

"Our work in this sphere is absolutely crucial now. In the last decade concern globally has grown over the impact of bycatch on these species, especially in longline and trawl fishing, which decimated their populations. It's estimated that 75% of global fish stocks are either exploited to their maximum or over-exploited and that around 25% of marine resources landed are dumped.

"This has led to a catastrophic decline in vulnerable marine life, including the loss of up to 90% of the large predatory fish."

Dr Morne du Plessis, CEO of WWF in SA, says: "This is an important award as it demonstrates not only the scientific expertise in WWF and in SA's scientific community, but also highlights the growing concern over the impact of human activity on marine resources."

Pirates taking heavy toll of toothfish

2008-11-05

Hobart, Australia: The future of the Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish and the highly valuable fishery concentrated in the Southern Ocean is under significant pressure from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

According to a study released today by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, IUU fishing is severely undermining protection of these valuable species.

WWF and TRAFFIC are calling for enhanced monitoring measures and for trade sanctions to be imposed against countries continuing to undermine the conservation measures for toothfish.

The report found that between 2004 and 2007 the percentage of trade represented by IUU catch averaged 17 per cent, compared to average estimates of 10 per cent of total landings.

Toothfish are overseen by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). The new study, “Continuing CCAMLR’S Fight Against IUU Fishing For Toothfish”, was presented on today’s final day of a CCAMLR meeting in Hobart, Tasmania.

“While estimates of IUU catch for recent years are much lower than when we last assessed the situation in 2001, they still represent significant IUU catch,” said Glenn Sant, TRAFFIC’s Global Marine Program Leader.

“This needs to be accounted for and reduced by CCAMLR through further intervention as this catch continues to represent a serious threat to the conservation of toothfish.”

Fetching prices of up to $35 per kilogram, toothfish has earned the nickname “white gold” among fishers. The global black market for toothfish is estimated by WWF to be worth $200 million a year.

The identities of the illegal fishers are often hidden behind flags of convenience, but states most commonly selling flags of convenience include Panama, Liberia, Belize and North Korea.

“We need to protect the toothfish, not the pirates,” said Rob Nicoll, WWF-Australia’s Antarctic & Southern Ocean Initiative Manager.

“Stricter regulation of trade would assist enforcement - the pirates wouldn't go after the toothfish if they couldn't sell their ill-gotten gains.

“These findings reinforce the need for a range of complementary measures. This is the only way consumers can be assured that the fish on their plate is obtained legally.”

Top award for WWF-SA fisheries boss

2008-10-29

Cape Town, South Africa: Dr Samantha Petersen, a biologist with WWF-South Africa, has won a prestigious international award for her research into the impact of commercial fishing on migratory seabirds, sea turtles and sharks.

Dr Petersen is the WWF-SA Responsible Fisheries Programme Manager. Her entry to the 2008 UNEP/CMS Thesis Award on Migratory Species Conservation was judged the winner among those submitted by 32 candidates from 18 countries.

Another South African, Dr Ross Wanless, won third place with his research on "Impacts of the introduced house mouse on the seabirds of Gough Island." Dr Lin Xia's thesis on "Traffic Disturbance to the Migration of Tibetan Antelopes (Pantholops hodgsoni) in Hoh-xil National Nature Reserve" took second place.

The award is sponsored annually by National Geographic Deutschland, Deutsche Lufthansa, Zoological Research Museum Koenig and CMS.

The judges noted that Dr Petersen's thesis on "Understanding and Mitigating Vulnerable Bycatch in southern African Trawl and Longline Fisheries" has made a significant contribution to improving the affected species' conservation status. The document urges a holistic approach toward sustainable use of marine resources.

Dr Petersen says: "This award is very gratifying as the exposure will help drive further research and action to help save these vulnerable species from extinction.

"Our work in this sphere is absolutely crucial now. In the last decade concern globally has grown over the impact of bycatch on these species, especially in longline and trawl fishing, which decimated their populations. It's estimated that 75% of global fish stocks are either exploited to their maximum or over-exploited and that around 25% of marine resources landed are dumped.

"This has led to a catastrophic decline in vulnerable marine life, including the loss of up to 90% of the large predatory fish."

Dr Morne du Plessis, CEO of WWF in SA, says: "This is an important award as it demonstrates not only the scientific expertise in WWF and in SA's scientific community, but also highlights the growing concern over the impact of human activity on marine resources."

The awards will be presented in Rome in December.

New report loosens noose around Albatross’s neck

2008-08-28

The survival chances of the albatross, now officially the most threatened seabird family in the world, have been improved following a new report released by WWF-South Africa.

At least 28 species of albatross and petrel have been caught by South African fisheries, of which 13 are threatened with extinction. The birds are caught trying to retrieve bait from longline fishing hooks, or are injured or killed during trawling operations. A deterioration of their breeding habitats and targeted hunting operations are other factors.

Samantha Petersen, manager of the WWF-South Africa Responsible Fisheries Programme, said that the report - “Understanding and Mitigating Vulnerable Bycatch in Southern African Trawl and Longline Fisheries” - improved substantially the understanding of the circumstances under which seabirds were killed.

“The findings help accurately identify management measures to reduce the wasteful killing of these magnificent birds while not unnecessarily disrupting fishing activities or impacting other vulnerable marine life like turtles and sharks,” said Dr Petersen.

The report, which follows WWF’s release of the results of four years of groundbreaking longline marine turtle bycatch data in Latin America, reinforces the need for fishermen to implement the mandatory and readily available measures that help prevent birds from becoming entangled in fishing gear.

“While this information is valuable, it’s crucial that it translates into compliance with mitigation measures on the part of fishing operations,” added Dr Petersen.

The report says that bird-scaring lines have proved to be simple yet effective way of preventing seabirds from being snagged during longline fishing, and similar measures have helped limit the impact of other fishing techniques.

The report also for the first time describes the movements of two of the most common species, Black-browed and White-capped Albatrosses, in South African waters and provides insights into how they are using the waters and how much they are dependent on fishery discards.

“This has management implications for seabirds because of the dramatic changes in marine ecosystems as a result of past fishing activities,” said Dr Pederesen. “The possibility exists that management actions could place a further burden on these species.

“Albatrosses and petrels undertake amazing journeys where many species frequently circumnavigate the globe crossing many national and international jurisdictions as well as coming across numerous fishing fleets from various nations.

“The health of our oceans can in many ways be judged by the health of our seabirds. Only together can we have any hope of saving these birds from extinction and protect our oceans.”

The report also informed the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) working parties which met in South Africa last week. The 12 countries signatory to this convention, observers and NGOs including WWF have started discussions on how nations can collaborate on the international problem.

China gets green light to buy ivory

2008-07-15

China has been approved as a buyer of African Elephant ivory in a one-off sale from four southern African countries, probably later this year.

The decision was taken to accept China at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, Switzerland.

To gain approval, China had to convince CITES it had put in place adequate measures to manage regulated sales and tackle any illegal domestic ivory trade.

“China has acted rather successfully against its own illegal domestic ivory market,” said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network which operates the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) on behalf of CITES.

“Now China should help other countries do the same, especially in Central Africa where elephant poaching is rampant and Chinese nationals have been implicated in moving ivory out of the region.”

China thus joins Japan in having CITES approval to bid in the one-off sale for registered government-owned ivory stockpiles from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The ivory to be sold originates from elephants that died from natural causes or as a result of population management (e.g. problem animal control). None of the ivory is from elephants deliberately killed to obtain their ivory.

A massive illegal trade in ivory caused dramatic declines in many elephant populations in Africa in the 1970s and 1980s, and an international ban on trade in ivory came into effect in January 1990.

“The sight of ivory openly and illegally on sale in many African cities is likely to be a far more powerful encouragement to those contemplating poaching and smuggling than a strictly controlled one-off sale,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s Species Programme.

“The only way to end elephant poaching is through an effective clampdown on illegal domestic ivory markets.”

Since the CITES trade ban, international commercial trade in ivory has legally taken place only once, in 1997, when a one-off sale of raw ivory was approved for Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The African Elephant range states who export ivory are required by CITES to use the revenue derived from the sale exclusively for elephant conservation and community development programmes within or adjacent to the elephant ranges.

Flags of convenience fly in face of fisheries protection

2008-06-26

Maritime security and the future of fisheries are coming under increasing threat from vessels flying flags of convenience (FOC), a UN conference on the Law of the Sea was told today.

Real and Present Danger: Flag State Failure and Maritime Security and Safety, a joint WWF and International Transport Workers’ Federation study, found ships under flags of convenience were also involved in piracy, people trafficking and arms smuggling.

“Many of the thousands of ships plying the world’s oceans are effectively without nationality, their owners operating under a veil of corporate secrecy and anonymity within a system that allows them to easily evade international laws and regulations,” said the report’s author, independent consultant Matthew Gianni.

“Under the FOC system, flag state sovereignty and control over ships is fast becoming a fiction of international law.”

The report cites the number of fishing vessels registered to states without fishing authorizations and the extent to which these vessels have been mentioned in connection with illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing.

Some 318 large-scale fishing vessels without apparent fishing rights are registered to Cambodia, Georgia, Mongolia, North Korea, Sierra Leone and Togo. Vessels from five of these six countries are currently “blacklisted” in various fisheries for illegal fishing activities.

For example, Spanish-based fishing company Vidal Armadores SA “has regularly used a variety of flags of convenience to facilitate IUU operations” the report says. The company, which was stated to have received European Union subsidies of €3 million, has been prominently involved in the illegal trade of the highly overfished Patagonian toothfish with three of its vessels registered to North Korea.

Fishing vessels used in illegal operations typically change name and flags many times to avoid being caught. In 2007 the Vidal Armadores’ vessel Ina Maka, previously named Black Moon, Red Moon, Elo, Thule, Magnus and Dorita and flagged at various times to Equatorial Guinea, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and North Korea, was fined 400,000 South African Rand ($US50,000) and its 60 kilometres of gillnets were confiscated after being caught illegally fishing off South Africa with a load of endangered nurse sharks on board.

The report notes that as FOC countries seldom exercise adequate control over the operation of ships registered to fly their flags, their ships also dominate records on sub-standard shipping, poor safety, maltreatment of crew and pollution of the marine environment.

IUU fishing costs an estimated US$1.2 billion each year and threatens the food supplies of millions in coastal areas of developing countries. In addition to the direct loss of the value of the catches to local fishermen, IUU fishers rarely comply with regulations and cause damage to fragile marine ecosystems and vulnerable species such as coral reefs, turtles and seabirds.

WWF is calling for the establishment of a UN Committee to negotiate a new implementing agreement to the UN Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – the legal framework governing the use of ocean space – that sets out enforceable measures to ensure flag states fulfil their responsibilities under UNCLOS and prevents states from operating vessel registers in breach of regulations and international agreements.

“Without transparency of ownership on the FOC registers and without flag states exercising effective jurisdiction over vessels flying their flag, FOC vessels will continue to plunder marine resources on the high seas with impunity,” said Miguel Jorge, acting Director of WWF’s Global Marine Programme.

The report was released as governments attended the ninth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (UNICPOLOS) in New York.

Heritage Park Walk Calls on Communities to Protect the Endangered Black Rhino

2008-06-20

In pursuit of raising the awareness of the long-term plan of co-establishing the Heritage Park in the North West Park Province of South Africa, a number of annual activities have been lined up by the various stakeholders who are involved in the promotion of the Project.

One such event is the ever growing Heritage Park Walk. Every year since 2003, communities, stakeholders from the surrounding mining companies, municipalities, private companies and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) converge to take part in a five day walk from Pilanesberg Game Reserve to Madikwe, another game reserve about 120 kilometers away.

WWF’s African Rhino Programme (ARP) joined in this year’s event, whose theme was “Walk for the Rhino 2008,” chosen to encourage communities to value the black and white rhino, and motivate them to allocate local community-owned land to rhino conservation.

The ARP has been working with North West Province & Tourism Board in South Africa to expand range for rhino conservation along the Heritage Park. The Heritage Park is a wildlife corridor that will link Madikwe and Pilanesberg Game Reserves to form about 250, 000 km2 conservation land. Along this corridor, there are local communities and private landowners that are being encouraged to allocate land to rhino conservation under partnership agreements. The wildlife corridor presents excellent opportunities for expanding rhino range and distribution.

“The theme of this year’s walk has helped us carry the message of rhino conservation to the communities in a very special way, as this message is being delivered to the communities by other community members,” says George Kampamba, Coordinator of the African Rhino Programme.

“Communities must know that they can earn a living by taking care of the rhinos and therefore, their efforts to ensure the safety and well being of the rhino pays off,” he says.

A community in the Kwazulu-Natal Province of South Africa recently received 11 rhinos to take care of and in turn become owners of the offspring and they are already owners of one rhino.

The merging of Madikwe and Pilansberg Game Reserves will form another gigantic “Big Five” game park whose size and species diversity is arguably going to be more than that of the Great Limpompo Transfrontier Park, which has formed a mega park joining Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique.

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation Environment and Tourism, The North-West Parks and Tourism Board (NWP&TB), the Bojanala Platinum and Central Districts Municipalities and the Moses Kotane and Zeerust Local Municipalities are some of the stakeholders who have committed to jointly facilitate the development of the 20-year project.

According to the NWP&TB, the idea of the Park is anchored on three pillars; partnerships and corporation, wildlife conservation and traditional African lifestyle – it will see current landowners enjoy their fair share of the income that will flow from the creation of the park.

WWF celebrates award of South African honour to Chief Emeka Anyaoku

2008-04-08

The award of South Africa's highest honour for a non-South African to WWF President Chief Emeka Anyaoku is a well-deserved recognition of an outstanding international leader, WWF said yesterday.

South African President Thabo Mbeki's decision to confer the Order of the Supreme Companions of O.R.Tambo:Gold on Chief Emeka Anyaoku was announced today.

“The award is in recognition of Emeka Anyaoku’s great contribution to the ending of apartheid and enthronement of democracy in South Africa,” the statement says. It cites Chief Anyaoku's early involvement with African National Congress leader Oliver Tambo and colleagues including Nelson Mandela, and his key role as Commonwealth Secretary-General in crucial negotiations in 1991-93 that produced the agreement leading to South Africa's first multi-racial elections.

Chief Anyaoku has served as the President of the global conservation organization WWF since 2002.

“We give Chief Anyaoku our heartfelt congratulations,” said James Leape, Director General of WWF International. “We also find it particularly appropriate that Chief Anyaoku, a great leader for conservation, is to receive this honour on Earth Day, April 22.”

“This award recognises Chief Anyaoku as a man who has made a great difference in bringing about a better world, something he continues to do in his advocacy for a better environment.

“Chief Anyaoku is one of those rare leaders whose reach extends from the local to the global, as Ichie Adazie of Obosi, leader of his own people, to his roles as Commonwealth Secretary-General and WWF President.”

“It has been and it continues to be a great privilege for us to work with Chief Anyaoku.”

More of Africa urged to boost rhino numbers

2008-03-14

KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – After bringing Africa’s black rhinos spectacularly back from the brink of extinction one of the world’s most successful conservation programmes is to celebrate its first decade by seeking to extend its operations to more of Africa.

Representatives of the governments of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia are expected to join in WWF’s African Rhino Programme (ARP) 10th anniversary celebration in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, today. They will join government and wildlife representatives, community representatives and eco-tourism operators from the current ARP participating States of in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

“What we have shown is that in partnership with governments and communities and business it is possible to stave off extinction for the rhino in some of its former range,” said WWF International’s Species Programme Director Dr Susan Lieberman. “The task now is to secure a future for the rhino in the rest of its range, where threats from poaching and development urgently need to be addressed.”

Africa’s savannas once teemed with more than a million white and black rhinos. However, relentless hunting by European settlers saw rhino numbers and distribution quickly decline. The southern white rhino was close to extinction by the late 19th century but concerted conservation efforts by KwaZulu Natal and others has led to a significantly larger population.

Added to hunting and habitat loss, trade in rhino horn peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, when huge quantities were shipped to the lucrative markets of the Middle East and Asia.

Responding to the crisis, both species of African rhino were listed in 1977 in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibited all international trade of rhino parts and products. Despite this international legal protection, the black rhino population at its lowest point dipped to 2,400 in 1995.

In 1997, there were 8,466 white rhinos and 2,599 black rhinos remaining in the wild. Today, there are 14,500 white rhinos and nearly 4,000 of the more endangered black rhinos.

Today, most of Africa’s black rhinos are found in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, where the species’ decline has been stopped through effective security monitoring, better biological management, wildlife-based tourism and extensive assistance to enable communities to benefit from rather than be in conflict with wildlife.

According to the African Rhino Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Africa’s white and black rhino numbers have shown annual growth rates of 6.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, since 1995.

“What we know from looking back at the last ten years is that sustained conservation can and does work,” says George Kampamba, WWF International’s African Rhino Programme Coordinator.

Although WWF has worked on Rhino conservation throughout its 45-year history, the ARP was notable for its overall approach. Working through field projects, it combined action at every level from local communities to global policy.

One striking, if unanticipated, indicator of the success of the programme is that land prices immediately increase in areas where rhinos are re-introduced through a range expansion program. The ARP, which has had experience reintroducing rhinos to national parks, also passed a milestone last year when a KwaZulu Natal community received black rhinos for community-owned land dedicated to wildlife and ecotourism uses.

“Rhino conservation in Africa is going from strength to strength,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF’s Global Species Programme. “But poaching, illegal trade, and unplanned development remain significant problems across the rhinos’ range and there is no room for complacency.”

In celebration of a decade of rhino conservation, WWF honoured six leaders as “rhino champions” today at Pongola Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal. "These rhino champions have made extraordinary contributions to rhino conservation," Dr Lieberman said.

The champions are:.

Emmanuel-Cebo Gumbi (known as “Nathi Gumbi”) director Somkhanda Game Reserve and member of the Gumbi royal family

Kevin John Pretorius, regional director for Phinda Game Reserve

Clive Vivier, owner Leopold Mountain Game Reserve

Manfred Kohrs, former chairman Pongola Game Reserve Association

Dr Jacques Flammand, project leader WWF/Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Black Rhino Range Expansion Project.

Taye Teferi, conservation director of WWF’s East Africa Regional Program

Jackson Kamwi, Senior Rhino Monitor at the Lowveld Conservancy Project, Zimbabwe

See under media releases for further information and contact details

This time, world should heed OECD call to action on environment

2008-03-05

Paris: The OECD’s Environment Outlook to 2030, issued today, was welcomed by WWF as yet another compelling argument that the costs of inaction on the environment will far exceed the costs of action.

The OECD Outlook is the latest - and at 520 pages one of the weightiest - in a run of reports from prominent economic institutions and commissions calling on governments and international institutions to face up to the seriousness and immediacy of global environmental problems.

“When a body such as the OECD says that on a range of environmental issues we need to act globally and we need to act now, then it is clear that as communities, countries and companies we need to roll up our collective sleeves and get on with it,” said WWF International Director General James Leape.

“It is sobering to think how much better off we would be today if the world, the wealthy world in particular, had heeded OECD's 2001 call to take action on many of these same issues. We should not make the same mistake again.”

James Leape said the OECD outlook should be commended for looking beyond the urgent challenge of climate change to other urgent issues of biodiversity loss, mismanagment of water resources and escalating health threats. WWF also welcomed OECD’s call to prioritise action in the key sectors of energy, transport, agriculture and fisheries.

“The OECD outlook underlines both the magnitude of the largely self-inflicted threats we face and the urgency of acting effectively on them,” said James Leape. “It is rapidly becoming the case that it will be as hard to find a sceptical economist as it is now to find a sceptical scientist."

While generally supporting market liberalisation, the OECD noted that in the absence of “sound environmental policy and institutional frameworks” globalisation “can amplify market and policy failures and intensify environmental pressures”.

The OECD repeated its 2001 call for the removal of subsidies to environmentally harmful activities, with special mention of subsidies to fossil fuel use, agricultural production subsidies, fishing overcapacity subsidies and the subsidy and underpricing of damaging transport modes.

The OECD also repeated that environment policy should not be just a concern of environment ministers, but has to be elevated into being a priority of central and economic policy making in particular.

“There is now no reason not to act," said James Leape. "The OECD outlook is emphatic that the policies and technologies to address urgent environment issues are available and affordable, that taking them will increase efficiencies and reduce costs and that the earlier we take action, the better the cost-benefit equation will be.”

Media release and contact details

Rethink Investment in (South) Africa

2008-02-20

The report, entitled "Re-think Investment in (South) Africa" firstly discussed the imperative for Foreign Direct Investment into developing nations, as well as the determinants and risks of such FDI, before going on to examine trends in investment into several African countries, in terms of resource intensity, with specific reference to South Africa.

The report then goes on to investigate means by which to measure the sustainability of both economic growth and FDI in emerging markets, for example through concepts such as the valuation of natural capital, the inclusion of externality costs, and the application of methodologies such as the World Bank's measure of Adjusted Net Savings.

A number of case studies are included in the report, each one referring to a specific economic sector, primarily concerning South Africa. These sectors were selected due to their potential sustainability impact, either positive or negative, as follows: energy supply, energy demand, transport, agriculture and ICT.

Finally, the report examines the type of policies that can encourage sustainable investment, and provides a number of recommendations in this regard, all of which are equally applicable in in South Africa, other African countries or emerging markets worldwide. These recommendations can be summarised as follows:

Sustainability reporting - through the application of appropriate 'triple bottom-line' indicators
Public sector investment in sustainable and low-carbon infrastructure - particularly renewable energy and public transportation
'Levelling the playing field' between sustainable and unsustainable companies or industries, through appropriate market-based economic policy instruments such as carbon taxes and renewable energy subsidies
Supporting innovation in sustainable industries - through promoting research, development, demonstration and commercialisation of appropriate technologies
International cooperation - in terms of harmonised policies and standards, and an institutionalised international compensatory mechanism for ‘reparations for ecological debt’.