WWF - Conservation and environmental news & publications: Australia

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.”

Genetic tuna tracking opens new options in race to save fish and fisheries

2009-10-27

Madrid, Spain – A new method that uses gene sequencing to accurately distinguish between tuna species has the potential to support fisheries management and possible trade restrictions for endangered tuna species.

The new method, revealed in a paper published today in PLoS ONE, the online open-access scientific journal, can make an identification from any kind of processed tuna tissue.

The true tunas – from the genus Thunnus – are among the most economically valuable fish in the world and are also among the most endangered of all commercially exploited fish . They are not to be confused with the tuna most commonly tinned, which comes from related families such as mackerel.

The paper, ‘A Validated Methodology for Genetic Identification of Tuna Species (Genus Thunnus)’, co-authored by Dr Jordi Viñas, a fish genetics specialist at Girona University in Spain and Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries of WWF Mediterranean, proposes for the first time ever a genetic method for the precise identification of all eight recognized species of tuna.

Northern, southern and Pacific bluefin tuna are among the most stressed fish populations in the world, with the Principality of Monaco having lodged an application before the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for a trade ban on the Atlantic (Northern) bluefin tuna where several fisheries have collapsed and failed to recover and the Mediterranean bluefin fishery is exhibiting advanced signals of impending collapse in the face of overfishing and decades of poor management.

The other tuna species are yellowfin, blackfin, longtail, bigeye and albacore tuna. Identification of traded forms of the fish, which can be dressed, gilled and gutted, or loin and belly meat, and either fresh or frozen – is a highly complex process, which has hampered conservation efforts and was a potential limitation to the imposition of trade controls.

The analysis of the DNA sequence variability of two unlinked genetic markers, one a hypervariable segment of the mitochondrial genome and the other a nuclear gene, enables full discrimination between all the tuna species.

"..findings are particularly relevant"

“This methodology will allow the identification of tuna species of any kind of tissue or type or presentation – including sushi and sashimi,” said Dr Jordi Viñas of Girona University. “The differentiation between different tunas, even those with highly similar genes, is now possible.”

“Our findings are particularly relevant for the highly overfished, overtraded – and hence endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna, for which there is a growing campaign to impose a temporary ban on international commercial trade,” added co-author Dr Sergi Tudela of WWF. “There will now be no trace of doubt when seeking to identify chilled or frozen tuna flesh at port or point of sale.”

The paper will remain available to download for free from the website of PLoS ONE and will be submitted to the relevant tuna fishing and trade management and control authorities.

(PLoS ONE is the first journal of primary research from all areas of science to employ a combination of peer review and post-publication rating and commenting, to maximize the impact of every report it publishes. PLoS ONE is published by the Public Library of Science (PLoS), the open-access publisher whose goal is to make the world’s scientific and medical literature a public resource.)

Failure of nerve threatens to turn Copenhagen into Doha

2009-10-21

Gland, Switzerland. Conservation organization WWF today issued a warning to the world that a lack of political nerve could divert the world from achieving a climate deal in Copenhagen.

“The world doesn’t want Copenhagen to come to mean another Doha,” said Kim Carstensen, Leader of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.

“Kite flying in the media and diplomatic manoeuvres behind the scenes are a reflection of the industrialized countries trying to lower expectations as they continue to dodge the hard decisions on slashing their emissions and funding the transition to a low carbon economy.

“The world is looking for leadership, but instead the leaders are starting to hand out their excuses in advance.”

WWF has been tracking the growing diplomatic whisper campaign, noting references to another plan on climate which excludes a binding legal agreement in Copenhagen.

WWF says that a legally binding deal is the only format that will give the world a chance to avoid increasing predictions of climate catastrophe.

“There is only Plan A or Plan F and plan F stands for failure,” said Carstensen.

"Every ingredient bar one to make a deal is in place"

.“Climate won’t wait on ministers` political and diplomatic manoeuvres. Leaders must not avoid difficult decisions now because the fact is that these decisions are only going to get harder.

“Many countries in the developing world have already acted and are signaling that they can move further, but they also need the legal certainty and confidence that industrialized countries will meet their commitments.

“Substantial sectors of business and labour also are gearing up to move, but they are calling for the sort of certainty that comes from a legally binding global agreement. Investors and markets need confidence in order to really kick start the low carbon economy,” said Carstensen.

Carstensen said it was no coincidence that the upsurge in suggestions a deal was off appeared in the run-up to negotiating teams going into the final preparatory meeting in Barcelona in just over a week.

“This is a dangerous game because it could distract the negotiations before Barcelona next week and cause significant failure in Copenhagen,” Carstensen said.

“Every ingredient bar one to make a deal is in place. Governments have had two years of negotiating times and space, they have all the science they need, all the text options and words they need and all the arguments they need to be convinced that now is the time and place to do the deal.

“The only missing ingredient is political will.”

"The US Senate must pass a bill in time for December, as their leadership has promised; but we certainly don’t want to see other industrialized countries hiding behind what they think the US Senate will do.”

WWF is calling for the retention of the Kyoto protocol for industrialized countries together with a new protocol in Copenhagen that is legally binding for all major emitters.

The deal should include, amongst others, ambitious emission reduction targets from industrialized countries, recognition and support for developing country actions, commitment to scaled up climate finance especially for adaptation, and a new institutional and governance arrangement under the guidance of the UN.

Time for stalling past as climate predictions dramatically worsen

2009-09-28

Oxford, UK: Climate negotiators received a hurry up call today as scientists released new predictions that climate change was happening significantly faster than previous estimates.

The UK's prestigious Met Office Hadley Centre warned that it was "not implausible" that without effective action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, average global temperatures could rise more than four degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels by 2060 - more than twice the two degree threshold for unacceptable risks of runaway catastrophic climate change.

WWF-UK Director of Campaigns David Norman told the UK Press Association that "Yet again, the over-riding message from the scientists is abundantly clear - climate change is real, it's happening faster than previously anticipated and the implications for both people and the environment are potentially severe.

"Politicians have already pledged to keep the world below a 2 degree temperature rise, but the window of opportunity to make this more than an empty promise is rapidly closing."

"The time for stalling has long since passed," Norman said.

Climate negotiators are currently gathering in Bangkok, Thailand, to continue work towards a new global climate agreement scheduled to be agreed in Copenhagen in December, to replace the expiring - and clearly inadequate - Kyoto protocol.

The new Hadley Centre study updates the 2007 climate projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), noting that IPCC worst case projections are now a real possibility within many peoples' lifetimes.

Worse case predictions are now a real possibility

Consequences of a four degree rise in average global temperatures could include regional variations of temperature of more than 10 degrees C in some areas, with rises of more than 15 degrees in the already seriously affected Arctic.

Drastic reductions in rainfall are expected for many areas under such a scenario while other areas will see increased rainfall and flooding events.

Feedbacks in the climate system - the study raised possibilities of warming oceans absorbing less carbon dioxide and soil carbon being released as decomposition rates rise - could drive ever accelerating climate change.

A spokesman for the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) told the Press Association that "A rise of this scale would have serious consequences for the global community with food security, water availability and health all being adversely affected.

"This report illustrates why it is imperative for the world to reach an ambitious climate deal at Copenhagen which keeps the global temperature increase to below 2 degrees."

Oil Spill a potential disaster for marine life

2009-08-24

WWF warned today that an oil spill off Australia’s North West coast may take a heavy toll on the region’s globally significant wildlife.

“This is a potential disaster for turtles, whales, dolphins, sea birds and sea snakes,” said Dr Gilly Llewellyn, WWF-Australia’s Conservation Manager.

“The oil and gas spill is still not under control and is expected to continue leaking for two months. Depending on winds, the slick could be pushed to atolls like Scott and Ashmore Reef – areas that are globally significant for their unique wildlife.”

Marine species such as green and loggerhead turtles are at serious risk from the pollution.

“Turtle hatchlings spend a huge amount of time on the surface of the water. Unfortunately, this means that recent hatchlings from the beaches and islands of North West Australia could be swimming into the slick,” said Dr Llewellyn.

The spill occurred at the edge of Australia’s continental shelf, an ocean highway used by loggerhead turtles, dolphins and endangered species such as the pygmy blue whale.

WWF warned that increasing the number of offshore oil and gas ventures in the region is significantly increasing the risk to marine life.

“The more industrial activity, the higher the risk – it is a simple equation,” said Dr Llewellyn.

“We urgently need to consider both short and long term ways of preventing and containing spills like this one, as well as reducing the footprint of industrial development on creatures like marine turtles.”

As the Federal Government prepares to release its environmental assessment of the proposed Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on Barrow Island, a Class A nature reserve and important rookery for flatback turtles, WWF is calling on all parties to consider safer alternative locations for the massive project.

“We strongly urge the Government and oil companies involved to move the proposed LNG plant to the mainland to reduce the risk of harm to our marine wildlife,” said Dr Llewellyn.

WWF has suggested Ashburton North, on the Western Australian coast may be more suitable for gas processing.

Chevron, one of three companies involved in the Gorgon project (along with Exxon Mobil and Shell) has already filed applications to develop another LNG project in the vicinity. By building infrastructure on the mainland, both the environmental and economic costs of such projects could be reduced.

“The environmental challenges on the mainland are by no means trivial, but they are vastly more manageable than at Barrow. This decision needs to be made urgently and should be the highest priority for the Government,” said Dr Llewellyn.

The location of oil and gas infrastructure would not be enough to ensure the safety of some of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems.

“To seriously address the long term health and survival of marine species we need to build a network of large marine sanctuaries for Australia’s north west which can act as a safety net, giving animals safe passage through the oceans.”

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.”

WWF camera trap captures rare little long-tailed dunnart footage

2009-08-03

WWF field staff working in Australia’s only biodiversity hotspot, the Southwest Australia Ecoregion, recently collected some exciting and rare footage of a tiny native marsupial.

Using an infra-red camera trap, project officer Phil Lewis captured footage of a little long-tailed dunnart, a small mouse-like animal found in parts of Western Australia and South Australia.The rarely seen footage was taken in bushland in Korrelocking and shows the dunnart furtively surveying its territory at night. Korrelocking is located in the Western Australian Wheatbelt, an area which has undergone large-scale land clearing over the past 100 years.

“This widespread clearing for farming has caused the bushland in this region to become seriously fragmented,” Phil explained. “This has resulted in the remaining bush forming ‘islands’ cut off from each other by farmland.”

Native animals, like the dunnart, rely on these bushland islands for their survival. This footage was captured in one of these islands containing rare eucalypt woodland.

“Unfortunately, even with their habitat intact inside these woodland island remnants, these tiny carnivorous marsupials still face many threats including wildfire and introduced predators such as the red fox and feral cats,” said Phil.

Footage of the European red fox, a major predator and threat to the little long-tailed dunnart was also captured by Phil in the same location. It shows the fox on the prowl for anything that might provide a tasty morsel.

Phil Lewis works on WWF’s Healthy Ecosystems, a project that spans nearly 10 years and works with farmers to get better conservation outcomes for the remaining privately-owned bush in the Southwest Australia Ecoregion.

Most of the important vegetation types that currently remain on private land across the Wheatbelt are vastly under-represented in Western Australia’s conservation estate. The project encourages and supports private land managers to undertake conservation management in their patches of bush to help protect this important habitat and increase the chances of survival of the unique and amazing animals that inhabit it.

Australia pledges big funds for small whale conservation

2009-06-24

Madeira, Portugal – Australia on Wednesday pledged AU$500,000 (€284,927) to help save the world’s small whales as part of a major contribution to the International Whaling Commission.

Peter Garrett, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts committed to using the funds to protect small whales, dolphins and porpoises during an appearance at the 61st meeting of IWC member countries, taking place this week in Madeira, Portugal. The money will be dedicated to the IWC’s Small Cetacean Fund.

Garrett’s announcement coincided with the release by WWF of a new report entitled Small Cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales, which was unveiled simultaneously with the Australian funding commitment.

Small whales are disappearing from the world’s oceans and waterways as they fall victim to fishing gear, pollution, and habitat loss – compounded by a lack of conservation measures such as those developed for great whales, according to the report.

The report states that while great whales are now protected (to an extent) by the international commercial whaling moratorium, in effect since 1986, small cetacean hunts continue around the globe, largely unmanaged and unchecked by the international community.

“For many small cetaceans the scientific information available is so limited that we are unable to make informed decisions on their conservation status,” Garrett said.

The contribution is part of a larger AU$1.5 million (€854,900) commitment to support IWC activities in three key areas: the Southern Ocean Research Partnership; conservation management plans; and small cetacean conservation research.

“It’s time that someone stood up for the underrepresented whales, dolphins and porpoises,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of the Species Programme for WWF-International. “Australia’s commitment is a step in the right direction and we call upon other governments to follow suit.”

Meanwhile, the IWC Commissioner of Belgium, Alexandre de Lichtervelde, called for a review of work on conservation and management for small cetaceans to take place before IWC 62 in 2010. Belgium will produce a collaborative paper as a contribution to the discussions on the future of the IWC.

IWC 61 runs June 22 to 26 in Madeira, Portugal.

Renewable energy wave rolls across Australia

2009-06-19

Waves around Australia and hot rocks beneath it have the capacity to power Australia into a clean energy future and provide thousands of new jobs, according to two new reports from WWF.

Power to Change: Australia’s Wave Energy Future estimates the the wave energy industry will create 3,210 jobs by 2020, including jobs in local manufacturing and maintenance. By 2050 this figure is expected to grow to 14,380 jobs.

The report was prepared with the assistance of the Carnegie Corporation, whose CETO wave energy demonstration plant in Western Australia is regarded as a world leader in harnessing the oceans to provide clean, baseload renewable energy.

“Australia has the largest and most consistent wave energy resource globally and at least 35 per cent of our current baseload power needs could be generated from the Southern Ocean," said Carnegie Corporation Managing Director Dr Michael Ottaviano.

Meanwhile, Power to Change: Australia’s Geothermal Future, a report prepared in collaboration with the Australian Geothermal Energy Association (AGEA), predicted that more than 17,000 Australians could be employed in the geothermal energy industry by 2050.

“When it comes to geothermal energy, we truly are the lucky country,” said Paul Toni, WWF Program Leader for Sustainable Development. “The energy stored in hot rocks near the Earth’s surface in Australia is a thousand fold what we use each and ever year.”

A key advantage of geothermal energy in the shift to a low carbon economy is the ability to take up some fo the employment slack from declining fossil fuel industries.

“The geothermal energy industry provides opportunities for workers to move from industries like coal, oil and gas into clean energy jobs, as much of the technology and expertise is transferable from one to the other,” said Susan Jeanes, Chief Executive of AGEA

Both technologies are expecting a boost from Australia’s so far fitful moves to putting a price on carbon emissions. They would also benefit from a freeing up of the Renewable Energy Target scheme to embrace more technologies.

“Renewable technologies are the nuts and bolts of Australia’s clean energy future,” said WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne.

“What we are seeing here is the birth of new industries that will provide tens of thousands of jobs and a technology and expertise that we can export around the world, as well as renewable energy to power Australia.”

World’s largest Marine Protected Area one step closer

2009-05-19

What may become the world's largest marine protected area came a step closer today following the announcement by Australia’s environment minister Peter Garrett that the Coral Sea would become a Conservation Zone.

The area, which is found east of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine park and amounts to almost a million square kilometers, is home to significant seabirds and migratory marine species, and has remained relatively undisturbed by direct human impact.;

“The Coral sea is one of the world’s healthiest marine wilderness areas, where it is still possible to see healthy populations of sharks, turtles, whales, fish and coral” said Lydia Gibson, WWF’s Marine Policy Manager in the region.

(C) Undersea Explorer - Tiger Shark

“WWF has been working hard to make sure this region receives the recognition it deserves.”

Under the conservation zone designation, current tourism and fishing activities can continue, but new commercial activity will be rigorously assessed while the government evaluates the region for its conservation value.

WWF worked with government and stakeholders to develop a set of criteria which Mr. Garrett says will be included in the final plan for the conservation of the Coral Sea.

“The pressures on our oceans are increasing and we need to take steps to protect our fragile marine environments,” Mr Garrett.

These criteria include the establishment of the protected area by 2011, ruling out oil and gas exploration and the creation of high-conservation zones within the Marine Protected Area.

This news comes shortly after the commitment last week by the six leaders of the Coral Triangle countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste – to protect the region by implementing a 10-year regional plan of action with time-bound steps to address growing threats to the region’s threatened species and other marine and coastal living resources.

(C) WWF / Mark Spencer - Diver in Corals

(C) Undersea Explorer - Manta Rays / (C) Jurgen Freund / WWF-CANON - Fan corals in reef. Great Barrier Reef & Coral Sea, Australia

“As climate change begins to effect ecosystems around the world, including the Coral Sea, marine protected areas provide a buffer zone, allowing species to adapt to the changes. WWF would like to see a chain of interconnected marine protected areas across the world, giving marine species the greatest chance of survival” said Ms. Gibson.

The existing Coral Sea national nature reserves – Coringa-Herald and Lihou Reef reserves, and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, are not included in the conservation zone.

New research reveals extraordinary habits of rare Aussie dolphin

2009-04-17

A preliminary study on Australia’s mysterious snubfin dolphin has given researchers new insight into the mammal’s habits and behaviour, including that it uses an extraordinary spitting technique to catch prey.

The research, funded by ING DIRECT, has given an overview of the life and habits of this very rare marine mammal, affectionately named ‘snubby’ by researchers, which lives in tight-knit social groups along the northern coastlines of Australia.

The small dolphins hunt in groups and use a spitting technique to catch their prey - chasing fish to the surface of the water, and rounding them up by shooting jets of water from their mouths, said WWF-Australia’s Marine and Coasts Manager Lydia Gibson.

“This is incredibly unusual behaviour, first seen in Australia off the Kimberley Coast, has only been noted before in Irrawaddy dolphins, which are closely related to this species,” Gibson said. “It also confirms the snubfin dolphin is a fascinating animal, one which we know so little about.”

Gibson said the WWF/ING DIRECT research has been collating existing information from many sightings over the years while also gathering new valuable data about snubfin habitats across northern Australia.

The ten key findings from the research so far show that:

• Threats to mangrove systems from rising sea levels predicted with climate change and from human impacts such as dam construction, dredging and other destructive activities are the greatest threat to the snubfin. Where mangrove systems are destroyed or damaged, the snubfins will lose their food and their habitat/home.

• Snubfins are very susceptible to chemical pollution, viruses and bacteria because they live close to shore and have a relatively small range. A parasite found in cat faeces (Toxoplasma gondii) is of particular concern, as it was found - via contaminated run-off - to be the cause of death of three Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins recovered around Townsville in the period 2000-2001.

• Snubfin dolphins are more likely than other dolphins to be caught in gill nets because they prefer inshore estuarine habitats where river-nets are set.

• Snubfin families appear to spend much of their lives in very small territories close to shore. This means snubfin populations can be heavily impacted by habitat destruction and unsustainable development.

“These top ten facts were uncovered to better understand what we do and do not know about the snubfin dolphin. They will provide us with the benchmark we need to inform conservationists, government and scientists about how best to conserve and manage this unique and threatened species for future generations.”

Ms Gibson said that habitat destruction was the key threat to these coastal dolphins.

“There are already development proposals around the Great Barrier Reef that could affect their habitat – like the extension of the Townsville Port – that could have major impacts on these species. We must work with all relevant stakeholders to initiate a strategic environment assessment of future developments close to snubfin habitats.”

Australia’s largest online bank, ING DIRECT, joined WWF-Australia’s flagship species conservation program to help fund research into the snubfin dolphin, primarily in Queensland.

“We are even more proud now that we have been able to help researchers uncover a range of remarkable facts and insights that may help preserve this remarkable creature long into the future,” said Christian Bohlke, ING DIRECT Head of Branding and Communications.

ING DIRECT’s funded research has not only given insights into the, until now, secret lives of these dolphins, it has also revealed the threats they face from man.

“This overview sets the stage for the ongoing research needed to help us discover ways to minimise our impact on these unique Australian creatures. Companies like ING DIRECT that fund this research are helping us preserve an extraordinary creature and are building a legacy that will be enjoyed by Australians for generations to come,” Bohlke said.

Polar bears and penguins 'just tip of climate change iceberg'

2009-04-06

New evidence from the North and South Poles indicates that time is running out for the world’s leaders to respond to climate change.

As ministers from Arctic Council and Antarctic Treaty states hold their first ever joint meeting in Washington on April 6 celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty, WWF is challenging the ministers to mark the occasion by affirming their commitment to climate change action.

The conservation organisation provided the ministers with compelling recent evidence from both the north and south poles that clearly demonstrates global temperature increases must be kept well under two degrees Celsius.

“A global average temperature rise of 2 degrees is clearly too much for the poles,” says Rob Nicoll, Manager of WWF’s Antarctic and Southern Oceans Initiative.

“Scientists are already unpleasantly surprised at how quickly the impacts of warming such as sea ice loss are showing up in the polar regions, exceeding recent predictions.”

Global average warming due to climate change since the late 1800s is showing severe impacts at less than one degree, as the Arctic is warming at about twice the global average and parts of the Antarctic are also outstripping the global average.

The polar regions themselves have profound and not yet fully understood impacts on climate globally, and there are fears that polar tipping points could trigger abrupt change around the world.

A forthcoming report on Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research is expected to up previous estimates on Antarctica’s expected substantial contributions to sea level rises.

Marine food chains of global significance are also under threat from warming in the Antarctic. “Ice shelves the size of small countries are crumbling away and the latest evidence from the Antarctic is showing that the effects of global warming there are increasing in magnitude,” said Mr Nicoll.

“The penguins may feel it first, but the rest of us won’t be far behind.”

The warming of the Antarctic is not yet as acute as the Arctic, but it is yet a further indication that the meltdown of our polar caps continues apace. If world leaders fail to act on this information the effects will be calamitous.

“The world is caught in a polar pincer movement,” said Neil Hamilton, Director of WWF International’s Arctic Programme.

“What is happening at the poles will control the world’s climate. If we do not stop the poles from melting, the whole world will feel it, in the form of runaway warming and rising waters.”

Right now the Catlin Arctic Survey expedition is sampling the thickness of Arctic sea ice. The expedition, partly sponsored by WWF, is likely to confirm scientists’ fears that the older, thicker ice is disappearing. This has led them to predict that the summer sea ice could disappear within a generation, leading to catastrophic consequences for the entire ecosystem, everything from single celled animals to whales.

“The Ministers meeting today in Washington have a special responsibility to the world,” said Mr Hamilton.

“They are the custodians of the poles, and this would be an opportunity for them to show the world that they are ready to step up and shoulder their responsibility to keep the poles frozen, by committing to taking urgent and effective action at the Copenhagen climate meeting this December.”

Please note: WWF will hold a briefing for Washington reporters immediately outside the State Department once the ministerial is over. There will also be two teleconference briefings for reporters outside Washington, details of these are on a separate media advisory. Reporters who have not received the advisory can contact the people listed below.

For further information:

Joe Pouliot, Director of Climate and Policy Communications, WWF US
Cell: 202-476-9919
Email: joe.pouliot@wwfus.org

Clive Tesar, Head of Communications, WWF International Arctic Programme
Tel: (+1) 613-232-2535
Mobile: (+1) 613-883-3110
Email: ctesar@wwf.no

Dr. Neil T. M. Hamilton, Director, WWF International Arctic Programme.
Mobile +47 9300 5660
Email: Nhamilton@wwf.no

Rob Nicoll, Manager, WWF Antarctic and Southern Oceans Initiative
Mobile: +61438938764
Email: rnicoll@wwf.org.au

More background is available at panda.org/arctic.

Critical protection sought for Australia’s big blue backyard

2009-02-23

Perth, Australia - Nine out of 10 marine species found off Australia’s south-west coast are found nowhere else on earth but less than one per cent of this globally significant region is protected.

A new report found a series of globally significant “hotspots” for marine life in the region, home to a far greater proportion of unique marine life than the Great Barrier Reef, and recommends the creation of large sanctuaries to secure its future.

Protecting Western Australia’s big blue backyard was prepared by the Australian Conservation Foundation for a new collaboration of key Australian and international conservation groups formed to secure the future of Australia’s south-west marine environment.

WWF-Australia is a key member of “Save our Marine Life”, which also includes the Conservation Council of Western Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Wilderness Society, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Nature Conservancy and the Pew Environment Group.

The report highlighted Perth Canyon, one of only two known sites in Australian waters where the endangered blue whale comes to feed, and the Diamantina Fracture Zone, Australia’s largest mountain range submerged in its deepest stretch of water at 7,400 metres and thought to host unique species not yet known to science. The report also identified the importance of creating large marine sanctuaries to Western Australia's tourism and whale watching industry.

At the launch in Perth today Professor Jessica Meeuwig of the Centre for Marine Futures at the University of Western Australia said: “Many economically important marine species, such as rock lobster, dhufish and baldchin groper are under threat.

“Large marine sanctuaries are critical to maintaining the health of the marine environment, helping fish stocks recover and securing the future of commercial and recreational fishing in the region.”

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.

Earth Hour 2009 setting new records in climate concern

2009-02-05

Already twice the participating countries of Earth Hour 2008
Archbishop Desmond Tutu leads call for action on climate change
Obama artist Shepard Fairey likens flicking switch to climate vote

With eight weeks still to go, citizens, businesses and public authorities in 375 cities across 74 countries have already committed to turning off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm on 28 March in a graphic show of support for decisive action on climate change.

The list of cities confirming their participation in Earth Hour 2009 includes 37 national capitals and some of the great cities of the world, including London, Beijing, Rome, Moscow, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Athens, Buenos Aires, Toronto, Sydney, Mexico City, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Manila, Las Vegas, Brussels, Cape Town and Helsinki.

The WWF-sponsored event continues to show amazing momentum, from being a Sydney, Australia awareness-raising event in 2007, to the astounding 371 cities across 35 countries total last year. As participation for Earth Hour 2009 storms past this level of municipal involvement in more than twice the number of countries, discussions are under way or nearing completion in hundreds of other cities.

WWF Director General, Mr James Leape, said he is optimistic about the campaign’s potential to drive key decision making on the issue of climate change.

“With hundreds more cities expected to sign up to switch off in the coming months, Earth Hour 2009 is setting the platform for an unprecedented global mandate for action on climate change,” he said.

Along with the great metropolises of the world, Earth Hour 2009 will also see the lights go out on some of the most recognised landmarks on the planet, including Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Table Mountain in Cape Town, Merlion in Singapore, Sydney Opera House, CN Tower in Toronto, Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the world’s tallest constructed building Taipei 101.

A host of high profile ambassadors across the world have also lent their support to the campaign, most notably Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett.

Shepard Fairey, the artist noted for his graphic portrayals of Barack Obama during the recent US Presidential Election, has likened flicking the switch to casting a vote on climate change in artwork for the Earth Hour campaign.

Earth Hour Executive Director, Mr Andy Ridley, said the 2009 campaign as an opportunity for the people of the world to cast their vote on this important global issue.

"Earth Hour by its very nature is the essence of grassroots action. This is the opportunity for individuals, from all corners of the globe to unite in a single voice and demand action on climate change”, said Mr Ridley.

2009 is a critical year for action on climate change, with the world’s leaders due to meet at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December to sign a new deal to supersede the Kyoto Protocol.

Save an Aussie Battler this Australia Day

2009-01-22

Sydney, Australia - With Australia Day, the official national day of Australia, coming up on 26 January WWF-Australia has announced its own Australia Day Honours list - the top ten Aussie
Battlers of 2008!

“Although our list celebrates Australian animals, it is also serves as a reminder that these Aussie Battlers need our help in order to survive,” said Kat Miller, WWF threatened species program manager.

“Without urgent action we risk losing more of the 346 animal and 1,249 plant species listed as threatened under federal legislation. Australia has the worst record of mammal extinction in the world,” Ms Miller said.

Nine per cent of birds, seven per cent of reptiles and 16 per cent of amphibians are either extinct or threatened in Australia.

“Half the mammals that have become extinct globally in the last 200 years have been Australian species. We cannot afford to let more of our unique Australian animals disappear forever,” she said.

Top of the list of Aussie Battlers is the green and gold frog. Forget the future impacts of climate change, one of Australia’s largest frogs has already had its home decimated by climate change-induced drought since 2005. Thanks to another group of Aussie Battlers, farmers in Lowbidgee, New South Wales, these patriotic frogs are getting a second chance.

Next in line is the cassowary. Being large and flightless isn’t much help when you’re crossing the road in Far North Queensland. Road kills are one of the major causes of adult cassowary deaths. With only 1,500 left in the wild can we afford to let this happen?

The green sawfish, which evolved from ancient sharks with a unique saw, lined with teeth made from modified scales, is a species of ray that looks out of place in northern Australian waters. But these animals are true blue Aussies as this may be the last place where significant numbers of green sawfish exist.

Historically the golden fur of the beautiful yellow-footed rock wallaby was more likely to be seen on a London high street than in outback Australia. Today many other threats remain, with less than 2,000 wallabies left in South Australia and possibly less than 500 in New South Wales.

With house prices skyrocketing, spare a thought for the red-tailed black cockatoo, Official Mascot of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Nesting hollows in south-eastern Australia are so scarce many of these endangered birds are left out in the cold.

Living in the World Heritage Listed Kakadu National Park doesn’t necessarily protect you from outside threats such as fire and weeds. It is thought the wild population of yellow-snouted geckos could be as low as 10.

The swift parrot has the longest migration journey of any parrot in the world, travelling from southern Queensland to Tasmania each year to breed. This speedy parrot has a bad habit of not looking where it’s flying and significant numbers are killed every year due to collisions with cars and home windows. With only 2,000 left in the wild, the loss of every bird is a tragedy.

As one of the ACT’s most threatened insects, the golden sun moth is critically endangered and has a very short lifespan, living just a few days as an adult. The female travels only a few hundred metres in this time due to her limited flying ability.

What's green and gold and woolly? The woolly wattle, which is closely related to Australia's national flower, the golden wattle, occurs only in a small patch in the Southwest Australia Ecoregion. The leaves and fruit of this plant are covered entirely by dense, long, soft, white hairs, making this the cuddliest wattle around.

The bridled nailtail wallaby was named for its horn-shaped 'nail' at the tip of the tail. Although once common throughout eastern Australia, it was believed to be extinct before being rediscovered in 1973 on a cattle station near Dingo, Queensland. Back from the brink but with only 400 left in the wild these Aussie Battlers need a helping hand to survive.

Hot southern summer threatens coral with massive bleaching event

2008-12-19

Sydney, Australia - A widespread and severe coral bleaching episode is predicted to cause immense damage to some of the world’s most important marine environments over the next few months.

A report from the US Government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts severe bleaching for parts of the Coral Sea, which lies adjacent to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and the Coral Triangle, a 5.4 million square kilometre expanse of ocean in the Indo-Pacific which is considered the centre of the world’s marine life.

“This forecast bleaching episode will be caused by increased water temperatures and is the kind of event we can expect on a regular basis if average global temperatures rise above 2 degrees,” said Richard Leck, Climate Change Strategy Leader for WWF’s Coral Triangle Program.

The bleaching, predicted to occur between now and February, could have a devastating impact on coral reef ecosystems, killing coral and destroying food chains. There would be severe impacts for communities in Australia and the region, who depend on the oceans for their livelihoods.

The Coral Triangle, stretching from the Philippines to Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, is home to 75 per cent of all known coral species. More than 120 million people rely on its marine resources.

“Regular bleaching episodes in this part of the world will have a massive impact on the region’s ability to sustain local communities,” said Leck. “In the Pacific many of the Small Island Developing States, such as the Solomon Islands, rely largely on the coast and coastal environments such as coral reefs for food supply. This is a region where alternative sources of income and food are limited.

“Time is crucial and Australia needs to step up to the plate. Following the government’s lack of resolve to seriously reduce future domestic carbon emissions, Australia has a huge role to play in assisting Coral Triangle countries and people to adapt to the changes in their climate.“

The Australian government this week announced a 2020 target for reducing its greenhouse gas pollution by 5 per cent, which WWF criticised as completely inadequate. Reductions of at least 25 per cent by 2020 are needed to set the world on a pathway to meaningful cuts in greenhouse pollution.

Australia’s Coral Sea, which will also be affected by coral bleaching and climate change, is a pristine marine wilderness covering almost 1,000,000 square kilometres and is extraordinarily rich in marine life, including sharks and turtles, with a series of spectacular reefs rising thousands of metres from the sea floor.

WWF is urging the Australian government to declare the Coral Sea a marine protected area, as well as working to establish a network of marine protected areas that will assist ocean environments to adapt to the changes caused by rising temperatures, and to absorb the impacts from human activity.

Ana’s journey opens mystery of ‘oceanic superhighway’

2008-12-19

The remarkable journey of a green turtle from Indonesia into Australian waters is helping conservationists to track the migratory route of this species to the Kimberley-Pilbara coast - one of the few relatively pristine coastal areas left on Earth.

Ana, a female green turtle, was tagged in Indonesia in November as part of a turtle tracking project by WWF and Udayana University in Bali, Indonesia, and has slowly made her way from a nesting beach in East Java, across the Indian Ocean, and is on track for the beaches of the Kimberley in Western Australia.

Her journey, monitored online by WWF, demonstrates the strong biological ties between Indonesia and the reefs on the west Australian coast.

“Ana’s journey is unique. She has revealed an ‘oceanic superhighway’ that helps us better understand how marine turtles navigate around the world’s oceans as well as highlighting the strong ecological and evolutionary connections between Indonesia and Australia’s Kimberley-Pilbara coast,” said Gilly Llewellyn, WWF Ocean’s Program Leader.

“This new finding throws the spotlight on the true natural values of the magnificent Kimberley marine ecosystem and its link to the Coral Triangle to the north – the world’s epicentre of marine biodiversity and the cross-roads of migration routes and breeding grounds for whales, turtles, dolphins and other precious marine species.”

The Coral Triangle spans Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste, and contains critical habitat for six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles, including green, hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback, loggerhead and flatback turtles.

All of these species are threatened with extinction as a result of pollution, long-line and trawl fishing that results in the accidental catch of marine turtles, and an illegal trade in turtle eggs, meat, shells and skin.

“The tropical seas of the Coral Triangle have global significance. Decision makers need to keep this in mind when weighing up the need to protect it - and the millions of marine livelihoods that depend on coral reefs across the regions."

WWF’s Coral Triangle Program is currently working to ensure the health of the region's wildlife in the face of human threats in the Indian and Pacific oceans that include long-line and trawl fishing and pollution.

WWF’s marine conservation efforts in the region include the development of a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to protect and conserve marine wildlife, and to ensure that all fishing is carried out in a sustainable manner. This includes reducing marine animal bycatch, specifically that of turtles, by fishing operations in the Indo Pacific.

“Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of marine turtles are caught annually in the hooks, lines and nets of fishing operations, while on land their nesting beaches are increasingly under threat from industrial development, human disturbance and climate change.

"Ana’s journey has shown us areas where we need to focus our efforts. We need to tap into the secret lives of species such as turtles, so we can design networks of marine protected areas that conserve the full range of plant and animal life, and ensure their longevity for years to come.”

For more information, contact:
Paula Schibeci, WWF Australia Press Office, 08 9442 1213, 0406 381 137
Dr Gilly Llewellyn, Marine Program Leader, WWF-Australia, 0406 380 801

Australia aims low in emissions reductions

2008-12-15

Sydney, Australia - In the space of a year Australia has gone from climate change hero to climate change under-achiever, announcing an emissions reduction target of just 5-15 per cent by 2020 with the higher figure tied to the rest of the world reaching a binding agreement on climate change.

The announcement – made in a government white paper as the UN climate change conference ended inconclusively in Poznan, Poland – was branded as a pitiful result of pandering to lazy and short-sighted polluting businesses by WWF-Australia.

It was a far cry from the adulation received by Australia when the then new government signed on to the Kyoto protocol as almost its first official act on the eve of the pivotal Bali UN conference on climate change in December last year.

“This target is completely unacceptable,” said Paul Toni, WWF-Australia Program Leader Sustainable Development. “Australia’s big polluters have forced the government to sacrifice ordinary Australians’ future prosperity for their short term profits today.

“The Australian Treasury’s economic modelling has shown that cuts of 25 per cent are affordable and achievable if part of an international agreement. This should be the government’s aim.”

Mr Toni said the pain Australian families were experiencing due to the global financial crisis would only worsen in the future if the government was not ambitious with its pollution reduction target now.

“If we do not act now the economic burden imposed on everyday Australians will be immense – with rising food costs, higher insurance premiums and massive job losses in tourism and agriculture.

“Ironically, both climate change and the financial crisis are direct results of selfish, short-term planning and mismanagement by big business,” Mr Toni said.

WWF was also critical of government plans to gift large and possible growing proportions of permits to the biggest polluters.

“Compensation for heavily polluting industries robs the clean industries of the future of vital funding,” Toni said.

“If Australia wants to dramatically reduce emissions we must invest in new technologies such as wind, ocean, geothermal and solar, so we can start cutting emissions this decade.”

WWF said 2009 would be a defining moment in the planet’s history and urged the Australian
government to take the initiative on a global pact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Our actions from this point on will be judged by future generations. It is WWF-Australia’s
hope our children will take pride in our actions rather than be ashamed by what this generation lost through self-interest and equivocation,” Mr Toni said.

Another fisheries commission throws the science overboard

2008-12-12

Pusan, South Korea - The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) today over-rode the advice of its science committee and rejected the recommendations of its chair in choosing only minor reductions in catch for bigeye and yellowfin tuna and watering down or deferring most measures for achieving reduced catches.

The decision comes just a fortnight after the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) both also rejected their own scientists pleas for significant cuts to catches in the face of collapsing or falling tuna populations.

Measures adopted by the WCPFC will see a catch reduction of less than seven per cent for 2009 on WWF estimations, well down on a recommendation of a 30 percent cut which it was conceded would still not have eliminated overfishing. Among the discarded, delayed or reduced measures were high seas fishing closures, restrictions on gear types, and important initiatives to better record and verify catches and crack down on rampant illegal fishing.

It is an especially galling rebuff for WCPFC chair Glenn Hurry, who earlier this year chaired the independent review of ICCAT that found that body’s management of the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery “an international disgrace”. WWF commends Mr Hurry, also Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, for his efforts worldwide to promote scientifically based fisheries management.

“Disappearing, collapsing and declining bluefin tuna fisheries world wide for the high value sushi market are increasing demand for bigeye and yellowfin tuna,” said WWF’S Peter Trott, who attended the Pusan meeting.

“What we are seeing now is an international tragedy where the failure of one fishery adds to the pressure on others, while some fisheries nations use their weight to subvert virtually the entire international system for long term sustainable fisheries management.”

WCPFC’s failures will have severe impacts on Pacific island states where foreign fishing fleets are having catastrophic impacts on the viability of their fishers and coastal communities, a point underlined at the meeting when Papua New Guinea announced its intention of denying access to its waters for fishing vessels from nations not subscribing to high seas closures.

“In the equatorial Pacific we can see the crash coming and a block of major fishing nations seem determined to fish their way into it,” said Trott. “The implications are disastrous for the small island communities in the region , where millions of people depend on healthy tuna stocks for food and livelihoods.”