WWF - Press Releases

Dogs to sniff out the state of Vietnam’s critically endangered rhinos

2009-11-20

Vietnam – Highly trained detection dogs are being used help to determine the population status of the Javan rhino in Vietnam, in an attempt to save one of the world’s rarest mammals from extinction.

WWF researchers have teamed up with national park rangers using two detection dogs from the United States to determine the population status of the Javan rhinos in the forests of southern Vietnam, home to one of the world’s last two remaining populations of the species.

Javan rhino (rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) were thought to be extinct on mainland Southeast Asia until hunters in Vietnam killed an individual rhino in 1988. It is believed less than ten remain, but no conclusive survey has ever been conducted to verify this.

“The Javan rhino is possibly the rarest large mammal on Earth,” said Sarah Brook, leader of the WWF rhino project in Vietnam. “This field survey aims to reveal the secrets of Vietnam’s little known Javan rhino population in an effort to save it from extinction.”

Samples of the dung will be sent to Queen’s University in Canada where DNA analysis will detect the sex and number of animals. The Zoological Society of London will carry out a hormone analysis to show the animal’s breeding capability.

After just five days of surveying the area, seven rhino dung samples have been found. These specimens have given the project team confidence that they will be able to gather all the necessary scientific information. The results of these analyses will be used to formulate an urgent rhino conservation plan.

“The rhino is not only a rare animal unique to this country, but protecting the rhino is a flagship for conservation efforts in Vietnam,” said Hien Tran Minh, Country Director for WWF Vietnam. “If we lose the rhino the future does not look good for Vietnam’s other rare and endemic species.”

The Javan rhino is a highly valued commodity in the illegal wildlife trade, with the rhino horn, skin and faeces used for medicinal purposes. Habitat encroachment from agricultural expansion and planned hydropower development also pose increasing threats to this small population.

To improve protection for rhinos and other wildlife threatened by poachers, WWF in collaboration with the Asian Rhino project is supporting local communities to join the Forest Protection Department and national parks staff.

‘Rhinomania’, a blog written by the WWF team, will keep the public up to date on the rhino survey as well as on life in the national park.

For further information contact:

Julianne Becker, Communications Manager WWF Vietnam
Email: julianne.becker@wwfgreatermekong.org

Nicole Frisina, Communications Officer, WWF Greater Mekong Programme
Email: nicole.frisina@wwfgreatermekong.org

A chance to kiss and make up in Copenhagen

2009-11-20

Switzerland/London - November 20th 2009 - A new viral video goes live on WWF's Inside COP15 today (Friday) with the message that it's not too late to rekindle our love affair with the planet.

In a humorous message for decision-makers at the Copenhagen climate change talks next month, "A Love Lost" - produced by green.tv for WWF - shows a repentant lover apologising for neglecting his relationship and promising to pay more attention in the future.

"Copenhagen is a great chance for us to rediscover the love we used to have for our world" said Martin Atkin, Executive Producer of Inside COP15. "It's time to kiss and make up."

Inside COP15 at http://cop15.panda.org is an innovative video blog covering all the news and comment from Copenhagen, live and on demand through the talks.

For further information contact
Martin Atkin, Executive Producer, Inside COP15 +41 79698 2985
Ade Thomas, CEO Green TV, +44 7802875710

To see a video trailer of Inside COP15 and to find out how to embed free video news content onto your site go to http://cop15.panda.org
WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
green.tv is the broadband TV channel for environmental films. green.tv’s URL is www.green.tv

Atlantic bluefin trade ban now vital as tuna commission fails to take action again

2009-11-15

Porto de Galinhas, Brazil: The Atlantic tuna commission today came up with only inadequate or delayed actions to ensure the recovery of the eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna, global conservation organization WWF warned today. Saving the tuna will now depend largely on an international trade ban due to be discussed in March.

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas today endorsed a proposal from its chair, the EU, Japan, Morocco and Tunisia to drop the 2010 eastern bluefin quota from 19,500 tonnes to 13,500 tonnes, still far too high to enable stock recovery.

A key study presented to ICCAT in Recife showed even a strictly enforced 8,000-tonne quota would have only a 50 per cent chance of achieving a recovery in eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna by 2023 and another ICCAT study showed only a total fishing halt yielded significant chances of the bluefin population to recover enough to no longer qualify for high-level trade restrictions by 2019.

It is now more than ever necessary for member countries of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to line up behind global trade restrictions on Atlantic bluefin tuna. CITES is to consider a Principality of Monaco proposal that bluefin be listed for the highest level of trade restrictions at a meeting in Doha next March.

“Today’s outcome is entirely unscientific – and entirely unacceptable,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “This reduction of allowable catch is not based on any particular scientific advice to recover the stock with high probability – it is just an arbitrary political measure and only for one year. Now more than ever WWF sees a global trade ban as the only hope for Atlantic bluefin.”

Dr Tudela said a new provision for a 2011 fishery closure if the fishery was detected as being at serious risk of collapse was difficult to reconcile with the scientific committee’s recent data that the stocks are already at less than 10-15 per cent than unfished levels. “The trends for bluefin tuna are very clear and we need to act on the forward view rather than the rear mirror view to avoid collapse,” Dr Tudela said.

WWF had lobbied the meeting for a fishing suspension and determined action against illegal fishing, estimated to considerably inflate the most recent (2008) catch estimates of 34,120 tonnes. During the Recife meeting almost all harvesting countries were formally identified by ICCAT for breaking its rules – like EU tuna fattening farms accepting fish without proper documentation.

The massive overcapacity of industrial fleets in the Mediterranean also continues to hamper conservation efforts, yet the problem remains insufficiently addressed by the tuna commission.

The season for industrial fishing for bluefin tuna with purse seine fleets was reduced from two months to one, but remains open during the peak of the spawning period of 15 May to 15 June when the tuna are most vulnerable. ICCAT also continued to ignore long-standing calls to establish sanctuaries in key bluefin tuna spawning grounds such as the Balearic Islands off Spain.

“Common sense says that a trade ban supported by a temporary fishing closure is currently what is needed for the recovery of Atlantic tuna,” Dr Tudela said. “To close the fishery is what ICCAT needed to do to save the tuna and to save its own reputation.”

Dr Tudela called on CITES member countries “not to be fooled by ICCAT’s promises to save Atlantic bluefin tuna in the coming years. We have seen too many empty promises in ICCAT’s forty years of not conserving tuna. The tuna commission has failed in the most crucial moment of its history – how can it be expected of anything better? Now is the time for action elsewhere”.

Adding more fuel to the compelling case of ICCAT’s overall failure, contracting parties endorsed a further two years of the use by Morocco of illegal driftnets to catch swordfish. The nets, known widely as ‘walls of death’, kill 4,000 dolphins and 25,000 sharks in Mediterranean waters every year.

Bans on driftnets are covered in a large array of international agreements dating back to 1992 and including the UN, ICCAT, the EU which is the main market for the Moroccan swordfish, and Morocco itself.

“This year all contracting parties talked of the need to restore ICCAT’s credibility, and to do so they endorse the slaughter of 50,000 more sharks and 8,000 dolphins, violating UN resolutions? It is beyond belief, and is one more proof of the total dysfunction of ICCAT as a serious fisheries management organization,” said Dr Tudela.

ICCAT was also unable to agree on substantial measures to protect vulnerable shark species.

For further information

Gemma Parkes, tel. +39 346 387 3237, email. gparkes@wwfmedpo.org

Notes to editor

ôInterviews, footage, photos available on request.

ôMore information at www.panda.org/tuna

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Economists fail to account for ‘natural capital’ – report

2009-11-13

Gland, Switzerland: Many economists are failing to assess the value of their countries’ natural resources, putting billion’s of people’s well-being at risk and contributing to catastrophic species loss, according to a new United Nations Environment Programme report.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for National and International Policy Makers 2009 (TEEB), released today, states that governments must adopt better accounting systems that measure the true value of natural resources, and integrate them in government decision-making.

WWF welcomed the report, urging governments to heed the call to reform their economic policies to halt the destruction of natural resources.

“Governments need to pay attention to this report and start looking at nature in a more holistic way”, said WWF Director of Global and Regional Policy Gordon Shepherd, “With smarter approaches to economics this can change but right now we are paying for their ignorance.”

Investing in conservation, management and restoration of ecosystems will provide economic returns and services to society that outweigh the immediate monetary returns of unchecked use of natural resources, such as the clear-cutting of forests or overfishing, according to the report.

“We are running down our natural capital stock without understanding the value of what we are losing” the report states.

“Degradation of soils, air, water and biological resources can negatively impact on public health, food security, consumer choice and business opportunities. The rural poor, most dependent on the natural resource base, are often hardest hit,” according to the report.

“The problem is that economists do not give market prices for ecosystem services and biodiversity,” according to the study. “This means that the benefits we derive from these goods (often public in nature) are usually neglected or under-valued in decision-making.” “This in turn leads to actions that not only result in biodiversity loss, but also impact on human well-being.”

The report also makes several recommendations for policy-makers.

They include, for example, that policy must address reforming environmentally harmful subsidies – up to a third of which currently support fossil fuel use – and invest in ‘ecological infrastructure’. The latter “can provide cost-effective opportunities to meet policy objectives, such as increased resilience to climate change, reduced risk from natural hazards, and improved food and water security as a contribution to poverty alleviation.”

In addition, Shepherd said businesses must likewise re-evaluate their use of the natural resources on which they depend to ensure their long-term profits. In doing so, they can be part of the solution to current environmental crises, such as species loss and deforestation.

“Ultimately, this must be a wide-ranging effort to re-evaluate natural resources and it must involve everyone, including private industry, governments, international agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity, and indigenous and local people,” said Shepherd. “It will take a concerted effort to make our planet healthy again.”

TEEB’s study on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity was launched by Germany and the European Commission in response to an earlier G8+5 Environment Ministers proposal to develop a global study on economics of biodiversity loss.

For further information:

- For a copy of the report on Nov. 13, visit www.teebweb.org

- See attached summary of WWF’s Arguments for Protection Series which also look at the economic and social values of protected areas. Full reports are available at: http://www.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/protected_areas/arguments_for_protection/

For interviews, please contact:
- Georgina Langdale, UNEP-TEEB, Tel: +49 228 929 87 572, Mobile: +49 1707 617 138
Email: georgina.langdale@unep-teeb.org

- Gordon Shepherd, WWF International, tel: +41 22 364 9501 mobile: +41 79 456 7959
gshepherd@wwfint.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta top list of Asian cities facing brutal climate future

2009-11-12

Hong Kong – Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta are topping a WWF ranking of the climate vulnerability of 11 major cities in Asia.

As Heads of States gather in Singapore for the APEC summit, WWF says that developed and developing countries must cooperate to prepare these cities for a brutal climate future, highlighting that their vulnerability is yet another compelling reason for a fair, ambitious and binding deal at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December.

According to Mega-Stress For Mega-Cities, many of the cities analyzed are extremely exposed to threats such as storms and flooding, while huge numbers of people and assets at stake result in worrying levels of socio-economic sensitivity. At the same time, the cities often lack capacity to protect themselves from devastating impacts.

“Climate change is already shattering cities across developing Asia and will be even more brutal in the future”, said Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative. “These cities are vulnerable and need urgent help to adapt, in order to protect the lives of millions of citizens, a massive amount of assets, and their large contributions to the national GDP.”

“The APEC summit this week in Singapore provides an opportunity to exploit the true win-win potential offered by low carbon growth strategies for countries in the Asia Pacific region, with benefits for both the economy and the climate.”

The WWF report covers 11 urban centers across Asia, all located in coastal areas or river deltas. Following Dhaka (9 out of 10 possible vulnerability points), other cities at high risk are Manila and Jakarta (8 each), Calcutta and Phnom Penh (7 each), Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai (6 each), Bangkok (5), and Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Singapore (4 each).

“Asia is urbanizing rapidly, and we can be certain that urban areas will be crucial battlegrounds in the fight against climate change”, said Carstensen.

“Cities are responsible for most of the world’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but they are also pioneers when it comes to developing innovative solutions. We can’t afford to surrender them to climate change. Instead, we must empower them to become change agents and protect both rural and urban areas from devastating impacts.”

The report also includes rankings for sub-categories such as environmental exposure, socio-economic sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Poorer cities often lack sufficient adaptive capacity and generally rank higher in terms of their overall vulnerability.

“Leaders in hotspots of danger like Dhaka, Manila or Jakarta need urgent support from their counterparts in the industrialized world. Effective near-term and long-term adaptation will depend on financial support, technology cooperation, and capacity building”, said Carstensen.

According to WWF, this week’s APEC summit in Singapore provides leaders from developed and developing countries around the Pacific with a great opportunity to boost cooperation on adaptation to climate impacts as well as low carbon economic growth.

“Now we are only a couple of weeks away from the Copenhagen Climate Summit, but so far leaders have failed to clear the way for success next month in Denmark”, said Carstensen.

“APEC is the last chance before Copenhagen for leaders from a number of key countries to show that they really want to protect the planet from climate change.”

For further information:

Christian Teriete, WWF Global Climate Initiative, email: cteriete@wwf.org.hk, phone: +852-2864-1412, mobile: +852-9310-6805

Phil Dickie, WWF International Media Relations, email: pdickie@wwfint.org, phone: +41-22-364-9562, mobile: +41-79-703-1952

Notes to editors:

An EMBARGOED copy of the full report Mega-Stress for Mega-Cities can be downloaded from: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/mega_cities_report.pdf

A separate Executive Summary with raking tables covering the overall vulnerability and the sub-categories is available at: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/mega_cities_executive_summary.pdf

In the report, the overall climate vulnerability of a city is a combination of its environmental exposure, socio-economic sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Assessing these sub-categories, the report reveals that Manila’s 11.5 million people are most exposed to impacts such as storm threats, sea-level rise and water stress from droughts or flooding – followed by Dhaka (13 million), Ho Chi Minh City (9 million) and Shanghai (20 million). Analyzing the level of socio-economic sensitivity, the report shows the highest rating for Jakarta, Shanghai and Dhaka, based on the numbers of citizens, the cities’ wealth and their contributions to national GDP. With respect to adaptive capacity, Dhaka and Phnom Penh are identified as the least prepared cities, followed by Calcutta, Jakarta and Manila. Hong Kong and Singapore, in contrast, have the highest capacity to adapt.

More on WWF’s climate work and the latest news on the APEC Summit and the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December can be found at: http://www.panda.org/climate

About WWF:

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Yangtze warned to prepare for more droughts, floods and storms

2009-11-10

• First-ever large-scale report on the Yangtze and climate change adaptation released in Beijing
• Experts recommend taking “no-regrets” adaptation strategies

Beijing, China－ Temperatures across the Yangtze River Basin could increase from 1.5 - 2 Degrees Celsius over the next 50 years, while extreme weather events will also become more frequent, according to the largest river basin climate vulnerability assessment yet done.

The Yangtze River Basin Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Report, released today in Beijing, not only describes the impact of climate change but also offers specific adaptation strategies for the Yangtze.

“Extreme climate events such as storms and drought disasters will increase as climate change continues to alter our planet,” said Professor Xu Ming, the report’s lead researcher.

“Given the complexities and uncertainties associated with climate change, adaptation should firstly consider a ‘no-regrets’ strategy,” which does not require additional cost. If we take the right steps now, adaptation measures will pay for themselves.” he said.

Specific adaptation measures discussed in the report include strengthening existing infrastructure, such as power supply, transportation as well as river and coastal dike reinforcement. Other steps involve promoting Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM), switching to more flexible cropping systems, and reducing human impact on fragile ecosystems.

Data collected from 147 monitoring stations across the 1.8 million km2 river basin points to a 0.33℃ temperature rise during the 1990s. This hotter weather led to a spike in extreme climate events and flooding across the Yangtze basin, a trend that is expected to become increasingly dire over the next 50 years.

Other findings show that from 2001 – 2005, the basin’s climate grew even hotter, increasing by an average of 0.71℃.

According to the new report, wetlands will be the hardest hit. Lower water levels will reduce the number of aquatic birds in the Central and Lower Yangtze while climate change strips wetland ecosystems of important resources.

Other impacts that could affect the 400 million people whose livelihoods depend on the basin include more frequent snowstorms and drought.

‘The Yangtze Vulnerability Assessment is an important symbol of China’s commitment to fighting climate change,” said Mr. James Leape, Director General of WWF-International.

“Beyond setting out the vulnerabilities, the Yangtze assessment also underlines how investment in climate change adaptation is a prudent investment in safeguarding the continuing functioning of a landscape vital to many millions”

Notes to Editors

The Yangtze River Basin Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Report was organized by WWF and compiled by over 20 contributors from the Institute of Geography and Sciences and Natural Resources Research, China Academy of Sciences (CAS), Institute of Applied Ecology of the CAS, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment of the CAS, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), and Fudan University.

The substantial research that went into the Yangtze River Basin Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Report was made possible by HSBC’s support of WWF’s Yangtze Programme, through the global HSBC Climate Partnership. The HSBC Climate Partnership is a 5-year global partnership including HSBC, The Climate Group, Earthwatch Institute, The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and WWF to reduce the impacts of climate change on people, forests, water and cities.

An English-language summary of the report is available for download at
http://www.wwfchina.org/english/downloads/WWF_YangtzeVA.pdf

For more information, please contact
Chris Chaplin, Communications Officer, WWF-China
+86 10 6511 6237, + 86 138 103 73 244, cchaplin@wwfchina.org

International Energy Agency fails to light the way to a safe climate future

2009-11-10

London: The keenly awaited 2009 World Energy Outlook contains some remarkable analysis but does not light the way to a safe carbon future, WWF said today.

Emissions cuts canvassed in the outlook, the flagship annual publication of the International Energy Agency (IEA), are too small and too slow to keep the world out of the danger zone of unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change, said Dr Stephan Singer, WWFs Director of Global Energy Policy.

Scientists, the UN and many governments including the G8 group have accordingly endorsed an objective of keeping average global warming less than two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times - an objective WWF maintains would require developed nations cutting their emissions 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

But IEAs low emissions scenario sees OECD fossil fuel CO2 emissions down just 4.5 percent from 1990 levels by 2020.

“The proposed CO2 emissions reductions by the IEA for the energy sector of the rich nations are dismal,” Dr Singer said. “The reductions seen as low carbon by the IEA are less even than the inadequate reductions so far on the table from developed nations for the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen next month.”
Also according to the IEA, global energy emissions would be one quarter more in 2030 than in the 1990 reference year.

"World-wide fossil fuel emissions in twenty years must be on a pathway to be reduced to more than 80% below 1990 levels by mid-century to curtail the climate crisis. The IEA's scenarios violate this trajectory," Dr Singer said.

For WWF, with about two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions, the energy sector has to lead the way to a low carbon future.

And although its alternative lower emissions scenario is clearly inadequate, WWF is pleased that the IEA identifies energy conservation as the measure with the best potential to bring it about.

“The IEA also finds most of the emissions savings mechanisms it identifies will be cost effective through the saving of fuel costs and this is a useful rebuff to those urging slow action or no action on climate on the basis of costs,” Dr Singer said.

“It is a pity that the IEA couldn’t stay up to date with the science on the level of emissions the atmosphere can safely digest and use this to point the way to a fully renewable power sector by mid-century.”
“What they are suggesting is not only dangerous, but it is much below what is technically possible.”

For further information:

Dr. Stephan Singer, Global Energy Policy Director, tel: +32 2 743 88 17; mobile +32 (0) 496 55 07 09 ssinger@wwfepo.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

WWF and Green TV join forces to go Inside COP15

2009-11-09

Switzerland/London - November 8th 2009 - As the world's leaders prepare to gather in Copenhagen in December for crucial talks aimed at tackling runaway climate change, WWF and Green TV have teamed up for a ground-breaking online video project aimed at taking audiences Inside COP15.

Inside COP15 will deliver live and on-demand video news coverage throughout the two week UN summit and will report the highs, lows and everything in between in the negotiations for a global climate deal.

Online audiences will be able to experience the atmosphere and the inside stories as well as getting breaking news, expert analysis and commentary. From December 7th to 19th, regular on-demand video podcasts and a daily live-streamed talk show will be available at http://cop15.panda.org and will be syndicated via Green TV, iTunes, YouTube and many other sites.

"Inside COP15 is a major development in the way conferences like the Copenhagen climate talks are reported," said Martin Atkin, Executive Producer for WWF. "Instead of the usual procession of talking heads and grey men in grey suits, we aim to bring the talks to life for those who can't actually be there."

"The world is watching and expecting a fair, fast and effective deal to get us out of the climate change mess," he said. "Our audiences will be able to experience everything from the progress of the negotiations themselves, to the side events, concerts, lobbying and all the colour that goes with such a massive event. WWF is uniquely positioned to be at the heart of the action and to interpret what's going on."

WWF is partnering with Green TV for production, technical and online services as well as the social media campaign. Additional technical, logistic and production support is being provided by Berlin-based Greenfilm.

"More and more people want to watch video online and to interact with what they are watching," said Ade Thomas, CEO of Green TV. "Inside COP15 will allow online audiences to be part of the action, to comment and to contribute. It's the next best thing to being there - in fact it's better, because it will be cold, raining and dark in Copenhagen in December."

To see a video trailer of Inside COP15 go to http://cop15.panda.org
www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources
WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
green.tv is the broadband TV channel for environmental films. green.tv’s URL is www.green.tv .

For further information
Martin Atkin, Executive Producer, Inside COP15 +41 79698 2985
Ade Thomas, CEO Green TV, +44 7802875710

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable

Pressure mounts on tuna commission to shut down Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery

2009-11-07

Recife, Brazil – WWF, the global conservation organization, is urging countries meeting in Brazil this week to agree urgently on a temporary fishing ban for the beleaguered Atlantic bluefin tuna, as an essential measure to avoid imminent stock collapse.

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is gathering in Recife, Brazil for its annual meeting, where the 48 contracting parties are under pressure to decide on measures that will ensure the long-term survival of a species that has long been the victim of illegal and over-fishing, disregard for rules and science, and being targeted by far too many boats.

“WWF wants to see Atlantic bluefin tuna surviving long into the future – both the amazing species and the fishing industry it has supported for thousands of years,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “This is ICCAT’s role, to ensure the sustainable commercial exploitation of bluefin tuna, but it has failed spectacularly in this mandate and there is no option left but to stop fishing and let this wild animal recover. It is the only way forward, there is no possible Plan B.”

Even ICCAT’s own analysis shows that a moratorium will give the best chance of recovery to the seriously overexploited bluefin tuna stocks in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean. The organization’s scientific committee analysed fish stocks at a special meeting in October, demonstrating with their data that Atlantic bluefin tuna fulfils the criteria to be listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as proposed by the Principality of Monaco and to be voted on next March – a step that would ban all international commercial trade.

WWF sees the trade ban as a necessary parallel measure to a moratorium on fishing. ICCAT’s scientific analysis also shows that a suspension of fishing is the only measure with a chance of ensuring Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks no longer meet the criteria for CITES Appendix I by 2019.

“Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks are sadly collapsing even faster than ICCAT’s reputation,” added Sergi Tudela of WWF. “For ICCAT to justify its existence and show the world it is capable of responsible fisheries management, how can it do anything but stick to the best available science, close the Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery now and give the fish a breather? Anything else would be a slap in the face to science, a slap in the face to those who care about sustainable seafood, and a slap in the face to ICCAT’s own survival – if there’s no more fish, there’s no more fish to manage.”

The latest science shows that Atlantic bluefin tuna’s spawning population has declined to below 15 per cent of pre-fishing levels – and may even have dropped to under 10 per cent.

Meeting just a year ago, ICCAT’s members ritually tossed overboard the advice of their own scientists and did not even put the fishing closure supported by its own review on the agenda. The tuna commission astonished the world with a scheme for continued overfishing that it labeled a recovery plan but that WWF named a “collapse plan”. In response, increasing numbers of global retailers, restaurants, chefs and consumers are stopping buying, selling, serving and eating this endangered species.

For more information: Gemma Parkes, +39 346 387 3237, gparkes@wwfmedpo.org

Notes to editor
 Footage and photos available on request
 For more on WWF’s tuna campaign, see www.panda.org/tuna

Climate talks: Saying all the wrong things but chance remains to do the right things

2009-11-06

Barcelona, Spain - An ambitious climate treaty can still be achieved in Copenhagen despite most policy makers’ focus on what they cannot achieve rather than what they can do to prevent the worst consequences of runaway climate change, WWF said at the inconclusive ending of climate negotiations in Barcelona.

“Politicians seem to be obsessed with expressing what they cannot achieve, rather than setting a high bar for how they will save the world from catastrophic temperature rises,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF’s global climate initiative. “They are saying all the wrong things but they still have a chance to do all the right things.”

While rich nations have lost their voice in Barcelona, developing countries started to speak in a more united and stronger way.

“Barcelona didn’t achieve much spectacular, but it kept the pace of slow, steady progress. The key issue is not time, but political will and that can be shown in a matter of seconds,” Carstensen said. “While developed countries were trying to lower expectations, the world’s expectations were actually rising.”

In WWF view the Danish Presidency has been an active participant in playing down expectations for a legally binding and enforceable outcome. This needs to stop. “The Danish Presidency must create a level of ambition that corresponds with climate crisis and the will of the major part of the world. “Trying to please the US and other developed countries with vague language will not give us the climate deal the world needs”

Over the past week some developed countries suggested they no longer believe a comprehensive and legally binding treaty can be signed in Copenhagen in December. Suggestions that Copenhagen would end with an agreement that countries could not be held accountable for anyway are completely unproductive, Carstensen said.

“We need a climate treaty which will survive recessions, elections, and natural disasters. Not a piece of paper that will be forgotten after the next change of power in London, Tokyo or Washington.”

Media Contacts
Natalia Reiter
nreiter@wwfint.org
+41798738099
Martin Hiller
mhiller@wwfint.org
+41793472256

Policy Contact
Kim Carstensen
k.carstensen@wwf.dk
+4540343635

Palm oil roundtable breaks emissions logjam

2009-11-05

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil this week agreed to consider implementing voluntary measures to encourage producers and buyers of palm oil to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The Roundtable’s 7th annual conference came to a close Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Titled “Moving Ahead in Challenging Times,” the three-day conference drew more than 800 people from inside and outside of the palm oil industry, including buyers and producers.

After several rounds of heated discussion this week, the Roundtable’s Executive Board reached a compromise in which some emissions reduction requirements will be directly incorporated in the Roundtable’s certification standards.

They agreed to further address the issue and hammer out emissions measures related to land use change before the next Roundtable conference in 2010. To this end, they will develop a voluntary framework within which companies will work together to reduce emissions.

This objective received considerable support by producers from outside Malaysia and Indonesia who said they will use this voluntary standard as soon as it becomes available, while committing to stop the expansion of plantations on peat lands.

“This is a move in the right direction,” said Adam Harrison, WWF’s representative on the RSPO Executive Board. “We encourage companies to embrace emissions reduction standards once they become available and do their part to avoid the catastrophic effects of climate change.”

The conference also focused on the frustration by producers concerning the slow uptake of certified sustainable palm oil by buyers. The sluggish market prompted WWF to publish the Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard on Oct. 28, a project that assessed the performance of 59 European retailers and manufacturers buying palm oil.

The Scorecard showed that the majority of European palm oil buyers are failing to buy certified sustainable palm oil, despite its availability and the previous commitments by many companies to purchase it.

The Scorecard was presented and widely discussed at the conference. It was praised by producers and buyers alike as a positive vehicle for bringing much needed transparency to this growing market and showing companies buying palm oil that they are expected to do their part in transforming the palm oil market.

The growing demand for palm oil is adding to the already severe pressure on remaining rainforest areas of the world. The loss of forest in Indonesia is threatening the survival of species such as the orang-utan, the Sumatran tiger, rhino and elephant. Forest loss and the draining of peatlands for palm oil plantations is also contributing to climate change and displacing local people who rely on the forest for food and shelter. Palm oil is one of the world’s fastest expanding crops in Southeast Asia as well as West Africa and South America.

It is because of threats like this that WWF worked with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2003. Since then WWF has worked with the industry to ensure that the RSPO standards contain robust social and environmental criteria, including a prohibition on the conversion of valuable forests. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

WWF opted to grade palm oil buyers after releasing figures in May showing that only a small percentage of the sustainable palm oil available on the market had been bought. Since then, the situation is starting to improve. Over the last year, RSPO certified plantations have produced over 1,000,000 tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), and over 250,000 tonnes have been sold to date. While this still represents only 22 percent of the available supply on average, the RSPO has reported that CSPO sales have been growing in recent months.

For further information:
Ian Morrison, WWF International Media Officer, imorrison@wwfint.org, +41 79 874 6853

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Climate friendly policies pay off, report shows

2009-11-05

Climate-friendly policies not only reduce greenhouse emissions and bring environmental benefits; they also boost and diversify the economy, a recent report scoring some 100 climate policies from G20 countries reveals.

The report carried out by Ecofys and Germanwatch for WWF and E3G evaluates climate policies of countries accounting for around three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions, identifying best and worst examples and lessons learned.

As G20 Finance Ministers prepare to meet in St. Andrews, UK, on 6-7 November, WWF urges this group to take the steps required now to ensure that the next major wave of infrastructure investment is green. That includes concrete proposals on climate finance to help developing countries build low carbon economies and adapt to climate change, as mandated by the Pittsburgh Summit of G20 Leaders in September.

The top places in the report were given to an “Efficiency in buildings” programme implemented by the German government and a “Feed-in tariff for renewable electricity” initiative, also in Germany. The latter guarantees a producer of renewable energy a fixed feed-in tariff for 20 years. Germany’s buildings programme reduces emissions, creates jobs in the construction sector, and offers broad scope for replication in others countries.

A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Mexico has shown that green solutions have strong potential to increase comfort and quality of life – important considerations for fast-growing, emerging economies. China’s programme of targets for the 1000 most energy-intensive enterprises led to permanent improvements in energy management and efficiency in these companies.

“This report shows that governments which implement green and climate friendly solutions will win and take a leadership position in the world,” Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative said.

“Governments which don’t invest in low carbon solutions will lose in the end and their voters will turn away from them,” he said. “We call on the G20 to come up with a strategy to drive investment in the green economy.” “Not investing in low carbon solutions nowadays is simply short-sighted.”

The report also exposes a number of bad policies, ver often in the same countries where the good policies were implemented, which both fail to deliver economic benefits and block the way to a low carbon future. These include measures such as subsidizing of local mining, preferential treatment of energy-intensive industries and lack of comprehensive water management.

Nick Mabey, CEO of E3G, said: “G20 leaders agreed at Pittsburgh to a framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth. That commitment will be in vain unless it is backed by concrete investments in a low carbon recovery. One-off green stimulus packages aren’t enough. What investors are looking for is long-term, legal and loud policy signals that governments are serious about the low carbon transition. Copenhagen is the place to start.”

WWF estimates that industrialized governments will need to provide financing in the order of US$160 billion for adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, especially to those most vulnerable to climate change.

While single policies make a difference, there is also urgent need for more policy integration and overall coherence. That is why WWF calls Zero Carbon Action Plans for developed countries

Contacts
Martin Hiller, mhiller@wwfint.org, M +41 79 3472256
Natalia Reiter, nreiter@wwfint.org, M: +41 798 738 099
Taylor Dimsdale, E3G, taylor.dimsdale@e3g.org, M: +44 207 234 9889
Matthew Findlay, E3G, matthew.findlay@e3g.org, M: +44 773 998 5292

Red List update shows up global failure to slow biodiversity loss

2009-11-03

Gland, Switzerland: The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species should cause alarm over the continuing unprecedented loss of species and the failure so far of mechanisms to arrest biodiversity loss, WWF said today.

The 2009 Red List update, issued today by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, shows more than one-third (36 percent) of the 47,677 species assessed are threatened with extinction. The assessment featured a special focus on freshwater species, which are being hit hard by pollution, loss of wetlands and water diversions. The planet’s amphibians are the most threatened of all species with 1895 of 6285 species assessed in the Red List threatened with extinction.

The Red List ranks species according to their population status and threat levels. It shows the effects that habitat loss and degradation, over-exploitation, pollutants and climate change are having on the world’s species.

“As crucial climate talks in Copenhagen draw near and with the International Year of Biodiversity around the corner, this is a wake-up call for world leaders.” said Amanda Nickson, Director of the WWF International Species Programme. “We are a world away from protecting species from the threats they face and meeting the globally endorsed 2002 commitment of the Convention on Biological Diversity to deliver a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.”

“This failure and the mechanisms to overcome it will need to be the dominant agenda item on next year’s meeting of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.”

Through its global initiatives, WWF is pursuing major efforts to arrest biodiversity decline in some of the most spectacular and highly diverse places on the planet, and to recover populations of some of the most endangered species, such as tigers.

It is estimated that less than 3200 tigers exist in the wild in a wide arc of countries from far eastern Russia to India and Indonesia. Tigers - a top predator residing at the top of its food chain - occupy less than seven percent of their original range, which has contracted 40 percent from 10 years ago.

As tigers require a large home range, protection of the species and its habitat bring huge benefits to thousands of other species. An international summit scheduled for 2010 in Vladivostok in Russia is a critical opportunity to reverse the decline in tiger numbers and ensure their survival in the wild.

“Tigers are a symbol of what is happening to many species across the globe, and demonstrate the urgent need for the world to come up with the political will, policies, resources and incentives to maintain a living and diverse planet.” said Ms Nickson. “The IUCN is frank that its assessments are likely to understate the real extent of the loss of species.”

Significant international meetings next year to address biodiversity loss and the threats to planetary life support systems include a major Conferences of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Ms Nickson noted that the CBD’s 2010 target had probably underestimated the growing impact of climate change, which is now being increasingly recognised as an additional threat leading species of animals and plants towards extinction.

The assessment of freshwater species continued to alarm, with more than one third of assessed freshwater fishes under threat of extinction and approaching half of all molluscs. In Lake Dianchi in China, the assessment found all seven freshwater snails and 12 of the 13 freshwater fish species new to the Red List were threatened by overharvesting, pollution and introduced fish species.

However, in a rare ray of hope in the new assessment, one freshwater fish, the Australian Grayling has been moved from being listed as Vulnerable to being listed as Near Threatened as a result of conservation efforts which included putting fish ladders on dams, improving streamside vegetation and policing anglers.

For further information: Sarah Bladen, Conservation Communications, t +41 22 3649019, m +41 79 4150220, e sbladen@wwfint.org

For more information please visit www.iucnredlist.org

Global figures for 2009 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:
• Total species assessed = 47,677
• Total Extinct or Extinct in the Wild = 875 (2%) [Extinct = 809; Extinct in the Wild = 66].
• Total threatened = 17,291 (36%) [Critically Endangered = 3,325; Endangered = 4,891; Vulnerable = 9,075].
• Total Near Threatened = 3,650 (8%).
• Total Lower Risk/conservation dependent = 281 (<1%) [this is an old category that is gradually being phased out of the Red List]
• Total Data Deficient = 6,557 (14%)
• Total Least Concern = 19,023 (40%)

NB: Not all species on the IUCN Red List are threatened. There are now more species on the IUCN Red List. This means that the overall percentage of threatened species has gone down by two percent. This is not because the status of the world’s biodiversity is improving, but because we have assessed more species. In the past, Red List assessments often focused on species that were already thought to be threatened, but as the Red List grows to include more complete assessments across entire groups, we are beginning to have a better idea of the relative proportion of species which are threatened against those which are not threatened.

Barcelona must pave the way for global deal

2009-11-02

Barcelona, Spain – The UN climate talks in Barcelona, the last ahead of the big conference in Copenhagen, will be a litmus test of whether government leaders have given their delegates a mandate to move towards a legally binding deal that has the potential to save the world from climate change.

Signals from some politicians suggesting the climate deal would not be sealed in Copenhagen but in an unforeseeable future are irresponsible and could trigger a domino effect where one country after another will try to give up and lower the level of ambition.

Countries who will not take action will be responsible for climate chaos, the weakening of the authority of public institutions and finally loss of trust of their populations around the world who believe that these negotiations must have an ambitious and binding outcome.

“Delegates who gathered here must show the rest of the world, their leaders and voters back in their countries that a deal can be made and that an understanding between rich and poor nations is possible,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF Global Climate Initiative. “We ask them to show unity on key issues including finance, legally binding character of the treaty and ambitious emissions reductions.”

“We call on the delegates to kill the rumors about delaying the deal. They must show that they can do it and show willingness to agree the legally binding climate deal.”

According to WWF the argument that a Copenhagen treaty would not be legally binding is unacceptable.

“After all these months spent in talks and negotiations we cannot come out now and say that all this was just informal chat, can we?” Carstensen said. “A lot of political momentum has been built up around Copenhagen, and the world expects leaders to show courage and cut the deal in Copenhagen. Any talk about delaying the deal is extremely dangerous because it takes pressure off the negotiations.

Tiger experts call for urgent action to save species

2009-10-30

KATHMANDU, Nepal – More than 250 experts, scientists and government delegates from 13 tiger range countries this week called for immediate action to save tigers before the species disappears from the wild, citing the urgent need for increased protection against tiger poaching and trafficking in tiger parts.

WWF welcomes the recommendations from the Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop 2009, where organizers on Thursday stated in closing remarks that “without immediate, urgent, and transformative actions, wild tigers will disappear forever.”

The recommendations from the workshop include support for implementing a resolution related to tigers in the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), and to avoid financing development projects that adversely affect critical tiger habitats.

“These are a good start but the momentum from Kathmandu needs to be carried forward all the way to the Tiger Summit during the Year of the Tiger 2010 and beyond,” said Mike Baltzer, head of WWF’s Tiger Initiative. “The tiger range countries are clearly committed to saving their wild tigers and the world needs to extend unstinting support to this mission because once tigers are gone, they’re gone forever.”

There are only about 3,200 tigers left in the wild and WWF’s goal is to double that number by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger. Tiger populations are declining in face of massive poaching for illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss and fragmentation, and conflict with humans.

“I am convinced we are on the right road to saving tigers,” said Dr. Eric Dinerstein, WWF’s Chief Scientist, in his closing remarks to delegates from 20 countries at the conclusion of the meeting. “We will look back on this meeting as the dramatic turning point for conserving this magnificent species, its habitats, Asian biodiversity, and the billions of people who depend upon healthy natural landscapes for which tigers are the talisman.”

The Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop is the first in a series of political negotiation meetings occurring throughout the year and leading up to a final Heads of State Tiger Summit in September 2010, which is the Year of the Tiger.

The workshop was hosted by Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, and co-organized and co-sponsored by the CITES Secretariat, Global Tiger Forum, Global Tiger Initiative, Save The Tiger Fund, and the World Bank.

For further information:
Sarah Janicke: tel: +41 79 528 8641, email: sjanicke@wwfint.org
Trishna Gurung: tel: +977 98510 20 164 or +1202 203 8863, email: trishna.gurung@wwfus.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Atlantic bluefin tuna trade ban supported by fishery’s scientists

2009-10-28

Madrid, Spain - Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for a ban on international trade, according to global scientists of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). This official assessment of bluefin’s extreme stock decline has been welcomed by major environment groups WWF and Greenpeace.

The scientists met in Madrid, Spain (21-23 October) to assess current stock status of Atlantic bluefin tuna against the specific criteria necessary to list a species under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

ICCAT’s scientists estimate that the current spawning biomass is less than 15 per cent of what it once was before fishing began – meaning Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for a CITES Appendix I listing.

Further, the scientists’ analyses confirmed that a suspension of commercial fishing is the only measure with a substantial chance of ensuring that the stock no longer meets the criteria for CITES Appendix I by 2019.

“What’s needed to save the stocks is a suspension of fishing activity and a suspension of international commercial trade – this is the only possible package that can give this fish a chance to recover,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “We must stop mercilessly exploiting this fragile natural resource until stocks show clear signs of rebound and until sustainable management and control measures are firmly put in place.”

On 14 October the Principality of Monaco submitted a CITES Appendix I listing proposal to temporarily ban international commercial trade and allow the species to recover from years of ineffective fisheries management and control.

“The ICCAT scientists have made formal what we have been saying all along – that Atlantic bluefin tuna is balancing precariously on the edge of collapse, and only drastic measures can now ensure this endangered species gets a fighting chance of recovery,” added Sebastian Losada, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace International. “The extent of the failure by ICCAT members to act responsibly and preserve our marine environment can no longer be ignored. Atlantic bluefin tuna has been subject to decades of massive overfishing and overexploitation and time is running out to save this species”

“Independent of what ICCAT decides to do in November, the science is undeniable that Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for a suspension of trade through a CITES Appendix I listing – and if ICCAT stops the fishing too, so much the better for this species,” added Sergi Tudela of WWF.

WWF and Greenpeace urge ICCAT to impose a zero quota at the organization’s next annual meeting on 6-16 November in Recife, Brazil. Interest will focus on what ICCAT does with the advice of its own scientists; in the past, the advice of ICCAT’s scientists has been largely disregarded.

The verdict from ICCAT’s scientific committee will be submitted to the 48 Contracting Parties when they meet in Recife. The next Conference of the Parties of CITES, meanwhile, is in Doha, Qatar, in March 2010, when WWF and Greenpeace are calling on the 175 CITES member countries to vote in favour of an Atlantic bluefin tuna Appendix I listing.

For more information
Gemma Parkes, WWF Mediterranean, +39 346 387 3237, gparkes@wwfmedpo.org
Sebastian Losada, Greenpeace, + 34 626 998 254, slosada@greenpeace.org

Notes to editor
See a guide to the ICCAT scientists’ report of 21-23 October at:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/pr_10_29_2009_iccat_scientists_say_yes_to_cites___guide.pdf

This guide has been developed by WWF, Greenpeace and The Pew Environment Group, all of which participated in the ICCAT scientific committee meetings.
The final unedited version of the ICCAT scientists’ report – and tuna footage, photos – are available on request.

Europe's choice: fall behind or forge ahead on climate

2009-10-28

Brussels, Belgium - Europe can choose a path to prosperity on a new economic footing or continue to fumble along the dead end track of propping up fading industries, WWF said today in advance of tomorrow’s key European Council meeting which is expected to largely shape the EU position heading into the UN climate summit in Copenhagen in December.

“The choices on climate change in front of Europe’s leaders on Thursday and Friday are not complicated,” said Jason Anderson, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office.

“In a world where other countries are counting the economic costs of climate catastrophe and assessing the economic benefits of new clean energy sources, Europe can either fall behind or forge ahead on the basis of this week’s decisions.

“Europe can support and play a fair role in financing a legally binding climate deal in Copenhagen or it can be a spectator to others taking the opportunities.”

It has been estimated that the global market for environmental goods and services will more than double to around EUR 1.4 trillion by 2020. In the EU, jobs in the environmental sector have already overtaken sectors such as car manufacturing, but this growth is influenced by regulatory certainty globally, regionally and nationally.

“Europe’s dilemma is clearly illustrated by the wildly differing outcomes of the ministerials running up to the Heads of State gathering,” Anderson said. “Economics ministers couldn’t agree on the vital question of helping the developing world adapt to climate change and create its own low carbon economy.

“Environment ministers were the ones out laying the basis of a new economy and a future less fraught with costly climate chaos. It was the environment ministers who pointed out that the European way of handing out carbon pollution permits to big polluters is continuing to stifle the fledgling carbon markets. And it is the environment ministers who are starting to edge towards the binding emissions reductions targets that are going to be necessary.

“WWF – and the world – would prefer that Europe’s leaders go with the clarity of the environmental advice rather than the confusion of the economic advice,” Anderson said.

“Otherwise the bloc that once considered itself the leader on climate and the environment will just slip further and further behind. If they mirror their economics ministers in not being able to make a decision, Europe will end up not even following in any satisfactory way.”

For further information:

Jason Anderson, Head of Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office, Tel. +32 (0)2 740 09 35, Mob. +32 (0)474 837 603, email: janderson@wwfepo.org

Stephanie Rhomberg, Communications and Press Officer Climate & Energy, WWF European Policy Office, Tel. +32 (0)2 740 88 06, Mob. +32 (0)495 273 319, email: srhomberg@wwfepo.org

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Nepal expands critical tiger habitat

2009-10-27

Kathmandu, Nepal - The Government of Nepal announced today an expansion of Bardia National Park in the Terai Arc Landscape by 900 sq km, which will increase critical habitat for tigers.

WWF welcomes the announcement, which was made at the inaugural session of the Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal also stated that the government would establish a National Tiger Conservation Authority as well as a Wildlife Crime Control Committee saying, “The solutions will be area specific, but the future of conservation will depend upon how we act now and how we make tiger conservation and overall biodiversity much more valuable to the livelihoods of local communities.”

“This is indeed a great conservation initiative, which will certainly help in curbing illegal wildlife trade and poaching in Nepal,” said Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal. “We are confident that by embracing innovative conservation strategies Nepal will succeed in doubling its number of endangered tigers.”

Earlier this year the first ever nation-wide estimate of the tiger population revealed the presence of 121 breeding tigers in the wild within four protected areas of Nepal. In order to ensure that these tiger numbers remain stable and start to increase, WWF and its partners called on the government to increase anti-poaching activities and habitat protection.

“In making these commitments at a global forum before the 12 other tiger range countries, the Government of Nepal has set an important precedent for others to follow,” said Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF’s Tiger Initiative. “The next three days of the workshop are vital as countries and tiger experts band together to create a game-changing plan to save tigers in the wild.”

The Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop is the first in a series of political negotiation meetings occurring throughout the year and leading up to a final Heads of State Tiger Summit in September 2010, which is the Year of the Tiger.

The workshop is hosted by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, co-organized and co-sponsored by the CITES Secretariat, Global Tiger Forum, Global Tiger Initiative, Save The Tiger Fund, World Bank.

For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
Sarah Janicke Email:sjanicke@wwfint.org Tel:+41 79 528 8641
Trishna Gurung Email:trishna.gurung@wwfus.org Tel:+977 98510 20164 (local) +1 202 203 8863 (US)
Sanjib Chaudhary Email: sanjib.chaudhary@wwfnepal.org Tel: +977 9841323152

Most European palm oil buyers fail sustainability test

2009-10-27

Gland, Switzerland – The majority of European palm oil buyers are failing to buy certified sustainable palm oil, despite its availability and the previous commitments by many companies to purchase it, according to a first assessment by WWF.

WWF’s Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard, released today, scored the performance of 59 of the most prominent retailers and manufacturers in Europe that buy and use palm oil in their products. The Scorecard comes as the world’s largest producers, buyers, and traders of palm oil gather for the 7th Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, held Nov. 2-4 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Scorecard reveals that 10 of those 59 companies have scored 20 or more points, and thus are considered by WWF to be showing real progress on their commitments to buy and use sustainable palm oil. They have joined the Roundtable, properly monitored their palm oil purchases, and have put in place and started to take action on commitments to buy certified sustainable palm oil.

WWF has been asking buyers of palm oil to commit to the RSPO since 2003, and while some of these companies show encouraging signs of stepping up their commitments and actions on sustainable palm oil, the majority of companies are not. 19 of the 59 companies scored between 0 and 3 out of 29 possible points, meaning that they have taken very little or no action to curb their use of non-certified palm oil and are failing to respond to the efforts that palm oil producers have made to achieve certification under the Roundtable

Meanwhile, a range of 28 companies scored between 5 – 20 points. While a few are showing progress many of these have only just begun to take action on responsible palm oil. While some have put policies and systems in place, often they have yet to start buying certified sustainable palm oil.

“WWF welcomes the action of those companies that have moved toward buying certified palm oil,” said Rod Taylor, Director of the Forests Programme at WWF International. “Although many companies have a long way to go, the performances of the top companies in the Scorecard signal to the rest of the industry that it is possible to turn commitment into action and transform the market.”
Further actions by these companies will be captured in the next version of the Scorecard, scheduled for 2011.

“However, WWF also acknowledges that even the top scoring companies in the Scorecard need to continue to raise their game if they are to use certified palm oil for 100% of their palm oil supply, which is the stated objective of many of these companies.”

“Because certified palm oil is now available, it is time to hold major palm oil users to account for their policies and actions,” Taylor said.

The growing demand for palm oil is adding to the already severe pressure on remaining rainforest areas of the world. The loss of forest in Indonesia is threatening the survival of species such as the orang-utan, the Sumatran tiger, rhino and elephant. Forest loss and the draining of peatlands for palm oil plantations is also contributing to climate change and displacing local people who rely on the forest for food and shelter. Palm oil is one of the world’s fastest expanding crops in Southeast Asia as well as West Africa and South America.

It is because of threats like this that WWF worked with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2003. Since then WWF has worked with the industry to ensure that the RSPO standards contain robust social and environmental criteria, including a prohibition on the conversion of valuable forests. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

WWF opted to grade palm oil buyers after releasing figures in May showing that only a small percentage of the sustainable palm oil available on the market had been bought. Since then, the situation is starting to improve. Over the last year, RSPO certified plantations have produced over 1,000,000 tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), and over 195,000 tonnes have been sold to date. While this still represents only 19 percent of the available supply on average, the RSPO has reported that CSPO sales have been growing in recent months.

The scoring of companies was a two-step process that took six months to complete. In the first step, WWF evaluated the performance of companies based on publicly available data, such as corporate sustainability reports. WWF then sent a preliminary score to each company with a package of information to brief companies about the Scorecard, including details on the project’s objectives and the methodology. The companies were given the opportunity to submit additional information to WWF that might improve their scores.

The Scorecard will be published every two years and eventually will expand to include palm oil buyers in other markets around the world.

Additional documents, including the Scorecard are available online at www.panda.org/palmoilscorecard

For the latest market numbers on CSPO sales, see www.rspo.eu

For further information:

Carrie Svingen, csvingen@wwf.panda.org, +49 162 9511106, after Oct 30th: _+62 81 238 28011

David Burrows, dburrows@wwf.org.uk +44 7917 831640

Ian Morrison, imorrison@wwfint.org, +41 79 8746853

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

www.panda.org/media for latest news and media resources

Treaty parties learn of 40 proposed wildlife trade rule changes

2009-10-26

Gland, Switzerland - Proposals for tighter trade controls for species such as the Atlantic Blue Fin tuna, sharks and corals were submitted to the CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) convention, CITES announced today.

WWF especially welcomes the proposal to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I, which would ban international trade for commercial purposes and was submitted by the Principality of Monoco as Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks are declining dramatically because of uncontrolled overfishing.

“An Appendix I listing for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna has become imperative if we are to save the species,” said Amanda Nickson, Director, WWF International Species Programme. “If we act now we can secure the future of this species and guarantee that fishing can be resumed in the future, but at a sustainable level.”

WWF was also encouraged to see that proposals to list several shark species on Appendix II, which allows for international trade but imposes strict regulations and requires proof that trade is sustainable and legal, were submitted. Threats such as bycatch and shark finning and illegal fishing and overfishing have caused serious declines in shark populations.

Also proposed for an Appendix II listing were red and pink coral, which are used to make jewellery. Red and pink corals are found throughout the world’s tropical and temperate seas but the absence of effective international trade controls has led to overharvesting.

Elephants, one of WWF’s priority species, will be a topic of debate at the CITES CoP as potentially conflicting proposals were submitted for elephants. Kenya submitted a proposal – together with a group of west African countries - that would impose a 19 year ban on other countries seeking permission for one-off ivory sales, such as the one that took place under CITES supervision in 2008, and that would suspend the legal sale of ivory souvenirs in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

One the other hand, Zambia and Tanzania submitted proposals that would have elephant populations within their borders moved from Appendix I to Appendix II in order to ease the permitting rules for trophy hunting and allow for the sale of government-owned ivory stockpiles.

“WWF recognizes that some southern African Elephant range States have successfully demonstrated that their populations should be placed on Appendix II.” “However, Tanzania and Zambia have yet to prove their case by demonstrating that their management of ivory stockpiles is adequate enough to prevent laundering of poached ivory,” said Amanda Nickson

“And while we acknowledge the concerns that have motivated Kenya’s proposal, we must focus not forget to address what WWF sees as the main issue driving elephant poaching – that is, unregulated domestic markets in central and West Africa,” Nickson said.

Two other of WWF’s priority species that were not the subject of listing proposals but that will be discussed at the CoP are tigers and rhinos, which are both critically endangered and are being poached in order to feed the illegal market for their parts and derivatives. Tiger numbers could now be as low as 3,200 and rhino poaching has reached a 15 year high according to new research released this summer.

WWF will now engage with its partners TRAFFIC and IUCN, which will do a full analyses of the proposals in order to assess whether or not they meet the criteria required for a species to be listed in the CITES appendices. WWF will formulate its position on each proposal based on this analysis.

“WWF looks forward to the CoP,” said Ms Nickson. “There has never been a CoP where marine animals featured so prominently. Now is an opportunity to show that CITES has the capacity to address the pressing issues concerning the trade in these species.”
For a complete list of all 42 proposals, please visit the CITES Secretariat website at http://www.cites.org/

The next CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP) taking place next March in Qatar.
For further information:
Dr. Colman O'Criodain
Wildlife Trade Policy Analyst
WWF International
Mobile: +41 79 2041942
E-mail: COCriodain@wwfint.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

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