WWF no Mundo
© WWF -Canon
Missão Global
Conter a degradação do meio ambiente e construir um futuro em que o homem viva em harmonia com a natureza através da:- Conservação da diversidade biológica mundial;
- Garantia da sustentabilidade dos recursos naturais renováveis;
- Promoção da redução da poluição e do desperdício.
História
Criada em 1961, nas últimas décadas, a Rede WWF (antes conhecido como Fundo Mundial para a Natureza) se consolidou como uma das mais respeitadas redes independentes de conservação da natureza.
Com sede na Suiça, a Rede WWF é composta por organizações e escritórios em diversos países que têm como característica a presença tanto local quanto global e o diálogo com todos os envolvidos na questão ambiental: desde comunidades como tribos de pigmeus Baka nas florestas tropicais da África Central, até instituições internacionais como o Banco Mundial e a Comissão Européia.
Com quase cinco milhões de associados distribuídos em cinco continentes, a Rede WWF é a maior organização do tipo no mundo, atuando ativamente em mais de cem países, nos quais desenvolve cerca de 2 mil projetos de conservação do meio ambiente. Hoje, a instituição pode afirmar confortavelmente que teve um papel crucial na evolução do movimento ambientalista mundial.
Desde 1985, o WWF investiu mais de US$1,165 milhões em mais de 11 mil projetos em 130 países. Cada um deles é parte importante na campanha mundial para deter a aceleração do processo de degradação da natureza no mundo e para ajudar cada ser humano a viver em harmonia com o meio ambiente.
Visite outros WWF no Mundo
Notícias internacionais (em inglês)
Stricken boat off the coast of Bali underscores the threats from unregulated fishing.
This discovery highlights that efforts to prevent illicit fishing activities from occurring have been unsuccessful, activities that make it all but impossible to manage fish stocks and ensure that fishing boats are sound and secure from oil leaks.
The region, site of many key WWF projects, is widely recognised as the most important area of marine biodiversity on the planet, and is often referred to as the nursery of the seas.
Insufficient monitoring has left it susceptible to activities that could destabilise its unique marine biodiversity, a system that directly sustains the lives of nearly 130 million people across six countries of south-east Asia
“The health of the Coral Triangle is critical to the livelihoods of millions of people and it is crucial that adequate management systems are in place to prevent the kinds of scenes we have seen in Bali over the last week, and to reduce the threat of oil spills and overfishing,” said the leader of WWF’s Coral Triangle Program, Lida Pet Soede.
The sustainable management of these locations is especially important, and particularly difficult, as over-exploitation of marine resources is exacerbated by a combination of extreme dependence of coastal economies, population growth and poverty.
WWF is calling for increased protection of sensitive areas, monitoring of fishing activities, and more accountability for owners of vessels, especially considering this week’s discovery.
This news comes amid the recent announcement that up to half of all remaining coral reefs could disappear within the next twenty years.
“It is crucial that we properly manage the Coral Triangle’s unique marine wilderness for the benefit of the whole planet,“ Ms Soede said.
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Southern African wetland region to become world’s largest protected freshwater site.
An area of the Democratic Republic of Congo containing the largest body of fresh water in Africa has been added to the Ramsar Convention’s list of Wetlands of International Importance, making it the largest region ever to be designated as such.At more than six-and-a-half million hectares, the Ngiri-Tumba-Maingombe area is twice the size of Belgium and has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity anywhere in the world. It is also a major carbon sink.
"WWF is delighted that Ramsar has recognized the importance of this extraordinary wetland and the efforts of the Democratic Republic of Congo to protect it," said James P. Leape, Director General of WWF International. "This is a significant step forward for the welfare of communities who depend on this wetland for their livelihoods and for the wildlife that lives there."
Recognition by the Convention, which was signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, means that there is now a framework to conserve the wetland, which is under threat from illegal logging, fishing and poaching, and a decline in water levels that is most likely attributable to climate change.
In addition, proper management will help to maintain the ecosystem services that the site already provides, and ensure that its defences remain robust in the face of unpredictable environmental changes;
“The Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe area contributes to the regulation of flooding and regional climate and ensures that the quality of the water remains good enough for millions of people who depend upon it,” said WWF project Manager Bila-Isia Ingwabini.
Wetlands, however, do not merely provide water for drinking and sanitation. The commercial value that can be derived from them is noteworthy. It is hoped that prudent and measured extraction of resources, including palm oil, groundnuts and fish, will contribute to sustainable economic growth for nearby cities such as Kinshasa and Brazzaville.
Globally, the total economic value of wetlands is estimated at more than $70 billion.
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