World Wide Fund for Nature What do they do?

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has. The international and non-governmental organization World Wide Fund for Nature works on conservation efforts of biodiversity, endangered species and the reduction of pollution and climate change. The organization focuses its efforts into the conservation of biodiversity, reducing our ecological footprint and raising awareness around the world about climate change. The WWF is the world's largest independent conservation organization with over 5 million supporters worldwide, working in more than 100 countries, supporting around 1,300 conservation and environmental projects. The WWFs goal is to conserve the integrity of the most outstanding natural places on Earth, and to achieve, they focus on regional areas, international level and on priority areas. On regional areas, the organization works with local people, and development and conservation workers, for the preservation of their ecosystems. At international level, the organization looks for the support of governments, companies and donors. These associates work with them to promote, and to put into practice solutions for the environmental problems. The WWFs priority areas are where they work: the most outstanding natural wonders. These include the Amazon, Orinoco, Congo, Mekong and Yangtze rivers, Cerrado-Pantanal and Miombo savannas, and the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Triangle coral reefs, among others. Our ecological footprint is the negative impact of human activity on the environment. The WWFs aim is that everyone lives within the Earths capacity to sustain people and nature, and has equitable access to, and use of, natural resources. The organization seeks a new global policy on climate change, which is caused by carbon emissions. This could be achieved by the use of renewable energies and the transition of cities for sustainable development. The organization also looks for the sustainable use of farming resources (food, fibers, grazing land), fisheries, forestry (timber, paper, pulp, and fuel wood), and water resources (dams, irrigation, and drinking supplies). The sustainable use of these

resources comes from the development of new ways of growing crops, managing fisheries, and forests, dealing with the waste and energetic problems and the transformation of markets. The ecological footprint is an examination of human demand on resources. WWF raises awareness about climate change in their projects, such as Earth Hour and Witnesses of Climate. Earth Hour is a global event in which all unnecessary electrical lights are turned off during 1 hour. This occurs every last Saturday of March annually, at 8:30 pm in each time zone. The projects goal is to communicate people that we need to take action about climate change and how the use of electrical energy contributes to it. Another project is the Witnesses of Climate, which documents elder peoples experience with the impact of climate change in their communities. In Latin America, the project seeks to show one of its consequences, the damage to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The elevation of the waters temperature is causing the coral to die, consequently affecting every species that depend on it. Hopefully, this will show governments, industries, and private companies about everyones responsibility in climate change, and they will look for effective solutions to prevent the increasingly dangerous and irreversible consequences of climate change. The World Wide Fund for Nature has a mission of conservation of this planet for future generations. By leading projects that protect biodiversity and reduce our negative impact on nature, they help the planet, but it will never be enough if there is not consciousness about it and the need for solutions. However, it is not about keeping people out of nature, or turning back the clock, or preventing countries or communities from developing. It is about finding practical solutions for a healthy planet, where people and nature can prosper together, in a stable environment now and for generations to come. The WWF is an organization committed with these principles determined with accomplishing their mission: helping the planet. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Fund_for_Nature http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/ http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/biodiversity/

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/ http://wwf.panda.org/how_you_can_help/games/earth_hour_game/ http://www.wwfca.org/nuestro_trabajo/climate_change/