Rhino horn demand leads to record poaching

More rhinos have been killed in South Africa in the past 10 months than were killed in all of 2010, new poaching numbers reveal. Statistics from South Africa National Parks show that 341 animals have been lost to poaching so far in 2011, compared to a record total of 333 last year.

South Africa’s grim milestone comes on the heels of an announcement by WWF last week that rhinos have gone extinct in Vietnam. The carcass of Vietnam’s last Javan rhino was found with a gunshot wound and without its horn.

At a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) last year, the international community concluded that the increase in rhino poaching has been caused largely by demand for horn products in Vietnam. Law enforcement efforts, while increasing, are not yet sufficient to protect rhinos from poachers or stop the smuggling and sale of their horns by organized crime rings.

New melt record for Greenland ice sheet

CCNY's Marco Tedesco says 'exceptional' season stretched up to 50 days longer than average

New research shows that 2010 set new records for the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, expected to be a major contributor to projected sea level rises in coming decades.

"This past melt season was exceptional, with melting in some areas stretching up to 50 days longer than average," said Dr. Marco Tedesco, director of the Cryospheric Processes Laboratory at The City College of New York (CCNY – CUNY), who is leading a project studying variables that affect ice sheet melting.

Nearly 15,000 oppose Montenegro plan to drown wild beauty

Moraca River, MontenegroThe Montenegro government was yesterday handed a 14,764 signature petition asking it to consider alternatives to its four dam plan for the country’s second most important and most scenic River. The plan for multiple dams on the Moraça River, which will inundate areas of the Montegnegro capital’s natural and cultural heritage and threatens flows into the Balkan’s largest lake and its fisheries and bird migration reserves, was drawn up 40 years ago.

Marine species get raw deal at CITES

A United Nations meeting on endangered species trade adjourned today after two weeks of negotiations marked by the repeated rejection of proposals to better protect marine species, such as the Atlantic bluefin tuna, corals and several shark species.

Trade issues on marine species failed to attract the necessary support at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which meets once every three years.

Fishing countries must respect Doha message on tuna, says WWF

At the close of the world’s largest wildlife trade convention meeting, global conservation organization WWF welcomes the statement today by the regional fisheries management organization in charge of the Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery – the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, ICCAT – that its members should agree and implement a scientifically sound recovery plan for the species when they meet in November in Paris, France.

In a statement in Doha, Qatar, today on the last day of the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), ICCAT chair Dr Fabio Hazin told delegates: “Setting management measures not in line with scientific advice is no longer an option. (...) The commitment to recover bluefin tuna stocks in the Atlantic must be strengthened at ICCAT’s forthcoming meeting in Paris in November.”

Earth Hour 2010 in the UAE

Earth Hour, a global event created to symbolise that each one of us, working together, can make a difference on climate change, will take place on Saturday March 27th at 8.30 PM.

The world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa and the resting place of the UAE’s founding father, the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque will join other iconic UAE landmarks including, the Emirates Palace, Raffles Hotel, ADIA Building, Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Aldar Head Quarters, Sharjah Mega Mall, Sharjah Science Museum, Fairmont, Tecom, Media One Hotel, Dubai World Trade centre, the Yas Hotel and Yas Marina Circuit, Sas Radisson Hotel Blue and more for Earth Hour and ‘flick the switch’ on their signature landmarks, marking their dedication to sustainable development and joining their citizens in adopting low-carbon practices switching off the lights in a decisive display of climate action.

Atlantic bluefin tuna trade ban fails

Discussion of a long-awaited proposal to ban international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna was cut short today at the largest wildlife trade convention when an immediate vote was pushed through.

Member governments of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) chose to vote today on the proposal. 72 out of 129 CITES members voted against the trade ban, 43 voted in favour, with 14 abstentions.

New analysis points to ivory enforcement failures in parts of Africa, Asia

Urgent law enforcement action by governments in Central and West Africa and South-east Asia is crucial to addressing the illicit ivory trade, according to a new analysis of elephant trade data released today.

Detailed regional summaries of the data held in the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), the world’s largest database on ivory seizures, highlight the failure of law enforcement in key elephant range States facing an increasing threat from organised crime and the presence of unregulated markets.

All 27 EU countries to back Atlantic bluefin tuna international trade ban

Credit: OpenCageWWF applauds the confirmation from European Union member states that they will vote for a ban on international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna during a meeting of the largest wildlife trade convention starting this week.

The 27 EU members said today they would vote to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), joining a growing list of supporting countries, including the United States of America.

CITES can help save bluefin tuna, stem wildlife poaching crisis

Governments meeting March 13 for the largest wildlife trade convention will have a unique opportunity to help preserve the world’s oceans and simultaneously stem a worldwide poaching crisis.

The 15th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP 15) will consider an unprecedented six proposals to better protect marine species - including a crucial ban on the international commercial trade of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Earth Hour heads into record territory

A record Earth Hour is looming with more countries now signed up for the event than for last year’s globe circling lights out for climate action.

Just over two weeks out from the event, timed for 8.30 pm on March 27, organisers are now active in in 92 countries, compared to a final participation figure of 88 countries in 2009 which saw hundreds of millions participating.

Second warmest year on record warrants action

New figures showing that Australia experienced its second hottest year on record in 2009 should prompt politicians to take urgent action to cut carbon pollution.

The figures also show that average temperatures in 2009 were 0.9 degrees above the 1961-1990 average, and average temperatures for the whole decade were 0.48 degrees higher.

Camera traps yield first-time film of tigress and cubs

Camera traps deep in the Sumatran jungle have captured first-time images of a rare female tiger and her cubs, giving researchers unique insight into the elusive tiger’s behaviour.

After a month in operation, specially designed video cameras installed by WWF-Indonesia’s researchers seeking to record tigers in the Sumatran jungle caught the mother tiger and her cubs on film as they stopped to sniff and check out the camera trap.

EWS-WWF launches ‘Heroes of the UAE Schools programme’

Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF) have launched the 'Heroes of the UAE Schools programme' in partnership with the Ministry of Education and HSBC Bank-Middle East Ltd as part of their ongoing programme to tackle climate change and the UAE’s ecological footprint.

Speaking at the launch, H.E Humaid Mohamed Obaid Al Qutami, UAE Minister of Education said, "Science has provided us with overwhelming evidence of the dangers to the planet from climate change. And education is the key for understanding this and securing a sustainable future.” “The impacts of the choices that we make each day can be huge. The Ministry of Education is pleased to introduce the ‘Heroes of the UAE Schools Programme’ to schools across the nation, and we encourage all schools to take advantage by contacting EWS-WWF offices in Dubai or Abu Dhabi."

Tigers, Polar Bears and Blue Fin Tuna Among the Most Threatened Species in 2010

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)has released its annual list of some of the most threatened species around the world, saying that the long-term survival of many animals is increasingly in doubt due to a host of threats, including climate change, and calling for a step up in efforts to save some of the world’s most threatened animals.

WWF’s list of “10 to Watch in 2010” includes such well-known and beloved species as tigers, polar bears, pandas, and rhinos, as well as lesser-known species such as bluefin tuna and mountain gorillas.  WWF scientists say these, and many other species, are at greater risk than ever before because of habitat loss, poaching, and climate change-related threats. This year’s watch list includes five species directly impacted by climate change, as well as the monarch butterfly, the species at the center of an endangered biological phenomenon.  Tigers are at the forefront of this year’s list, with the official Year of the Tiger slated to begin in February 2010.

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

A flooded street in JakartaDhaka, 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 analysed 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 centres 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 urbanising 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 industrialised 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."

Treaty parties learn of 40 proposed wildlife trade rule changes

Photo: Cat Holloway/WWF-CanonProposals 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 has announced.

WWF especially welcomed 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.

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 recognises 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.”

Deadlines loom for creating new economy to avoid climate catastrophe

Coal power plant in Datteln (Germany) at the Dortmund-Ems-Kanal. Photo: Arnold Paul/WikimediaThe world has just five years to initiate a low carbon industrial revolution before runaway climate change becomes almost inevitable. But the good news is that it can be done and that the long term benefits will be immense, according to a new analysis from WWF. 
 
Climate Solutions 2  (CS2) is the first analysis to put timetables to the industrial transformations needed to limit global carbon emissions to below the 2^˚C level scientists identify as presenting unacceptable risks of runaway climate change. It was prepared for WWF by Climate Risk, a company known for its work on climate change for global insurers and infrastructure providers.

The report found that beyond 2014 the feasible upper limits of industrial growth rates will make it impossible for market economies to meet the carbon targets required to keep global warming below 2^˚C. The report also found that market measures alone will not be enough to deliver emissions reductions on the scale required and that delays will increase the levels of direct intervention needed in the economy.
 
"Climate Solutions 2 tells us that we need to start making the change to a low-carbon economy today,” said Kim Carstensen, who leads WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.  “The transformation will require sustained growth in clean and efficient industry in excess of 20 per cent a year over a period of decades.
 
“The report's modelling shows how we can sustain these growth rates but also makes it clear this will be the fastest industrial revolution witnessed in our history. 
 
"The findings of this report offer a pragmatic, sobering and urgent warning to world leaders that the window of opportunity to act on climate change is rapidly closing. The time for playing politics with our future is long past." 
 
The way forward, according to the report, is simultaneous action on all greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, with market measures backed with a full range of other policies including energy efficiency standards, feed-in tariffs for renewable energy and an end to “perverse “ subsidies for fossil fuel use.
 
According to the report, countries not pursuing all carbon abatement options in all sectors will tend to develop least-cost industries first and only develop other low carbon industries as they become affordable.
 
Computer modelling and historical records agree that sequential development of industries, which would result from undue reliance on a single mechanism such as a rising carbon price, will make it impossible to meet emissions targets on time. Industries that come online later will have to grow considerably faster because of the delays in start-up and will be hit harder by constraints on available resources, labour and expertise.
 
"This analysis shows that we can win the fight against runaway climate change by transforming all sectors of our economies concurrently, by creating stable long-term investment environments that don't seek immediate returns and through focusing on key industry sectors,” said Dr Stephan Singer, who leads WWF’s Global Energy Initiative.
 
The industries that will lead the transformation are renewable energy generation, carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency, sustainable low-carbon agriculture and sustainable forestry.  With the clean industrial revolution under way and sustained by a strong policy framework all renewable energies become competitive with fossil fuels between 2013 and 2025 – a highly conservative estimate based on just 2 per cent annual rises in fossil fuel prices and no price on carbon.
 
"The wind, the sea and the sun will cost the same today, tomorrow and into the future, unlike coal,” said Singer. “They can be the basis for a cleaner world where energy supplies are more secure and where we have the best chance of preventing dramatic climate changes that could endanger our cities, our food supplies and the natural environment that we have always depended on."
 
Climate Solutions 2 calculates that the extra investment worldwide is expected to be USD17 trillion up to 2050 – or less than 15 per cent of the funds currently managed by institutional investors. The returns on that investment are expected to flow back into investor’s pockets from 2027 and in some cases even earlier.
 
For renewable technologies, the cumulative investment to 2050 worldwide will total USD7 trillion, but it is expected generate returns to investors of around six times as much.
  
"Climate Solutions 2 draws a line in the sand that we cannot cross,” said Castensen. “It reinforces that we have reached a pivotal moment in our history where the window of opportunity which remains to prevent runaway climate change will soon disappear entirely.
 
“Most immediately and importantly, the basis for this transformation has to be laid in Copenhagen in December with a fair, binding and effective new global deal on climate change.”

HP Joins WWF’s Global Forest and Trade Network

Pledges to help save the world’s forests

HP has joined the Global Forest & Trade Network in North America (GFTN-NA), a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiative linking more than 300 companies globally that share a commitment to responsible forestry.

By becoming a member of the GFTN, HP has committed to progressively increase the amount of responsibly harvested fiber used in its paper products and sold globally. HP has set a target of 40 per cent of its paper sales from Forest Stewardship Council-certified or post-consumer recycled sources by 2011.

As part of meeting these goals, HP will be engaging with suppliers and informing customers of its commitment. WWF will provide technical assistance toward reaching these goals.

“For more than 50 years, HP has been a leader in environmental sustainability, delivering solutions that help customers reduce their environmental impact,” said Glen Hopkins, vice president, Global Media Business, HP. “We look forward to working closely with WWF to demonstrate the importance of responsible and sustainable forest management practices.”

Carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation are a main cause of climate change. Joining the GTFN is part of HP’s commitment to mitigating climate change by reducing its carbon footprint across its business operations, products and supply chain.

“Every year, more than 30 million acres of natural forest are destroyed to meet the growing demand for wood and agricultural products,” said Suzanne Apple, vice president, Business and Industry, World Wildlife Fund. “With this new relationship, HP is helping to protect the world’s forests by sourcing and trading responsible forest products.”

HP sells more than 280,000 tonnes of paper annually, including HP Everyday Papers, small- and large-format papers, photo media and other branded media products to a global market with a concentration in North America and Europe. HP papers are sold in office supply and retail stores throughout North America, including Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Staples, Target and FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko’s).

Forest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC is a certification system that provides internationally recognized standards, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry.

World Wildlife Fund
WWF is the world’s largest conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change.

Global Forest & Trade Network
The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) is WWF’s initiative to eliminate illegal logging and drive improvements in forest management while transforming the global marketplace into a force for saving the world’s valuable and threatened forests. First established in 1991, the GFTN is the world’s longest-running and largest forest and trade program of its kind – assisting hundreds of companies in evaluating their procurement and implementing appropriate action plans to ensure sustainable supply. By facilitating trade links between companies committed to responsible forestry, the GFTN creates market conditions that help conserve forests while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them. With combined annual sales of USD64 billion, trading by GFTN participants represents 16 per cent of all forest products bought or sold internationally every year.

WWF-India photo exhibition to conserve the Himalayas

Photo: Nimisha/WWF Canon Photo ContestWWF-India, in partnership with Canon, is exhibiting some of the finest photographs representing the great Himalayas, following ‘Framed’, the online WWF-Canon Photography Contest held on the same theme from August 20 – September 30, 2009. The unique exhibition of the winning entries was launched at the Secretariat, WWF-India premises today. The exhibition will be on till October 16, 2009.

In India high altitude wetlands in four Himalayan states have been selected for conservation action by WWF-India. WWF is striving for sustainable management of these wetlands. Addressing wetlands in all the five Himalayan states, WWF is directing its efforts towards policy-formulation for better management practices, monitoring climate impacts, reducing the impacts of tourism and other anthropogenic activities and furthering demonstrations of community-based wetland management practices.

The photo contest ‘Framed’ received an overwhelming response from all over the country, with hundreds of entries pouring in everyday. The enthusiasm generated by the contest in the social networking sites truly demonstrated a passionate love for the Himalayan environment across ages and cultures.

“Environmental conservation can operate through more ways than one, and photography is a fantastic medium to capture the admiration and concern of the masses in favour of conservation. Science cannot stay averse to culture and beauty which can go a long way in spreading awareness about the environment. Canon has been closely associated with our conservation efforts for a long time and together, we are proud to present this exhibition of award-winning pictures depicting the Himalayas,” says Ravi Singh, secretary general and CEO, WWF-India.