WWF - Environmental news & publications

Community-Based Natural Resource Management Stocktaking Exercise in Tanzania

2013-05-20

The Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) has embarked on a process to establish a series of dialogues on CBNRM. The aim of this initiative is to provide a platform for multi-stakeholder exchange of information, sharing experiences and agreeing on a common course for the success of CBNRM in the country. The platform will disseminate information on CBNRM successes, challenges and areas needing more focus in the natural resource sector, thereby promoting learning and providing opportunities to influence CBNRM practice and policy in ways that can lead to success. It is against this background that TNRF undertook a national stocktaking exercise on CBNRM (see attached terms of reference). This initiative is also part of the regional Southern Africa CBNRM Forum (SACF) of which TNRF is a focal point for Tanzania.

Uganda unveils the world's first Earth Hour forest

2013-03-14

Kampala, Uganda / Singapore: Preparations across the globe kick off for Earth Hour 2013 with the creation of the world's first Earth Hour Forest in the East African nation of Uganda, to fight against the 6,000 hectares of deforestation that occurs in the country every month.

WWF Uganda identified close to 2,700 hectares of degraded land, and set a goal to fill it with at least 500,000 indigenous trees as part of their Earth Hour 2013 campaign. Earth Hour 2013 will take place at 8.30pm on Saturday 23 March.

"We cannot afford to ignore this critical environmental threat we are facing today. So, we are calling upon every individual, business, government agency, friends and family members to join us in planting this new landmark for Uganda's environment," said David Duli, Country Director, WWF Uganda Country Office.

Businesses, government officials and individuals are quickly heeding the call and taking up the challenge set by WWF Uganda to reach their 2013 goal. Leading the way is Standard Chartered Bank - Uganda, which has already committed to plant close to 250,000 trees, and the Ugandan Minister of State for Water and Environment who has personally pledged to plant 1,000 trees.

"Earth Hour 2013 is the rallying point for millions of people in 152 countries and territories across the world to address the climate change challenge. It illustrates that it's within our reach and power to work together for a sustainable future," said Andy Ridley, CEO and co-founder of Earth Hour.

This tree planting initiative is one of thousands of Earth Hour's I Will If You Will challenges taking place worldwide. I Will If You Will is a campaign that encourages everyone to take a positive action for the environment, beyond the Earth Hour hour. In 2012, nearly 10,000 challenges were posted on YouTube.com/EarthHour driving more than 4.6 million people to interact with the challenges and 200,000 to accept challenges on the platform alone.

The action might be a simple lifestyle change or something that leads to political change. It might require 10 people to do something, or 10,000. I Will If You Will allows anybody – from a kid in a classroom to a President of a nation - to become the inspiration to their friends, family, colleagues and communities by sharing what they're willing to do to protect the planet.

Uganda's Earth Hour Forest is the second huge environmental outcome of the I Will If You Will campaign. In December, the Russian Parliament passed a strengthened law to better protect the country's seas from oil pollution after a petition carrying the voices of 122,000 people was successfully presented to the State Duma.

Join the Earth Hour global community and help save the planet at www.earthhour.org/signup.

Earth Hour 2013 will take place at 8.30pm – 9.30pm on Saturday 23 March

-ends-

For further information please contact:

Benjamin Vozzo, Earth Hour Global E:benjamin@earthhour.org Ph: +65 8223 1728

Mai Tatoy, Earth Hour Global, E: mai@earthhour.org Ph: +65 8223 1654

To join the global community head to:

Earth Hour www.earthhour.org

Facebook www.facebook.com/earthhour

Twitter www.twitter.com/earthhour

YouTube www.YouTube.com/EarthHour

Google+ plus.google.com/+EarthHour

Governments fall short on immediate efforts to curb illegal ivory trade at wildlife trade meeting

2013-03-12

Bangkok, Thailand - World governments at the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) on Tuesday opted against immediate trade sanctions against several countries that have repeatedly failed to tackle the trade in ivory.

"We're disappointed by the lack of urgency from governments to speed up the sanctions process against countries that have failed to act for years to curb the illegal ivory trade in their countries, while the slaughter of thousands of elephants continues in Africa," said Carlos Drews, head of WWF's CITES delegation.

"However we will be watching to see that CITES holds these governments to account in the coming year."

Despite an early discussion in CITES on potential trade sanctions against countries failing to regulate their ivory markets, governments did not enact those rules against offenders including Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Mozambique, Nigeria and Uganda.

Governments instead directed those countries to identify actions and deadlines to ensure progress in controlling illegal ivory trade before summer 2014, with the potential threat that they could face trade sanctions then if there was no significant improvement in the situation. The nine countries were given just over a year to show improvements in their performance.

"Governments have been aware for years about the lack of compliance by several countries. Forest elephants in Central Africa are declining rapidly and running out of time," Drews said. "We hope governments will speed up compliance measures against countries flouting restrictions on the ivory trade."

The worst offenders, including top demand countries China and Thailand, the host country for the meeting, as well as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malaysia, Philippines and Viet Nam, are expected to be discussed in a separate session on Thursday.

"We hope that governments will take a stronger stance against these countries considered the biggest problems when it comes to the illegal ivory trade, and that should include much more urgency than we saw today," Drews said.

Under treaty rules, CITES member states can recommend that parties stop trading with non-compliant countries in the 35,000 species covered under the convention, from orchids to crocodile skins.

Tuesday's decisions came as poaching of elephants has reached crisis levels. Up to 30,000 elephants are slaughtered every year to feed the illegal ivory trade. The ivory trade has been regulated under CITES since the early 1970s.

There were, however, several other measures adopted by governments to help curb the illegal ivory trade, including:

The creation of an Ivory Enforcement Task Force, which will allow for better law enforcement collaboration between countries
Better DNA-based forensic techniques to identify the origin of confiscated ivory
An acknowledgement of the need for demand reduction campaigns on ivory

For further information please contact:
Ian Morrison, ian.morrison@wwfus.org, +1 202 372 6373, +66 90 414 3853
Chris Chaplin, cchaplin@wwf.sg, +65 9826 3802

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 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.

Additional CITES media materials are available at www.panda.org/citesmedia . For updates from the conference follow us on Twitter @WWF_media.

WWF statement on rhinos at CITES

2013-03-12

Carlos Drews, head of WWF's delegation at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) issued the following statement today in response to decisions from world governments to offer better protection for rhinos:

"Governments today made a clear choice at CITES to offer more protection to rhinos by agreeing on timelines that will help two of the worst offenders in the rhino horn trade, Viet Nam and Mozambique, clean up their act.

"This is a big step forward for the protection of rhinos, a prehistoric animal that are being butchered for their horns at alarming rates to feed demand primarily in Viet Nam.

"A record 668 South African rhinos were killed by poachers last year, and close to 150 have died so far in 2013 - we're already moving at a pace that could see even more rhinos killed for their horns than last year.

"The challenge now is to ensure that Viet Nam and Mozambique make progress on their CITES commitments within the agreed time frame to avoid trade sanctions in the summer of 2014."

Viet Nam is the main destination for rhino horn and is now required to implement a strategy to reduce demand in the country and ensure horn traffickers are prosecuted and strongly punished.

Today's success also means that Mozambique, a major transit country for rhino horn, must strengthen legislation and enforcement to reduce trade flows exiting the African continent. It is currently only a misdemeanour to smuggle rhino horns through Mozambique. The country shares a border with South Africa's Kruger National Park, home to most of the world's rhinos and also the epicentre of illegal killing.

Rhino poaching has hit record highs and is currently exacerbated by increasingly sophisticated criminal networks. There is also a marked increase in consumption in Vietnam, fuelled by claims that rhino horn cures cancer and hangovers.

For further information:
Ian Morrison, ian.morrison@wwfus.org, (US) +1 202 372 6373, (Bangkok) +66 904 143 853
Chris Chaplin, cchaplin@wwf.sg, +65 9826 3802

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 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/news for latest news and media resources

New agreement between South Africa and Viet Nam - A turning point in tackling rhino poaching crisis, say WWF, TRAFFIC

2012-12-10

Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 10th December — A pivotal moment in efforts to tackle the current rhino poaching crisis took place today as the governments of South Africa and Viet Nam signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve co-operation between the two states on biodiversity conservation and protection including tackling illegal wildlife trafficking.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by H.E. Edna Molewa, Minister for the South African Department of Water and Environmental Affairs and H.E. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam during a visit by Minister Molewa to Viet Nam. The main elements of co-operation outlined in the MoU include the field of biodiversity management, conservation, protection, law enforcement, compliance with CITES and other relevant legislation and Conventions. Based on equality and mutual benefit it comes into force on the date of signature and notes specifically that illegal wildlife trafficking remains a global challenge.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E. Edna Molewa said: "South Africa is looking forward to receiving the close co-operation from Vietnamese partners to stop the illegal trade of rhino horns from South Africa to Vietnam."

H.E. Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam also recognised the importance of co-operation between the two countries, stating that: "Fighting against crime on wildlife regulations especially on the rare, precious and endangered species including rhinos and its derivatives are always of concern to the Vietnam government."

He stressed: "The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in co-operation with related ministries and agencies, are submitting the Prime Minister to issue a Decision on banning the import of all rhino specimens to Vietnam in 2012."

Although the MoU between South Africa and Viet Nam refers only in general terms to addressing illegal wildlife smuggling, there are clear indications that rhino horn trafficking will be top of the new agenda on co-operation between the two nations.

"WWF and TRAFFIC welcome the new agreement, which marks a turning point in efforts to protect Africa's rhinos and look forward to seeing action being undertaken by both countries to end the current rhino poaching crisis," said Stuart Chapman, WWF-Greater Mekong Conservation Director.

"South Africa and Viet Nam have publicly signalled their intention to get tough on the criminal syndicates behind the rhino poaching spree," said Chapman.

Currently hundreds of rhinos are being poached each year in South Africa, their horns hacked off and smuggled to meet the soaring demand in Viet Nam, where rhino horn is in demand as a supposed "miracle medicine", despite a lack of supporting medical evidence.

Asian-run criminal syndicates are believed to be behind much of the crime, with couriers paid to smuggle poached horns from Africa to Asia, where they end up in the hands of wealthy Vietnamese. TRAFFIC's report released in August 2012 identified Viet Nam as the prime destination for much of the illegal rhino horn.

Rhino poaching numbers in South Africa have surged from 13 in 2007, to over 600 in 2012. In addition, there have been 246 people arrested in connection with the poaching of rhinos and the illegal trade of rhino horn in South Africa in 2012 alone.

In 2010, TRAFFIC convened a meeting between South African enforcement officials and their counterparts in Viet Nam to establish links between the two as part of a major effort to address the rhino horn crisis. This meeting and a subsequent return visit by Vietnamese officials to South Africa, laid the foundation for today's intergovernmental agreement.

"Rhino poaching is a key burning conservation issue, and through the public commitments of the two governments at this signing ceremony today, we have seen promising beginnings of collaborative action. This commitment now needs to be turned into urgent action to turn the crisis around," said Dr. Naomi Doak, Coordinator of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia–Greater Mekong Programme.

"The world's rhino populations are hanging by a thread, and today the opportunity was taken to throw them another lifeline," said Dr. Doak.

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WWF and its partner TRAFFIC, the wildlife monitoring network, are campaigning for greater protection of threatened species such as rhinos, tigers and elephants. In order to save endangered animals, source, transit and demand countries must all improve co-operation, law enforcement, customs controls and judicial systems. WWF and TRAFFIC are also urging governments to undertake demand reduction efforts to curb the use of endangered species products.

For further information or to schedule an interview with WWF or TRAFFIC, please contact:

WWF-Viet Nam and TRAFFIC in Viet Nam:
Tu, Nguyen Thi
WWF-Viet Nam
Email: tu.nguyenthi@wwfgreatermekong.org, Mob: +84 914419174

Brett Tolman
TRAFFIC Southeast Asia – Greater Mekong Programme
Email: brett.tolman@traffic.org, Mob: +84 1678020765

WWF International and TRAFFIC International:

Elisabeth McLellan
WWF International
Email: LMcLellan@wwfint.org,
Tel.: Mob : +41 79 212 9312

Richard Thomas
TRAFFIC International
Email: richard.thomas@traffic.org
Tel.: +44 752 6646 216

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with more than 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.

About TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.

To learn more about WWF and TRAFFIC's campaign visit panda.org/killthetrade and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media, and www.facebook.com/vietnamWWF

Countries fail to protect endangered species from illegal trade

2012-07-23

Geneva – Poor performances by key countries are threatening the survival of wild rhinos, tigers and elephants, a new WWF report has found. The analysis, released as governments gather in Geneva this week to discuss a range of issues related to wildlife trade, rates 23 of the top African and Asian nations facing high levels of poaching and trafficking in ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts.

The report, entitled Wildlife Crime Scorecard: Assessing Compliance with and Enforcement of CITES Commitments for Tigers, Rhinos and Elephants, examines of the many countries considered as range, transit or consumer countries for these species. It gives countries scores of green, yellow or red for each animal, as applicable, as an indicator of recent progress. WWF has found that illegal trade persists in virtually all 23 countries reviewed, but the scorecard seeks to differentiate between countries where it is actively being countered from those where current efforts are entirely inadequate.

Asian demand drives poaching

Among the worst performers is Viet Nam that received two red scores, for rhinos and tigers. Viet Nam is identified in the report as the top destination country for rhino horn, which has fuelled a poaching crisis in South Africa. A record 448 South African rhinos were killed for their horns in 2011 and the country, which itself receives a yellow for rhinos, has lost an additional 262 already this year. According to the report, many Vietnamese have been arrested or implicated in South Africa for acquiring rhino horns illegally, including Vietnamese diplomats.

"It is time for Viet Nam to face the fact that its illegal consumption of rhino horn is driving the widespread poaching of endangered rhinos in Africa, and that it must crack down on the illegal rhino horn trade. Viet Nam should review its penalties and immediately curtail retail markets, including Internet advertising for horn," said Elisabeth McLellan, Global Species Programme manager at WWF.

Inadequate enforcement of domestic ivory markets in China is also highlighted in the report. China receives a yellow score for elephants indicating a failure by the country to effectively police its legal ivory markets. "The ongoing flow of large volumes of illegal ivory to China suggests that such ivory may be moving into legal ivory trade channels," the report says.

China is urged to dramatically and consistently improve its enforcement controls for ivory and to communicate to Chinese nationals in Africa that anyone caught importing illegal wildlife products into China would be prosecuted, and if convicted, severely penalized.

Poaching crisis across Africa

Tens of thousands of African elephants are being killed by poachers each year for their tusks and China and Thailand are top destinations for illegal African ivory. Thailand receives a red score for its failure to close a legal loophole that makes it easy for retailers to sell ivory from poached African elephants.

"In Thailand, illegal African ivory is being openly sold in up-scale boutiques that cater to unsuspecting tourists. Governments will be taking up this troubling issue this week. So far Thailand has not responded adequately to concerns and, with the amount of ivory of uncertain origin in circulation, the only credible option at this stage is a ban on ivory trade," McLellan said.

Elephant poaching is at crisis levels in Central Africa, where rhinos were likely poached to extinction. Last year witnessed the elephant highest poaching rates across the continent since records began. Early this year hundreds of elephants were killed in a single incident in a Cameroon national park. "Given the escalation of elephant poaching in Africa and the increased levels of organized crime involved in the trade, it is clear that the situation is now critical," the report found.

Wildlife crime not only poses a threat to animals, but is a risk to people, territorial integrity, stability and rule of law. Regional cooperation is needed in Central Africa to counter the flows of illegal ivory and arms spilling across borders. WWF commends Central African governments for signing a regional wildlife law enforcement plan and urges them to make its implementation a top priority, allocating resources to the plan and improving the efficacy of prosecutions for those implicated in poaching or illegal trade.

"Although most Central African countries receive yellow or red scores for elephants, there are some encouraging signals. Last month Gabon burned its entire ivory stockpile, to ensure that no tusks would leak into illegal trade, and President Ali Bongo committed to both increasing protections in the country's parks and to ensuring that those committing wildlife crimes are prosecuted and sent to prison," said WWF Global Species Programme manager Wendy Elliott.

Best performers

Other bright spots from the report are green scores for India and Nepal for each of the three species groups. In 2011, Nepal celebrated a year without any rhino poaching incidents, which was largely attributed to improvements to anti-poaching and other law enforcement efforts.

WWF's Wildlife Crime Scorecard is being released as member countries of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) hold their annual Standing Committee meeting. The conservation organization is set to launch a global campaign to fight illegal wildlife trade, which is putting the future of elephants, rhinos and tigers at risk. Learn more at panda.org/wildlifecrime.

Gabon set to burn thousands of ivory tusks and carvings

2012-06-27

Libreville, Gabon, 27th June 2012 – In a bold move against poaching and illegal wildlife trade, Gabon is expected to burn its government-held ivory stockpile today. The decision comes at a time of intense poaching pressure in Central Africa, where the illegal killing of elephants for ivory is at record levels. Gabon's President Ali Bongo will ignite the ivory pyre later today in Cite de Democratie.

WWF and TRAFFIC have worked with Gabon to independently audit its government-owned ivory stockpile before any is destroyed, to ensure that all tusks are accounted for and none has leaked into illegal trade.

"Gabon has a policy of zero tolerance for wildlife crime and we are putting in place the institutions and laws, to ensure this policy is enforced," said President Ali Bongo.

The audited ivory stock totals 4,825 kilograms, including 1,293 piece of rough ivory mainly composed of tusks and 17,730 pieces of worked ivory. The overall quantity of stockpiled ivory corresponds to roughly 850 dead elephants.

"WWF supports Gabon's decision and sees the move as an indication of the country's commitment to curbing elephant poaching and the illegal ivory trade," said Stefanie Conrad, WWF Central Africa Regional Programme Office Representative. "Ivory of illegal or unknown origin cannot be sold legally internationally for commercial purposes. Gabon has acted commendably in deciding to put such ivory beyond use," she said.

Gabon will be the first country in Central Africa to publicly destroy its ivory, and the burning of the government's stockpile is intended to be a strong signal demonstrating the nation's commitment to tackling the illegal wildlife trade.

A report issued last week by the UN body that regulates the international wildlife trade found that 2011 was the worst year on record for elephant poaching in Africa. It is estimated that tens of thousands of elephants are being killed across Africa each year for their tusks, which are in demand in Asia.

"This is an international problem and Gabon is coming under siege by criminal gangs of hunters and crime syndicates that smuggle ivory to Asia. Unless there is a strong international reaction to stop wildlife crime, and ivory smuggling in particular, the forests of Gabon will no longer vibrate with the rumble of the forest elephant," said Professor Lee White, Executive Secretary of Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (Gabon's National Parks Agency).

"We need to break the illegal ivory trade chain," said Suparna Biswas, Country Director of WWF-Gabon. "This time the decision has come from the top and should be an example to others. Many Central Africa ministries still proudly display pieces of worked ivory in their offices. Many government officials are implicated in illicit ivory trafficking. This must end."

TRAFFIC's data on ivory seizures show that record levels of illicit ivory were seized in 2011.

"If not managed properly, ivory stockpiles in the hands of government suddenly 'get legs' and move into illegal trade. Zambia lost 3 tonnes of ivory from the government's strong room just last week and Mozambique lost 1.1 tonnes in February," said Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC's ivory trade expert. "Gabon's actions effectively keep the ivory out of the way of temptation."

Central Africa governments have joined together in search of ways to overcome this crisis by signing a regional plan to strengthen law enforcement and better combat poaching of elephants and other species at risk from illegal wildlife trade.

AfDB and WWF to launch Africa Ecological Footprint Report

2012-05-31

Arusha, Tanzania: The African Development Bank (AfDB) and global conservation group WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) have launched today a joint report on the state of Africa's environment.

The Africa Ecological Footprint Report: Green Infrastructure for Africa's Ecological Security takes stock of the health of Africa's ecosystems, as well as trends in resources use patterns. It also lays out recommendations on implementing green development pathways for Africa.

This report is intended to stoke up thinking on greener development in Africa and to rally action by policy-makers and investors in the lead-up to Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development taking place later this month in Brazil.

"Africa has choices", underlines AfDB President, Donald Kaberuka. "Embracing a more sustainable approach to development can generate benefits in terms of environmental security, human wellbeing, and increased competitiveness."

The Africa Ecological Footprint Report 2012 outlines two alarming trends, which if not addressed by policy-makers and investors are likely to lead to important social and economic impacts. First, by tracking the changes in wildlife populations as a proxy for ecosystem health, the Africa Living Planet Index shows a decline of nearly 40% in biodiversity in the last four decades. This decline reflects a degradation of the natural systems upon which Africa's current and future prosperity depends.

Second, rapid population growth and increasing prosperity are changing consumption patterns, with the result that Africa's ecological footprint – the area needed to generate the resources consumed by the people who live here – has been growing steadily. While Africa's total ecological footprint is set to double by 2040 in a business-as-usual scenario, the good news is that Africa is in an advantageous position to act. It is endowed with tremendous natural resources, which, if managed properly, will be able to meet the needs of a growing population. And its relatively low footprint may be maintained if forward-looking and large-scale solutions can be mobilised in the areas of renewable energy, urban planning, and sound management of forests, water and marine resources.

The opportunity and urgency to act to ensure adequate and equitable access to water, fuel and food in the coming decades is highlighted by Jim Leape, WWF Director General.

"Our ecological infrastructure – terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems – is as essential to human development as are industrial and social infrastructures such as roads, schools, hospitals and energy provision," said WWF's Jim Leape. "The Africa Ecological Footprint Report showcases successful and scalable initiatives across Africa in renewable energy, integrated water resource management, ecotourism and forest conservation. The report offers concrete recommendations for maintaining Africa's natural capital as the foundation for sustainable and inclusive development and I urge decision-makers to act on them."

Donald Kaberuka and Jim Leape launched the report together on 1 June as part of the AfDB's Annual Meetings in Arusha. The event, attended by AfDB senior staff, government ministers, NGO representatives, African business and financial leaders, and the African and international media, is intended to inspire interest and action from these key decision-makers. The report will also be featured at a side event of the Rio+20 conference in June.

AfDB and WWF formally entered into a partnership last July, agreeing to initially focus on three areas of cooperation: developing win-win partnerships with emerging economies and strengthening South-South cooperation; catalysing knowledge sharing and knowledge products for green growth and sustainable development; collaborating on energy and water resource management; and climate change. This report is the first joint product of this partnership.

With a recent tripling of its capitalisation to USD 100 billion, the AfDB is the most important multilateral institution financing development in Africa. As the continent faces rapid economic and population growth, and growing resource and climate pressures, the AfDB plays an essential role in ensuring sustainable and equitable development.

WWF is the world's largest environmental non-governmental organisation and has been active in Africa since its foundation more than 50 years ago. WWF works together with governments, businesses and local communities to deliver conservation and sustainable development worldwide.

To download the report, and to find out more, go to: www.panda.org/lpr/africa2012 or www.afdb.org.

Photos from aerial elephant survey released

2011-06-14

The WWF African Elephant Programme (AEP) and Zambia Country Office, in partnership with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), has carried out an aerial survey of the elephant population in Zambia's Luangwa ecosystem.

The survey, funded by WWF-AEP, covered approximately 30,000 square kilometers during 128 hours of flight time.

The objectives of the survey were to determine elephant distribution and to estimate population numbers for management purposes. Monitoring human activities that impact the status of the elephant population was also targeted.

The results of the survey are currently being progressed.

Prior to the project, ZAWA wildlife officers benefitted from three days of training to build their capacity on the use of new equipment purchased for the project. They learned how to capture the maximum amount of information when conducting an aerial survey.

Photographs taken from the aircraft show a female elephant with two offspring and herds of buffalo.

China and East Africa: opportunities for sustainable development

2010-04-22

This brochure about China-East Africa relations presents opportunities for sustainable development and introduces WWF's work in the area.

Catch them young: Promoting Environmental Education in schools and communities in Bangweulu, North Eastern Zambia

2008-09-22

Without environmental education there is a danger that citizens will take natural resources for granted and expect such resources to avail themselves for exploitation whenever the need arises. This contributes to the wanton destruction of natural resources for immediate gain and to the insufficient appreciation of their importance to national economies and to sustainable livelihoods.

A project by WWF Southern Africa Regional Programme Office (SARPO), that encourages more responsibility for the conservation and restoration of the environment in the Bangweulu basin in North Eastern Zambia, has seen more players become involved in spreading the message of conservation and restoration among communities using tools such as drama, video shows and nature gardens in government and community schools.

The project is financially supported by the founder of M Magazine through WWF Sweden. It has reached out to 46 schools in the Chiundaponde and Kalasamukoso areas. The schools formed conservation clubs that act as a platform for sharing knowledge and teaching school children and their families on the importance of natural resource conservation. The clubs were registered with the Wildlife and Environment Conservation Society of Zambia. The latter gives the clubs environmental Teacher's hand books, magazines and posters on a quarterly basis.

"Our main task under this project is to popularize environmental issues through participatory social learning in schools and their communities, and to capitalize experiences and lessons for purposes of informing and influencing management and decision-making processes," says WWF SARPO's Miombo Eco-region Leader, Dr Enos Shumba.

Undeterred by lack of adequate resources, the project improvised an Environmental Mobile Unit (EMU) by mounting the relevant equipment - a generator, DVD/VCR combo player, LCD projector and screen - on a Land Cruiser vehicle. The Unit visits the 46 schools on a roster basis for environmental video shows and distribution of relevant literature. This has resulted in sharing of experiences between and among schools and their neighbouring communities.

One of the project field officers involved in facilitating the environmental video shows, Richard Kalyata, explains how the shows are conducted. "Environmental mobile shows are normally conducted in schools and community centres and target school going children, youths, teachers and female adults - who happen to be the major natural resource users in the area".

Mr. Kalyata further explains that most of the video shows are locally generated and focus on local environmental issues affecting the Bangweulu basin such as deforestation, wildlife poaching and inappropriate fishing methods. The shows also highlight sustainable natural resource use options being promoted by the project in the area. These include bee keeping, fish farming and conservation agriculture.

To spice up the environmental issues, the shows provide clips on the importance of education in order to generate a culture of appreciating the value of education in both children and parents. Each show takes about 40 minutes followed by a question and answer session where participants share lessons learnt.

"The shows have generally been appreciated by both children and adults as they are considered educative in as far as the conservation of natural resources is concerned. Participants also view environmental shows as a motivator for children to attend school and the parents to send their children to school. This is important considering that most children in the area do not attend school. They engage in other livelihood activities such as fishing and girls are forced into early marriages", continues Mr. Kalyata

Eight of the conservation clubs have established nature gardens. The gardens are used to demonstrate good natural resource stewardship to school children and communities within which they live. Practices demonstrated in such gardens include intercropping of cereal crops with multi-purpose trees and planting exotic and indigenous fruit trees.

The Miombo Environmental Evening Education (3E): Of Nature Gardens, Schools, and Conservation Education in the Bangweulu Basin, North eastern Zambia is a project under the Miombo Ecoregion Conservation Programme financed by the founder of M magazine through WWF Sweden. Its goal is to encourage communities (especially school children and female adults) in the Bangweulu basin to take responsibility for the conservation and restoration of the environment.

The project has 3 objectives:

to popularize environmental issues through Participatory Social Learning;
to set up an Environmental Mobile Unit (EMU) that provides environmental awareness; and
to capitalize experiences and lessons to inform and influence management and decision making processes.

It is hoped that through the project, people of the Bangweulu basin will gain a deeper understanding of how their individual and collective actions affect the environment and equip them with skills for better and informed decision making.

More of Africa urged to boost rhino numbers

2008-03-14

KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – After bringing Africa's black rhinos spectacularly back from the brink of extinction one of the world's most successful conservation programmes is to celebrate its first decade by seeking to extend its operations to more of Africa.

Representatives of the governments of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia are expected to join in WWF's African Rhino Programme (ARP) 10th anniversary celebration in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, today. They will join government and wildlife representatives, community representatives and eco-tourism operators from the current ARP participating States of in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

"What we have shown is that in partnership with governments and communities and business it is possible to stave off extinction for the rhino in some of its former range," said WWF International's Species Programme Director Dr Susan Lieberman. "The task now is to secure a future for the rhino in the rest of its range, where threats from poaching and development urgently need to be addressed."

Africa's savannas once teemed with more than a million white and black rhinos. However, relentless hunting by European settlers saw rhino numbers and distribution quickly decline. The southern white rhino was close to extinction by the late 19th century but concerted conservation efforts by KwaZulu Natal and others has led to a significantly larger population.

Added to hunting and habitat loss, trade in rhino horn peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, when huge quantities were shipped to the lucrative markets of the Middle East and Asia.

Responding to the crisis, both species of African rhino were listed in 1977 in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibited all international trade of rhino parts and products. Despite this international legal protection, the black rhino population at its lowest point dipped to 2,400 in 1995.

In 1997, there were 8,466 white rhinos and 2,599 black rhinos remaining in the wild. Today, there are 14,500 white rhinos and nearly 4,000 of the more endangered black rhinos.

Today, most of Africa's black rhinos are found in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, where the species' decline has been stopped through effective security monitoring, better biological management, wildlife-based tourism and extensive assistance to enable communities to benefit from rather than be in conflict with wildlife.

According to the African Rhino Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Africa's white and black rhino numbers have shown annual growth rates of 6.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, since 1995.

"What we know from looking back at the last ten years is that sustained conservation can and does work," says George Kampamba, WWF International's African Rhino Programme Coordinator.

Although WWF has worked on Rhino conservation throughout its 45-year history, the ARP was notable for its overall approach. Working through field projects, it combined action at every level from local communities to global policy.

One striking, if unanticipated, indicator of the success of the programme is that land prices immediately increase in areas where rhinos are re-introduced through a range expansion program. The ARP, which has had experience reintroducing rhinos to national parks, also passed a milestone last year when a KwaZulu Natal community received black rhinos for community-owned land dedicated to wildlife and ecotourism uses.

"Rhino conservation in Africa is going from strength to strength," said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF's Global Species Programme. "But poaching, illegal trade, and unplanned development remain significant problems across the rhinos' range and there is no room for complacency."

In celebration of a decade of rhino conservation, WWF honoured six leaders as "rhino champions" today at Pongola Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal. "These rhino champions have made extraordinary contributions to rhino conservation," Dr Lieberman said.

The champions are:.

Emmanuel-Cebo Gumbi (known as "Nathi Gumbi") director Somkhanda Game Reserve and member of the Gumbi royal family

Kevin John Pretorius, regional director for Phinda Game Reserve

Clive Vivier, owner Leopold Mountain Game Reserve

Manfred Kohrs, former chairman Pongola Game Reserve Association

Dr Jacques Flammand, project leader WWF/Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Black Rhino Range Expansion Project.

Taye Teferi, conservation director of WWF's East Africa Regional Program

Jackson Kamwi, Senior Rhino Monitor at the Lowveld Conservancy Project, Zimbabwe

See under media releases for further information and contact details

CITES: Elephant ivory deadlock broken

2007-06-14

The Hague, The Netherlands – African elephant range countries attending a meeting of the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) have agreed to a nine-year suspension of ivory trading.

The international wildlife convention also agreed to allow four southern African countries to sell stocks of their ivory.

"This consensus is a milestone in elephant history," said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF Global Species Programme.

"This is the first time in more than 18 years that opposing factions are now speaking with one voice to move this debate forward."

The suspension will take effect after a previously approved "one-off" sale of ivory goes through.

Zambia and Chad presented a compromise document on behalf of all African countries with elephant populations, detailing an increase in the one-off sale of ivory to include ivory from stockpiles from Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe if registered by 31 January 2007.

Despite the controversy surrounding "one off" ivory sales and ivory trade suspensions, the real and substantive issues, according to WWF and TRAFFIC are illegal domestic ivory markets, both in Africa and Asia.

"Unfortunately, time ran out at the conference to effectively deal with the critical threat to elephants in the wild – poaching and illegal domestic ivory markets," Dr Lieberman added.

The ETIS (Elephant Trade Information System) analysis reveals that key problem countries for illegal ivory are: Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Thailand and China.

"We are looking for real conservation achievement on the ground," said Tom Milliken, Director of TRAFFIC in South and East Africa.

"Let countries now take this spirit of goodwill and tackle the ivory that is being haemorrhaged illegally from West and Central Africa."

For more information:
Joanna Benn, Communications Manager
WWF Global Species Programme
Tel: +31 634 163140
E-mail: jbenn@wwfspecies.org

Richard Thomas, Communications Coordinator
TRAFFIC International
Tel: +31 634 163625
E-mail: richard.thomas@trafficint.org

Human Wildlife Conflict Manual: Wildlife Management Series

2006-12-05

In community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) programmes, local communities are co-managers of wildlife and earn direct benefits from wildlife. In such programmes conflict between people and wildlife is a frequent and ongoing problem. The expansion of human settlements into wildlife areas means that human-wildlife conflict is growing in many parts of Africa. In order to be successful and sustainable, wildlife-based CBNRM programmes have to address this conflict.

This manual is designed to guide local communities, wildlife managers, policy makers, and other people involved in community conservation, in ways to reduce human-wildlife conflict. It provides some background on the problem and gives specific examples of methods used to reduce human-wildlife conflict in Southern Africa. Examples from Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are supplied, where available, to demonstrate some of these options.

Community Based Natural Resource Management Manual

2006-12-05

This Manual has been written to provide an introduction to community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in Southern Africa. Countries in Southern Africa are: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe. CBNRM is based on the principle that land and natural resources should be managed by those people who live with and depend on them. CBNRM does not involve wildlife only but other natural resources and community development as well. Hence aspects covered in this manual can be used by any community.

From copper to conservation: Rehabilitating Zambia's copper belt

2006-06-23

By Hewitt Chizyuka*

As its name suggests, Zambia's Copperbelt Province was once the copper belt that girded the fortunes of this southern African nation's prosperity. But over-dependence on this raw material has turned those fortunes into economic and environmental hardship.

The vast copper mines in Zambia once attracted waves of African migrants — from far and wide — in search of employment. But the oil shocks of the 1970s, coupled with the eventual crash in global copper prices, soon exposed the country's fragile economic growth base, casting the economy into a downward spiral that ended with a near total collapse of its mining industry by the end of the 1990s.

The economic and social impact of the copper belt's changed fortunes was dire as scores of mine workers were suddenly unemployed with no immediate options of alternative livelihoods. Many turned to the exploitation of natural resources for survival.

Copper belt to crop belt
Conversion of forests for small-scale agriculture soon became a prominent feature of the copper belt, but even more troubling, people resorted to charcoal production to meet a growing urban demand for cheap energy. Burning charcoal, compounded by years of copper ore smelting, has heavily polluted the air and water, and felling trees for its production has been responsible for growing rates of deforestation.

It is estimated that 70–80 per cent of the region's inhabitants depend on subsistence agriculture.

"The conversion of forests for both agriculture and charcoal production has emerged as a very significant threat to the integrity of the copper belt's landscape," said Dr Muyeye Chambwera, a policy specialist with WWF's Southern Africa Regional Programme.

"Today, the copper belt is faced with complex economic and environmental challenges. We are concerned about the depletion and degradation of natural resources."

Despite abject poverty, this region of Zambia is also one of the most biologically diverse, especially as it is positioned at the headwaters of the Kafue, one of the largest river basins in Zambia.

"People in the copper belt need to benefit more from the flow of environmental goods and services provided by the resources of the region, such as water for domestic and industrial use, irrigation, electricity generation and fisheries," added Dr Chambwera.

"These values can translate into a significant contribution to the country's GDP, export earnings and most importantly, peoples' livelihoods."

Combating poverty
The copper belt lies within WWF's Miombo woodlands ecoregion, a science-based global ranking of the Earth's most biologically outstanding terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats. Experts agree that the area's value in terms of biodiversity, species endemism and carbon sequestration, among others, make this an important area of conservation focus.

Covering an area of 3.6 million km² and ten eastern and southern African countries, the Miombo is an amazingly diverse tropical woodland and wetland environment. It is home to 65 million people and many large mammals, including giraffes, elands, rhinos and elephants.

Under the Miombo Ecoregion Conservation Programme (MECP), WWF is striving to come up with a lasting solution to combat poverty in the area; a programme that shows local people how to benefit from the use of local resources on a sustainable basis, and, ultimately, lift them out of poverty.

"We are trying to promote the use of natural resources in a more sustainable way, such as through less destructive agriculture and charcoal production, as well as through the reduction of water pollution from existing mines and industries," explained Dr Davison Gumbo, WWF's Miombo Ecoregion Leader.

"The vision of the MECP is that in 50 years time the people and the nations of the region will have a biologically diverse and ecologically functional ecoregion that meets and sustains human needs and developments through the sustainable use of natural resources, landscapes, species and environmental processes."

He added that alternative livelihoods such as bee keeping, fish breeding and game ranching were being developed — all aimed at maintaining the biological diversity and capacity of the region.

Conservation agriculture
In response to the growing demand for agricultural land in the copper belt, the Zambian government is de-gazetting some protected forest areas to free up land for resettlement and agriculture.

WWF is working with the government to promote appropriate land-use planning and setting up forest management schemes with communities living adjacent to protected forests so as to prevent further opening up of protected forests for cultivation.

"Working with the government will help with efforts to lobby against future de-gazetting of protected forest areas in the future," stressed Gumbo.

At the same time, WWF is partnering with the French agriculture research agency, CIRAD, to promote conservation agriculture methods among local farmers in the copper belt, with a view to increasing their yields while conserving the environment.

While conventional agriculture is mainly characterized by intensive tillage, which has contributed to significant soil degradation through the loss of organic matter, conservation agriculture offers a range of soil management practices that minimize effects of erosion and degradation. This includes minimal soil disturbance (no tillage), permanent soil cover and crop rotations.

"The main objective of this system of agriculture is to increase productivity in order to secure food in households throughout the year and to enable farmers to trade sufficient surplus to meet other financial needs," said Frederic Baudron, a CIRAD agronomist who has been working with WWF on integrating conservation agriculture into Miombo's conservation programme.

Among those WWF hopes to convince to switch to conservation agriculture are charcoal producers, who also practice conventional subsistence farming. Many of these farmers have turned to charcoal production to bridge the gap in their incomes so that they can pay such basic needs as healthcare, school fees, clothing and food.

"Poverty and food insecurity resulting from poor agricultural practices lead farmers to increase their dependence on natural resources," added Baudron. "That is why farmers will look for income-generating activities based on surrounding natural resources, such as charcoal burning."

According to WWF, promoting conservation farming will not only improve farm productivity, but will contribute to the reduction of habitat loss. The permanent soil covers will also reduce erosion and protect the Kafue River from silting, an objective which is very much a focus of the Miombo Ecoregion programme.

Another part of the Miombo project is to help set up a local council, consisting of key stakeholders in the region, that will agree that will agree on land and water uses. WWF views the establishment of such a river catchment council as an important step to negotiate with downstream beneficiaries of environmental goods and services from the copper belt."

"People who live here must see the value in becoming stakeholders and guardians of their own resources," stressed Dr Chambwera. "By sustainably utilizing the natural resources that are available to them, rural livelihoods in the copper belt can be improved."

* Hewitt Chizyuka is a Communications Officer with WWF's Southern Africa Regional Programme Office (SARPO), based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Factsheet: African Rhinoceros

2006-03-08

Just 150 years ago, Africa's savannas teemed with rhinos and other wildlife. However, relentless hunting by European settlers saw rhino numbers and distribution quickly decline. The southern white rhino particularly suffered from this colonization, and in the late 19th century was actually thought to be extinct.

Poaching escalated during the 1970s and 1980s as demand grew for rhino horn - a prized ingredient in traditional Asian medicines and a valued accessory in the Middle East. As a result, black rhino numbers declined by a staggering 96% between 1970 and 1992, and the northern white rhino population decreased from around 2,000 in 1960 to just 15 or so in 1984.

Thanks to vigorous conservation and anti-poaching efforts, some African rhino populations are now stable or increasing. However, poaching still occurs, and some populations remain very small and threatened. Very few African rhinos now survive outside of protected areas and sanctuaries.

Rhinos are 'flagship' species for their habitats - that is, charismatic representatives of the biodiversity within the complex ecosystems they inhabit. Because these large animals need a lot of space to survive, their conservation will help maintain biological diversity and ecological integrity over extensive areas and so help many other species.

WWF has been working to conserve rhinos for over 40 years. The current African Rhino Programme, launched in 1997, provides technical and financial support to 12 rhino conservation projects across Africa and operates in partnerships with key African rhino range states.

Time to clean up the chemicals in Africa

2006-02-03

By Clifton Curtis

If you are already worried about global warming, melting glaciers and rising sea temperatures as some of our planet's most serious threats, there's more. While largely out of sight and mind of most peoples' daily lives, there is another threat that is silently fouling our air, food, water, soil, and overall health: toxic chemicals.

Just as it is the richest countries in the world which have caused a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gas emissions, the same can be said about the manufacturing and dumping of chemicals. Sadly, it is the poorer countries, especially in Africa, that are paying the price.

Modern society has developed an extensive array of synthetic chemicals over the last several decades — chemicals to control disease, improve public health, increase food production, and provide more convenience to our already busy lives. Ironically, many of these well-intentioned chemicals are now wreaking havoc around the world.

Humans, wildlife and entire ecosystems are threatened by chemicals that can alter sexual and neurological development, impair reproduction and undermine immune systems. Today, there is unequivocal evidence that a number of widely distributed synthetic chemicals — including PCBs as well as other industrial chemicals and pesticides — have already caused serious damage to our health and pose an ongoing danger, especially when they are discarded and mismanaged.

In Africa, more than 50,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticides and seriously contaminated soils have accumulated throughout the continent over the last four decades, with less than 5% of the stockpiles being disposed of. These dangerous chemicals are a serious threat to the health of both rural and urban populations — often the poorest and most vulnerable — and significantly contribute to land and water degradation.

Because many African and other developing countries suffer from weak import controls, lack of training on appropriate pesticide use, a lack of safe destruction technologies, and poor storage and stock management, the situation is only getting worse.

Removal of old chemicals is rarely perceived as a priority development issue. In fact, both international donor agencies and recipient countries alike are often reluctant to divert funds already allocated to poverty reduction, food security or other aspects of sustainable development to the issue of waste disposal. That's a shame as the linkage between waste, health impacts and poverty issues couldn't be more obvious.

Some are already responding to the need to protect African communities and the environment from the never-ending build-up of hazardous pesticide stockpiles. A unique partnership between governments, the private sector, institutions such as the World Bank, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, African Union, CropLife, and environmental organizations like WWF, are working with national governments and their local communities to clean up obsolete pesticide stocks and help prevent future accumulations.

By reducing and removing long-standing toxic threats, this African stockpiles programme is promoting public health and environmental management and safety, and in effect, contributing to poverty reduction — a goal that is at the top of the international community's development agenda.

However, even with all the numerous international agreements that are addressing hazardous chemicals — agreements that cover how chemicals are traded and transported, and how they can be reduced and substituted with safe alternatives — what continues to be missing is an overarching strategic approach to international chemicals management.

As delegates gather at an international conference on chemicals management in Dubai this week (4-6 February 2006) to finalize a new strategic approach agreement, they need to commit to strengthening national, regional and international laws and programmes to reduce or eliminate stockpiled chemicals that continue to pose the most serious health threats to humans and wildlife.

Although this agreement is to be voluntary — rather than a legally binding instrument — it is widely seen as a moral and political necessity, in line with the UN's goal of minimizing chemical-related harm to the environment and human health by 2020. While most governments have endorsed the strategic approach, a few have expressed reservations about committing to chemical management reform, opposing new or innovative initiatives, as well as references to the need for new and additional financial and technical assistance. Regrettably, these countries, for the most part, are the same ones that are equally reluctant to agree on targets and timetables for reducing gas emissions in another international agreement on climate change.

International chemical safety requires cooperation among all stakeholders. By adopting and implementing a strategic approach to international management of chemicals, the international community will be doing an enormous service to developing countries in strengthening their capacity for the sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes and improving the quality of life of its citizens.

* Clifton Curtis is director of WWF's Global Toxics Programme

Restoring the Kafue Flats - A partnership approach to environmental flows in Zambia

2005-09-20

Paper on progress that has been made over the past 5 years in establishing an environmental flow regime at the Itezhi-tezhi dam in Zambia. The paper was presented at the Brisbane River Symposium, September 2005, by P. Schelle and J. Pittock.

Natural resources management forum launched in Zambia

2005-08-19

Lusaka, Zambia – Government officials and environmentalists in Zambia attended a ceremony marking the launch of the country's first forum to address community-based natural resources management.

"The significance of the launch is that this platform will galvanize partnerships for conservation and development," said Morse Nanchengwa, a project manager with the WWF Southern Africa Regional Programme Office, based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

"Through this forum, local communities, government, and the private sector can now collaborate and pool resources to support sustainable management of natural resources at the household level."

The objectives of the community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) forum will seek to promote and develop community based approaches to wise-use and sustainable management of natural resources in order to achieve rural development and improve livelihoods. The forum will also facilitate dialogue among all relevant stakeholders as well as develop and adopt best practices for sustainable utilization and management of natural resources in the country particularly in sectors such as forestry, water, wetlands, fisheries, and wildlife.

"The rationale for community involvement in natural resources management is based on the premise that local communities that derive direct benefit from managing natural resources will protect those resources," Nanchengwa added.

The forum is a culmination of many years of work and consultation among various stakeholders in the country, including WWF, tracing as far back to 1985 when Zambia's national conservation strategy was finalized, as well as in 1994 with the country's National Environment Action Plan of 1994.

"Zambia is about the only country in the region, albeit still in its infancy, that CBNRM stakeholders have opted for a civil-society led body to promote conservation and development," said Nanchengwa.

"Lessons from Zambia will be shared with Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. This way we can apply regional performance standards for conservation and development."

For further information:
Hewitt Chizyuka, Communications Officer
WWF Southern Africa Regional Program Office
Tel: + 263 4 252532/4
E-mail: Hchizyuka@wwfsarpo.org