Advocacy & policy

WWF works at many levels to both convince and help governments and other political bodies adopt, enforce, strengthen and/or change policies, guidelines and laws that affect biodiversity and natural resource use.
Our aim is to ensure a legislative framework that provides adequate regulation over high-impact business sectors, delivers safeguards for priority species and priority places, and reduces humanity's footprint.

WWF's policy work is based on three main elements:
 
  • Research, analysis and the provision of informed and accurate technical advice
  • Policy formulation
  • Relationship building, engagement, lobbying and campaigning.
 / ©: Chris MARAIS / WWF-Canon
WWF event at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002 , showing world leaders asleep on the job of safeguarding the planet.
© Chris MARAIS / WWF-Canon
© WWF © WWF / Clive Tesar © Media Center, Beograd © WWF / Saipul Siagian © WWF / Franko Petri © WWF Nepal/Akash Shrestha © Freddy Yazbek / WWF-Mexico

Why do we do this?

National and international laws, policies, and frameworks relating to, amongst other things, water, wildlife, forestry, fisheries, land use, poverty, development, agriculture, energy, and CO2 emissions have a great deal of influence over how natural habitats and resources are managed and used – and so are highly relevant to WWF's goals. Indeed, laws and regulations are one of our priority global drivers.

We are therefore working to ensure that public laws and policies – at the local, national, regional, and international level – provide for the sustainable management, equitable use, and adequate protection of biodiversity and natural resources.

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