Posted on June, 06 2011

In one of her speeches, WWF International President Yolanda Kakabadse outlined the advances made in conservation in the past half-century. "When WWF was founded there were no ministers of the environment and no environmental treaties. Today such ministries are found in governments worldwide, and treaties are increasingly used to govern and protect the environment."

Since 1961, WWF has been instrumental in getting more than a billion hectares protected, several species brought back from the brink of extinction, and raising more than one billion dollars in conservation finance. The organisation is now supported by more than 5 million people and is active in over 100 countries across five continents. 

The anniversary programme started in the afternoon with some of the most influential players from the global environmental community, including Janez Potocnik (European Environment Commissioner), Lyonpo Dr. Pema Gyamtsho (Bhutan Minister of Agriculture and Forests), Erik Solheim (Norwegian Minister of the Environment), and Monique Barbut (CEO of the Global Environment Facility).

They discussed with Yolanda Kakabadse and WWF International Director General Jim Leape, the challenges of growing water, food and energy security issues and shared their vision for transformational conservation over the next decades, with a particular focus on how civil society environmental organizations best work with the public sector to address those issues.

Sobering discussions indicate how much more work there is ahead of us in the next 50 years, but it was inspiring to hear the panellists confirm that WWF is on the right path.

In the evening, guests at the gala evening (which was held to say "thank you" to staff and supporters world-wide) were treated to environmentally-themed theatre, dance, and musical performances, specially commissioned art installations and a children's choir.

There were many significant speeches, such as the one made by Archbishop Tutu who said: "We are meant to live in a world which we share, and we are meant to live as members of one family, and yet whenever we look around, isn't it devastating to see the inequities and levels of poverty? Our population is increasing, environmental degradation is increasing. How do we resolve these inequities when all we are told is growth, growth, growth?"

The Archbishop ended on an optimistic note and said he believed humankind could learn to live within its limits. "There is enough for everyone - but not enough for our greed," he said. "There's enough for us all to live a full life - so why do we want to destroy the only home we have?"

Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey highlighted WWF's record of achievements and said the organisation was vital in today's world. "The protection and sustainable use of natural resources is one of the most pressing issues today. Thanks to WWF we have learned we must take a holistic approach to the environment," she said. "Addressing environmental issues at global as well as local levels becomes ever more important."

Al-Jazeera anchor Veronica Pedrosa introduced a video-taped message from world-famous naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough in which he said conservation organisations such as WWF were becoming increasingly important as the planet faces greater challenges. "As WWF has pointed out, this is an issue for everybody because it affects everybody," said Sir David. "We are dependent on the natural world for everything we need. The job of WWF is more important than ever and it deserves all the support it can get." 

WWF International Director General Jim Leape reminded guests why they were there and of the work still to be done to achieve a fair and sustainable world for all. He related of some of WWF's work but reminded that we must continue to do more:

"The world would be much poorer today without our efforts, yet it is a cruel irony that, for all that we have accomplished together, somehow we have to find a way to do even more. We have to find a way to bend the curves that will define our future – carbon, water, fisheries, erosion of biodiversity; fraying of the fabric of life. We have to find a new way to forge connections with nature. We live in an increasingly urbanised society that is largely ignorant of the wonders that inspire us. And we live in an economy that is still often stubbornly indifferent to the natural systems upon which it depends."

The next day participants visited an exhibition on WWF’s past and present hosted by the Swiss National Museum of Zurich. Among others, the exhibits included the development of the panda logo by Gerald Watterson, WWF’s legal establishment documents called the Morges manifesto and descriptions of the organisation’s first projects.

In a corresponding publication you can read how in its first decade, WWF’s public fundraising efforts raised US$ 5.6 million to be used in 356 conservation-related projects around the world – from wildlife surveys education and anti-poaching efforts. The front page story in the Daily mirror of 9 October 1961 when WWF was just established called for the immediate action to save the rhino. Today, the breadth of the organisation’s work has considerably expanded, with efforts including influencing consumers to consider responsible choices in today’s lifestyles.

This is highlighted even more in the recently-launched global WWF 50th anniversary campaign, ‘the world is where you live” developed with Ogilvy. This resource adds to the Earth Hour campaign that has now run for several years and resulted in even more public engagement around the globe, and aims to highlight the fact that we, and our various lifestyles, are not separate from, but integrally connected to the wider environment.