The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
- Adria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- AsiaPacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Borneo
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Caucasus
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- European Policy Office
- Finland
Corruption exacerbates all of these problems, undermining efforts to prevent environmental decline.
No matter how good our laws and policies, corruption can render them useless.
“Unless we tackle environmental crime and corruption, our efforts to ensure the world’s natural systems flourish and benefit communities and economies for the long-term will come to nought.”
Delfin Ganapin, WWF Governance Practice Leader
Illicit trade in the forestry sector alone is valued at $13 billion, and the international illegal wildlife trade – the fourth largest illegal global trade after drugs, counterfeiting and human trafficking – is worth up to $23 billion a year.
As demand for natural resources of all kinds continues to increase, tackling corruption is becoming a matter of national and global security.
![Illegal logging in the lowland rainforest. Loggers with illegally cut, highly quoted cedro tree (Cedrela odorata). Lowland rainforest along the Rio Las Piedras, near the Alto Purus Reserved Zone, department Madre de Dios, Peru. © Andre Bartschi / WWF-CANON Illegal logging in the lowland rainforest. Loggers with illegally cut, highly quoted cedro tree (Cedrela odorata). Lowland rainforest along the Rio Las Piedras, near the Alto Purus Reserved Zone, department Madre de Dios, Peru.](http://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/img/illegal_logging_peru_429377.jpg)
© Andre Bartschi / WWF-CANON
Together we’re harnessing existing knowledge, delivering new thought leadership, researching effective approaches, and setting up anti-corruption missions to tackle corruption at scale.
In areas prone to corruption, we need to strengthen governance to prevent problems arising in the first place.
We also need to increase our understanding through better monitoring and risk assessment, and improve intelligence sharing between national and international enforcement and intelligence agencies.
And we need to encourage citizens and businesses to speak up and report corruption when they encounter it.
![IUU fishing is estimated to cost between €8 billion and €19 billion annually, representing 11 million to 26 million tonnes of catch. © Jürgen Freund / WWF IUU fishing is estimated to cost between €8 billion and €19 billion annually, representing 11 million to 26 million tonnes of catch.](http://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/img/scr_290024_506449.jpg)
© Jürgen Freund / WWF
Land Grabbing
Corruption and criminality behind biodiversity loss in Colombia’s forests: Land grabbing. Video from TNRC.![Cláudio Maretti submitting reports and photos through satellite-based Internet communication devices © Zig Koch Cláudio Maretti submitting reports and photos through satellite-based Internet communication devices](http://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/img/equipamento_de_comunicacao_com_claudio_marettizig_koch_383413.jpg)
© Zig Koch
We can only beat crimes like elephant poaching, pirate fishing and illegal logging if we also beat corruption.
Corruption — the elephant in the room, in the fight against environmental crime
Despite a huge proliferation in environmental legislation globally over the last four decades, we are failing to prevent widespread ecosystem destruction, pollution and climate change.
More than anything else perhaps, the biggest challenge we face is the absence of political will.
Opinion from Delfin Ganapin, WWF Governanc Practice Leader, on WWF Medium. Read more here.