Search Climate Insights Directory

The report finds that while Americans are concerned about the impact of plastics on marine life and water quality, they often feel unable to avoid plastic packaging or believe their individual actions are insignificant. There is strong public support for producer responsibility, with businesses ranked as the most responsible party for reducing plastic waste and the entity that should pay for recycling infrastructure. While there is broad support for positive regulations like credits and refund programs, Americans are more divided on taxes and fees.

The report details a widespread snaring crisis in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam, where an estimated 12.3 million snares exist in protected areas. These indiscriminate traps threaten over 700 mammal species and disrupt critical ecosystem services like seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. The document links snaring to increased zoonotic disease risk due to the handling of high-risk taxa and highlights the role of urban demand for wildlife meat. It argues that current legal frameworks are insufficient, often lacking clear definitions of snares or penalties for possession, and recommends strengthening legislation, increasing ranger densities, and partnering with indigenous peoples to combat the crisis.

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for Biological Corridor 7 (BC 7) outlines the safeguards and mitigation strategies for two primary activities in 2020: the improvement of waterholes and combined zonation. The plan ensures compliance with both Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), with the latter prevailing in cases of discrepancy regarding community consultation and compensation for non-title land users. BC 7, covering 79 square kilometres, connects the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary and Phrumsengla National Park and supports species such as the Tiger, Red Panda, and Musk Deer. The ESMP details specific risks, such as increased poaching and human-wildlife conflict, and assigns responsibility for monitoring and implementation to the BFL focal person and external contractors.

The document argues that 20th-century infrastructure paradigms are ill-suited for 21st-century climate extremes and that current 'sustainable' infrastructure efforts focus too heavily on low-carbon goals while neglecting nature-based resilience. It highlights a critical gap in 'upstream' strategic planning, where natural capital is often ignored until the project approval stage. Through case studies in Mozambique, Mexico, Myanmar, and South Africa, the report demonstrates the value of integrating ecosystem services and climate scenarios into land-use planning. It introduces the 'Visioning Futures' framework, which emphasizes defining spatial scope, identifying future objectives, and performing sensitivity testing under various climate scenarios to avoid environmental risks and optimize infrastructure siting.

The document examines the symbiotic relationship between corruption and environmental crime, arguing that corruption acts as a 'door-opener' for illegal activities and renders law enforcement an unreliable tool for conservation. It highlights how corrupt incentives lead to biased enforcement targeting low-level offenders while protecting powerful actors, and suggests that practitioners use risk analysis and extra-territorial legislation to mitigate these effects.

The project has achieved moderately satisfactory progress, with significant successes in soy (Cerrado agreement and Soy Toolkit) and supply chain transparency (Trase platform). However, progress in Indonesia's palm oil market and Paraguay's beef sector has been slower due to delays in consumer awareness and a lack of consensus on sustainability standards. The evaluation recommends strengthening communication strategies in Indonesia and adopting a systems approach in Paraguay to better integrate production, demand, and finance.

The report presents a business case for crossbreeding dairy cows (Holstein and Jersey) with beef bulls (such as Angus and Limousin). It highlights that crossbred calves command higher market prices ($128-$330) compared to dairy calves ($35-$100) and offer better carcass quality and feed efficiency. For a 1,500-head dairy, the report estimates feed cost savings of $77,102 and an overall value increase of nearly $300,000 across the value chain. Additionally, crossbreeding can improve cow conception rates by up to 55%, reducing insemination and veterinary costs. Environmentally, the practice is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption per pound of beef because crossbred calves require less feed to reach marketable size.

The report reveals that wildlife rangers globally face excessive safety and health risks, including inadequate housing, medical care, and communication equipment. It highlights a significant wage gap between rangers and police officers and documents high rates of infectious diseases, particularly malaria in Africa. The study also explores community perceptions of rangers and the lack of comprehensive insurance coverage for on-the-job injuries and fatalities.

WWF provides guidance for corporations on the voluntary purchase of carbon credits, emphasizing that such purchases must be supplementary to a transparent, science-based strategy to reduce Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. The document cautions against using terms like "carbon neutral," "net zero," and "offsetting" due to potential misleading interpretations and the evolving regulatory context of the Paris Agreement. It establishes seven quality criteria for "high-quality" credits—real, measurable, additional, permanent, avoiding leakage, monitored/verified, and complying with safeguards—and advises against credits from nuclear, fossil fuel, or certain biomass projects. Additionally, it introduces the concept of "insetting" as a way to address emissions within a company's value chain, though it notes that standards for insetting are still evolving.

The report examines over 90 cases of infrastructure planning, focusing on three case studies in developing economies and examples from the US and UK, to advocate for holistic approaches that preserve ecosystem services and mitigate climate change effects.

The GEF6-MPA project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) with WWF, seeks to expand Madagascar's marine protected areas by over one million hectares. The document outlines the safeguards required to manage environmental and social risks, specifically focusing on the restriction of resource access for local communities. It defines a four-component strategy: establishing a representative network of MPAs/LMMAs, creating a robust enabling environment through regulatory updates, improving site-level management efficiency to support sustainable development, and implementing a knowledge management and monitoring system. A key mechanism is the Action Plan for Resource Access Restriction (PARAR), designed to provide alternative livelihoods for affected persons (PAPs) before restrictions are imposed. The project is classified as Category B by WWF, meaning it has moderate, localized, and reversible impacts. The framework also details a four-level grievance redress mechanism ranging from amicable settlement to judicial recourse.

The report finds that while the 2017 ivory ban significantly reduced purchase rates compared to pre-ban levels, demand remains persistent among 'Diehard Buyers' and regular overseas travelers. By 2019, self-reported ivory purchase in the past 12 months rose to 17% from 14% in 2018. The study identifies three consumer segments: Rejectors, Ban Influenced Citizens, and Diehard Buyers, noting that the latter are increasingly likely to purchase ivory in the future. Overseas travel to Thailand, Hong Kong SAR, and Cambodia is a primary channel for ivory acquisition. Awareness of the ban is high when prompted, and conservation campaigns are generally viewed positively, though they are less effective at persuading the most persistent buyers.

The report details a successful pilot study to extract high-quality mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from hawksbill turtle carapace samples, enabling the tracing of illegal tortoiseshell products back to their source populations. By comparing DNA from market products in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands against a nesting baseline, the study demonstrated that most products likely originated from the Solomon Islands stock. The authors emphasize the need for a comprehensive regional genetic database (the 'Shell Bank') to reduce the number of 'orphan' haplotypes and improve the accuracy of forensic investigations into the illegal wildlife trade.

The report emphasizes that freshwater systems are the primary conduits for climate impacts and critical levers for adaptation. It highlights a severe decline in freshwater biodiversity, noting an 83% average drop in species populations between 1970 and 2014. The document argues that traditional 'grey' infrastructure often undermines natural resilience and proposes 'nature-based solutions'—such as wetland restoration and reforestation—to mitigate floods, secure food and energy supplies, and protect vulnerable communities. It specifically calls for a 'New Deal for Nature and People' and the 'Bankable Water Solutions' initiative to redirect finance toward sustainable, basin-scale water management.

The project achieved a 'Satisfactory-Highly Satisfactory' rating for its objectives, successfully strengthening national policies and engaging nine local communities in mangrove restoration and conservation. Key achievements include the update of national regulations in Panama and Ecuador, the development of a National Mangrove Plan in Ecuador (February 2019), and the creation of fisheries management plans in El Morro, Ecuador. While regional coordination through the CPPS was effective, the final regional strategy awaited official endorsement. Sustainability is rated as 'moderately likely' due to risks regarding long-term funding for on-the-ground activities.

The 2019 Arctic Council Conservation Scorecard finds that Arctic states are generally failing in their roles as stewards of the region, particularly regarding the regulation of marine shipping and the recognition of Indigenous peoples as full partners. While states performed well in ecosystem-based management and environmental impact assessments, they showed slow progress in safeguarding biodiversity and protecting conservation areas against climate change risks. The report specifically highlights a lack of governance in shipping and warns that new oil and gas developments are inconsistent with the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree warming target.

The report documents WWF's half-century of cetacean conservation, emphasizing the transition from lethal research to non-invasive methods and the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. Key achievements include the 1986 commercial whaling moratorium, the creation of the Ross Sea Marine Sanctuary, and the re-routing of shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy. However, the report also highlights the critical failure to save the vaquita porpoise due to illegal gillnet fishing. It concludes by introducing the WWF Cetacean Global Initiative, focusing on bycatch, shipping, and critical habitat protection.

The report identifies a systemic failure in the plastic life cycle where the cost of pollution is not borne by producers or converters, leading to a 'tragedy of the commons'. It projects that under a 'business as usual' scenario, plastic pollution will double by 2030, with ocean plastic potentially reaching 300 million metric tons. The document highlights that 37% of plastic waste is currently mismanaged, and carbon emissions from plastic incineration could triple by 2030. To counter this, WWF proposes a 'no plastic in nature' scenario that includes phasing out single-use plastics, achieving 100% waste collection, and establishing a multilateral agreement to hold all stakeholders accountable across the value chain.

The report argues that Japan's domestic ivory market remains insufficient to prevent illegal trade and recommends a comprehensive market closure with narrow exemptions. It compares Japan's regime with those of China, Hong Kong, Thailand, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, highlighting gaps in Japan's traceability, registration, and stockpile management. Key recommendations include mandating the registration of privately held ivory, implementing permanent marking for tusks, and adopting stricter legal acquisition verification processes.

The 2019 Lower Kafue River Basin Report Card assigns an overall health grade of 'C' (moderate) to the basin, indicating that while some indicators meet objectives, others do not. The assessment, developed by WARMA and WWF, highlights critical failures in human health and nutrition—specifically disease burden and sanitation—and declines in keystone species like the Kafue Lechwe. While economic indicators and water quantity generally performed better, the report identifies urgent needs for improved water quality data, climate-smart agriculture to combat malnutrition, and a comprehensive review of environmental flow releases from the Itezhi-tezhi and Kafue Gorge dams.