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1,076 documents from WWF International
Beyond the Ivory Ban
The report finds that an estimated 6.8% of Chinese outbound travelers purchase ivory while abroad, with Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR being the most popular destinations. Mail is the most common method for transporting these products back to Mainland China. While most travelers recognize the illegality of cross-border transport, many are misled by local guides and sellers who suggest that small items are safe to carry. The study highlights a specific 'planner' segment—typically high-income, highly educated females—who intentionally seek out ivory markets.
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Document type: Report
WWF COVID-19 Listening Tour Food Sector – Key Takeaways
The report identifies the COVID-19 pandemic as a 'dress rehearsal' for climate change impacts on the global food system, highlighting the vulnerability of producers and the informal food sector. While essential services and large retailers maintained operations, the crisis exposed systemic inequalities and the brittleness of efficient supply chains, leading to increased food waste. The document emphasizes the need for a post-pandemic 'new norm' characterized by pre-competitive collaboration, integrated sustainability, and a shift toward e-commerce to ensure food security and resilience.
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Document type: Report
EMERGENCY AMAZON FIRE FUND REPORT
The report details the impact of the Emergency Amazon Fire Fund, which raised nearly $2 million in the US for fire response and recovery. It highlights the severity of the 2019 fire season, where the total burned area reached at least 21,621 square miles, and notes that 2020 saw a 28% increase in fires in the Brazilian Amazon during July compared to the previous year. WWF's interventions include donating 700 fire-fighting tools to the State of Amazonas Fire Department, supporting community-led wildfire prevention in Colombia's Chiribiquete National Park, and establishing an emergency program in Bolivia. The document argues that fires are driven by deforestation—fueled by land speculation, infrastructure development, and market demand—and are exacerbated by climate change. Long-term goals focus on securing 210 million acres of the biome through Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) and strengthening Indigenous land rights.
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Document type: Report
Exploring Smallholder Solutions in the Rubber Sector
The report examines the potential of rubberwood sales to mitigate the financial burden on Indonesian rubber smallholders during the replanting of over-aged, low-yield trees. While selling rubberwood provides some initial capital, the study finds it is insufficient on its own to cover the significant cash shortfalls associated with the five-year immaturity period of new trees. The analysis concludes that a viable financing model must combine rubberwood sales with an agroforestry approach—using intercrops to generate income—and training in good agricultural practices (GAP) to ensure long-term profitability and repayment capacity for smallholders. The report also highlights systemic barriers to finance, including a lack of land titles for collateral and high operational costs for financial service providers (FSPs).
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Document type: Report
Green Road Infrastructure Guidelines for Colombia
The Green Road Infrastructure Guidelines for Colombia establish a framework for integrating sustainability into the entire lifecycle of road projects—from strategic planning and design to operation and decommissioning. Central to this is the Early Intervention Approach (EIA), which emphasizes the use of the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, prevent, mitigate, correct, and compensate) to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. The guidelines provide specific technical directives for each project phase, focusing on maintaining ecological connectivity, protecting Areas of Special Environmental Interest (AEIA), and managing water bodies. Key engineering recommendations include the construction of wildlife crossings, the use of 'green' drainage works, and the establishment of multifunctional nurseries. The document also stresses the importance of governability and community participation to prevent social conflict and illegal land grabbing, particularly in sensitive regions like the Colombian Amazon.
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Document type: Guide
COVID-19 and Wildlife Trade: Perspectives and Proposed Actions
WWF International calls for urgent global action to mitigate zoonotic disease risks by closing high-risk wildlife markets and stopping illegal trade. The organization advocates for a holistic approach that combines law enforcement, demand reduction, and the protection of natural ecosystems to prevent future pandemics. The document specifically highlights the need for the United States to provide strategic resources and diplomatic leadership, and presents survey data showing strong public support for closing illegal wildlife markets in several Asian regions.
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Document type: Statement
BIOGENIC CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR FOR HARVESTED WOOD PRODUCTS USER MANUAL
The manual describes a tool for calculating the biogenic carbon footprint of wood-based products, measured in kg CO2eq. It explains two usage levels: a 'BASIC' mode for quick checks and an 'ADVANCED' mode for detailed analysis of up to 10 products. The calculator incorporates dynamic methods to assess the 'forest carbon gap' (the time until harvested biomass is regrown) and 'storage time benefits' (delayed emissions). It provides reference values for various forest species and climate zones based on IPCC 2006 classifications, as well as default lifespans for product categories ranging from energy combustion (0 years) to building materials (50 years). The tool also allows for the customization of wood processing efficiency, allocation methods, and end-of-life scenarios such as incineration, recycling, and landfill.
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Document type: Guide
BIOGENIC CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR FOR HARVESTED WOOD PRODUCTS BACKGROUND DATA & CALCULATIONS
The report outlines a methodology for calculating the biogenic carbon footprint of harvested wood products, moving away from the common assumption of carbon neutrality. It introduces the GWPbio approach, which accounts for the time lag between carbon emissions from harvesting and the subsequent sequestration during forest regrowth. The framework separates the impact into the 'forest carbon gap' (GWPbio, forest) and the benefits of delayed emissions through product storage (GWPbio, product), while also incorporating fossil carbon footprints. The methodology utilizes the Bern carbon cycle model to simulate atmospheric CO2 decay and provides specific growth and decomposition parameters for boreal forest (Norway spruce), Douglas fir, and Loblolly pine.
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Document type: Report
Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report
The Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report evaluates the efforts of a cohort of global food and beverage companies to address water risks in their agricultural supply chains. It details specific company achievements in sustainable sourcing, water-risk assessments, and regenerative agriculture, while identifying five key lessons for corporate water stewardship, including the necessity of funding transitions for farmers and the importance of holistic, soil-health-focused approaches over single-issue programs.
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Document type: Report
COVID 19: URGENT CALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE
The report examines the link between environmental degradation and the rising frequency of zoonotic diseases, using COVID-19 as a primary example. It identifies land-use change for agriculture and the trade of high-risk wildlife as the primary drivers of pathogen spillover. The document proposes a 'New Deal for Nature and People' focusing on halting high-risk wildlife trade, eliminating deforestation from supply chains, and implementing a 'One Health' approach to economic recovery.
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Document type: Report
What makes a high-quality carbon credit?
The document establishes a framework for evaluating 'high-quality' carbon credits across six quality objectives: robust GHG impact determination, avoidance of double counting, addressing non-permanence, facilitating the transition to net zero, strong institutional arrangements, and positive environmental and social impacts. It details specific criteria for each, such as additionality, corresponding adjustments under the Paris Agreement, and the avoidance of carbon lock-in, to guide buyers in a complex market.
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Document type: Report
Transparent 2020
The report presents the inaugural results of the ReSource Footprint Tracker, analyzing the 2018 plastic footprints of Keurig Dr Pepper, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, and The Coca-Cola Company. Together, these companies reported 4.2 million metric tons of plastic. The analysis identifies a significant gap between corporate recycled content goals and actual use, which ranged from 0.4% to 11.3%. It highlights the United States as a primary area for increasing recycling due to high landfill rates (72%), and identifies China, India, and the Philippines as priority regions for mitigating plastic mismanagement. The document calls for collective action to scale recycled polypropylene (PP) and the adoption of reusable packaging systems to prevent 50 million metric tons of plastic from entering nature by 2030.
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Document type: Report
AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE & NATURE RECOVERY FUND
The WWF Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund was launched to address the catastrophic impacts of the 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season, which killed an estimated 1.25 billion native animals and burned over 42 million acres. The fund reached its AUD$30 million goal, with AUD$9 million contributed from the US. As of May 2020, 80% of these funds were allocated to urgent wildlife care, supporting 64 projects including veterinary services and the use of drones and detection dogs. The fund's strategy is divided into three phases: immediate response (Phase I), habitat protection and restoration (Phase II), and long-term future-proofing (Phase III), which includes influencing the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act review and promoting the transition to renewables. Specific initiatives include koala rehabilitation at Healesville Sanctuary and the Phillip Island Nature Parks, and a collaboration with the Jali Local Aboriginal Council for species detection in the Ngunya Jargoon Indigenous Protected Area.
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Document type: Report
INDOOR SOILLESS FARMING: PHASE I
The report examines the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry, comparing conventional farming with hydroponic and aquaponic systems in greenhouse and vertical formats. A life cycle analysis (LCA) reveals that while conventional agriculture currently has the lowest overall environmental impact, CEA excels in land and water efficiency. The document identifies energy and labor as primary cost hurdles but highlights innovations in LED lighting, AI, and renewable energy as potential solutions. It specifically evaluates St. Louis as a viable location for a pilot project due to its market demand, available stranded assets like caves and brownfields, and supportive local policies.
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Document type: Report
Planting Trees is Good. Saving Existing Forests is Better. Protecting People and Nature is Best.
WWF International provides a framework for corporate forest and climate goal-setting, advocating for a mitigation hierarchy that prioritizes avoiding and reducing footprints before pursuing compensation. The guide argues that protecting existing forests is significantly more effective for climate mitigation than tree planting, noting that preventing the loss of one hectare of mature forest avoids approximately 100 tons of carbon, whereas tropical reforestation sequesters only about 3 tons per hectare annually. It further recommends that companies align carbon credit purchases with specific quality criteria and national commitments (NDCs) and pursue transformational change through improved land tenure and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
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Document type: Guide
Safety at the Helm: A Plan for Smart Shipping through the Bering Strait
The Bering Strait is experiencing a significant increase in vessel transits due to climate-driven sea ice decline and the expansion of the Northern Sea Route. This growth elevates risks of oil spills, ship strikes on marine mammals, and pollution in a biologically productive region vital to Indigenous subsistence. While the IMO approved two-way routes and Areas to Be Avoided in 2018, the report argues that current frameworks like the Polar Code have gaps regarding heavy fuel oil and underwater noise. WWF recommends that the US and Russia collaborate to implement e-navigation technologies, a joint Sea Traffic Coordination Center, and a transboundary Area to Be Avoided around the Diomede Islands, alongside industry-led speed restrictions and zero-discharge zones.
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Document type: Report
OPINION SURVEY ON COVID-19 AND WILDLIFE TRADE IN 5 ASIAN MARKETS
The survey of 5,000 respondents across Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam reveals high levels of concern regarding COVID-19 and strong support for closing illegal wildlife markets to prevent future pandemics. While support for closures is nearly universal in Southeast Asian markets, it is lower in Japan, where respondents perceive such markets to be less prevalent. The report identifies a strong public link between wildlife trade and zoonotic outbreaks, with a majority of respondents indicating they would stop consuming wildlife products if markets were closed.
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Document type: Report
WWF-AUSTRALIA BUSHFIRE RESPONSE
The document outlines WWF-Australia's two-wave response to the 2019-2020 bushfires. Wave 1 focused on emergency wildlife response, including food drops for brush-tailed rock-wallabies, veterinary triage for koalas, and monitoring the Kangaroo Island dunnart. Wave 2 shifts toward long-term goals: protecting unburnt habitat, advocating for the 'endangered' listing of koalas under the EPBC Act, and promoting Australia as a renewable energy exporter by 2030. The response integrates corporate partnerships and traditional owner knowledge to future-proof landscapes against a warming climate.
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Document type: Report
Beyond Boundaries: Insights into emerging zoonotic diseases, nature, and human well-being
The document analyzes the drivers of zoonotic disease emergence, emphasizing the role of human-animal-environment interfaces. It identifies land-use change, agricultural intensification, and wildlife trade as primary direct drivers that increase human exposure to pathogens. The brief proposes a systems approach to identify leverage points for intervention, such as regulating high-risk wildlife taxa in markets and re-engineering food supply chains, while warning against rushed interventions that could undermine food security or drive illegal trade. It also examines the role of climate change in expanding the range of endemic diseases and explores future scenarios for human health and conservation.
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Document type: Briefing
EMERGENCY AMAZON FIRE FUND REPORT
The WWF-US Emergency Amazon Fire Fund raised approximately $1.5 million to provide firefighting equipment, medical supplies, and food to local civil society organizations and Indigenous peoples in Brazil and Bolivia following the 2019 fire season. The report highlights a vicious cycle where deforestation and climate change intensify droughts, increasing fire risks and reducing the Amazon's capacity to act as a carbon sink. In Brazil, the fund supported the Victoria Amazon Foundation in the Amazonas region to train brigades and conduct prevention workshops. In Bolivia, the fund provided critical water, food, and medical supplies to remote communities in the Santa Cruz and Chiquitano Dry Forest regions, where fires impacted over 5 million acres of forest and displaced families.
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Document type: Report