World Wide Fund for Nature

Yolanda Kakabadse

The WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature, is one of the largest international conservation organizations in the world. It was founded on April 29, 1961 as World Wildlife Fund in Switzerland.

Approximately 4,000 employees work all over the world in the network in about 100 countries for more than 2,000 nature and environmental protection projects. More than five million sponsors around the world to support the work of the WWF, making 2006 on 374 million euros could be used for conservation. In the German-speaking world ever existed, a national organization WWF in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The conservation organization won in 2002 a legal dispute over the name of WWF, so that had to rename the World Wrestling Federation in World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE).

3.1 Founding Members WWF International

4.1 Directors-General of WWF International
4.2 President of WWF International
4.3 President of the WWF UK
4.4 Chairman of the Board of Trustees of German WWF

5.1 Worldwide
5.2 Germany

6.1 Organisation
6.2 Founding Members
6.3 involvement in other organizations

Objectives

The WWF formulated its objectives as follows:

"WWF wants the worldwide destruction of nature curb and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. WWF works for a world:

The conservation of biological diversity of the earth,
The sustainable use of natural resources,
The control of pollution and harmful use. "

Here, the WWF is different in its operation of other environmental organizations. Unlike Greenpeace and BUND, the focus was from the outset less high-profile individual actions or active constituents, but rather on classical lobbying, " Ökosponsoring " by business enterprises and the financial and staff support large -scale constant protection projects.

Over the years, the range of tasks has expanded, starting from the pure species. Meanwhile, projects to general environmental protection and the fight against the anthropogenic greenhouse effect in the work of the WWF are equally important.

Implementation

In the Memorandum, the tasks " protection of animals, plants, forests, landscape, water, soil and all natural resources through the purchase and management of land hot. The research, education of all classes, information and communication, coordination of efforts, cooperation with other interested groups and the aim of any useful support. "

In the following years, the WWF launched conservation projects around the world. The original focus of activities was on the protection of endangered species. With increasing resources, the range of topics extended to other fields such as conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of natural resources and reducing pollution.

The organization wants to build a future live together in harmony in which people and nature by its own account. In return, the WWF engaged worldwide in the development of nature reserves, for the long-term conservation of endangered natural areas and the protection of endangered animal and plant species.

In addition, the non-governmental organization has an impact on policy, industry, commerce and consumers. With concrete solutions, WWF aims to show how an ecological life of the people is possible in a living nature.

Throughout its history, the WWF, which sees itself as a "partner of the economy", was also supported by major companies, including Chevron and Exxon ( in 1988 more than 50,000 U.S. dollars donated ) and Philip Morris, ExxonMobil and Morgan Guaranty Trust. The Corporate Club of the WWF ( see Related links ) offers companies in some states, to support the organization and for it to be allowed to advertise the name and the logo of the WWF. Currently, WWF is working with, among others, Coca -Cola, Nokia and Canon.

The WWF has been accused by some environmental groups and civil society initiatives, to entertain close relations with companies to act independently can. See the section on criticism.

Logo

The logo of the WWF shows the giant panda. Model for this logo was the famous Panda Bear Chi Chi, who lived in 1961 ( during the founding of the WWF) at the London Zoo.

The original logo was designed by Peter Markham Scott after sketches of the Scottish naturalist and artist Gerald Watterson. The logo was redesigned in 1986 in the part of the renaming of the organization " World Wide Fund For Nature ".

History

The organization was founded on April 29, 1961 as World Wildlife Fund in Switzerland. Still in its first year incurred sections in Great Britain, Switzerland and the USA. This was followed by the sections in Germany (1963 ), the Netherlands, Austria and South Africa. Gradually developed to today a global network of 59 national sections, program offices and partner organizations.

1986 - on the occasion of the anniversary, the 25th birthday - the name was adapted to the altered activities of the WWF. It was decided to change the name to " World Wide Fund For Nature ". Only the United States and Canada retained the original name.

Organization

Under the umbrella organization, is the WWF International whose headquarters and central Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland, there are considerable regional program offices, partner organizations and nearly 60 independent WWF - sections. WWF International is headed by James P. Leape as general manager, while Yolanda Kakabadse the association represents representative as President. In the German-speaking area of the WWF in Austria (Vienna ), Switzerland ( Zurich ) and Germany (Frankfurt am Main ) is represented.

Founding members of WWF International

The founding members of the WWF were industrialists, scientists and conservationists. Important people who were involved in the establishment, are:

Julian Huxley - British biologist, 1937-1962 ( Vice) President of the Eugenics Society, 1946-1948 first Director General of UNESCO
Victor Stølan - British businessman; had read an article by Huxley about the destruction of the habitat of wildlife in East Africa and hit him then the establishment of an international organization for nature protection; first devised a financial strategy for WWF
Luc Hoffmann - Swiss zoologist and grandson of Fritz Hoffmann -La Roche; Vice President of the WWF until 1988
Max Nicholson - ornithologist; General of British nature conservation authority from 1952 to 1966; took the idea Stolans thrilled by Huxley and brought the right people together to establish the WWF
Peter Markham Scott - ornithologist; Son of Arctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott; one of the founders gained by Nicholson; first chairman of the newly founded WWF; designed the first panda logo
Guy Mountfort - director of a large international advertising agency and ornithologist
Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands - the first president of WWF International, Prince Consort of Juliana of Orange- Nassau, Queen of the Netherlands

Gallery of the presentation at the University Square in Heidelberg

University Square Heidelberg, there are only 1600 pandas on Earth, September 24, 2013
WWF during the construction of their presentation at the Heidelberg University Square
All Panta bears still living could fit at the Heidelberg University Square

Directors-General of WWF International

Fritz Vollmar ( 1962-1975 ) - Swiss journalist who also worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross
Charles de Haes ( 1975-1993 ) - Dutch jurist and economist
Claude Martin ( 1993-2005 ) - Swiss biologist, since the 1970s, working for the WWF
James P. Leape (since December 2005) - American lawyer, worked at the Environmental Law of the United States with, advised the UN Environment Programme

President of WWF International

Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands ( 1962-1976 ) - founding president; collected with the " Club 1001" the financial basis for the environmental foundation: 1000 WWF donors paid 10,000 U.S. dollars, 60 of which came from Germany
John H. Loudon ( 1976-1981 ) - Member of the " Club 1001", former CEO of Royal Dutch Shell
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ( 1981-1996 ) - Since 1961, President of WWF UK, WWF now Honorary President
Syed Babar Ali ( 1996-1999 ) - Director of Packages Ltd.. and former Finance Minister of Pakistan
Ruud Lubbers (2000) - Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1982 to 1994
Sara Morrison ( 2000-2001 ) - Member of the " Round Table for Sustainable Development" and the "Council of the Family Policy Studies Centre " in the UK
Emeka Anyaoku (2002 to 2009) - Nigerian diplomat, Foreign Minister in 1983, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth 1990-1999
Yolanda Kakabadse (since 2010) - former Minister of Environment of Ecuador, former President of the World Conservation Union ( IUCN ), 1979 founder of the South American environmental organization Fundacion Natura

President of WWF UK

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ( 1961-1981 )
Princess Alexandra (1981 to 2011)
Prince Charles ( since 2011 )

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of German WWF

Detlev Drenckhahn ( Germany since June 2012) - Professor of Medicine, since 2005, previously President of WWF Germany
Marga Hubinek ( Austria ) - former politician of the ÖVP
Reto Ringger ( Switzerland ) - economist and entrepreneur

The WWF in numbers

Worldwide

The WWF is active in over 100 countries.
300 protected areas have been reported.
2,000 projects were supported in 2004.
12,000 projects in 153 countries have been supported since 1961.
1,500,000 square kilometers has been converted into national parks.
5,000 people work for the WWF.
About five million people promote the WWF.
362 million euros were invested in environmental protection in 2005.

Germany

438 247 2012 Sponsors supported the WWF Germany, according to WWF Annual Report, 2012.
36.98 million euros in 2012 and invested in conservation projects.
52.078 million euros in 2012 and acquired in donations, contributions, grants, bequests and fines.

WWF Germany

Was formed in 1963 in Bonn, the German Association for the Promotion of the World Wildlife Fund, which ten years later restructured into a foundation under civil law - the WWF Germany.

The mission of WWF Germany is " conservation of biological diversity - a living planet for us and our children. "

The WWF awarded along with the magazine Capital from 1990 to 2008 the award Eco Manager of the Year.

WWF Germany focuses its work on the three major habitats of oceans and coasts, rivers and wetlands and forests. The thematic focus is on conservation, agriculture and climate change. 2009, the Environmental Foundation was worldwide in 58 conservation projects active, 37 of which were aligned internationally and 17 nationally. Here, in the same year 27.8 million euros have been invested in environmental protection and nature conservation. Overall, the WWF Germany was supported by 424,000 supporters, honorary members and the "Young Pandas " 2009. In the youth program of the WWF Young Panda approximately 17,500 children and young people are active for nature conservation.

WWF - Germany is annually from approximately € 4.7 million for fundraising. (13.4% of the budget) The partners include the German-speaking talk2move, Wesser and Dialogue Direct.

The club has signed the initiative Transparent civil society.

Organization

The WWF Germany is led by a management team that has held since October 2006, the CEO Eberhard Brandes. As the monitoring of Trustees monitors the activities of the Management Board of 30 members. Chairman of this committee highest WWF since June 2012, the professor of medicine and conservationists Detlev Drenckhahn.

Founding members

Bernhard Grzimek - zoologist, wildlife filmmaker, Federal Government Commissioner for Nature Conservation from 1970 to 1973
Eugen Gerstenmaier - President of the Bundestag from 1954 to 1969
Walter Gerling - Consul, insurance business
Gerhard Stoltenberg - Federal Minister 1965-1969 and 1982-1992, Prime Minister 1971-1982
Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager - part of the group of officers who perpetrated the assassination attempt on Hitler on 20 July 1944, forestry

Involvement in other organizations

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): World-wide organization dedicated to sustainable forestry. The FSC label on wood products guarantees a production of ecological and social criteria.
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): global non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable fishery and the MSC eco-label for fish products according to environmental criteria awards
Aquaculture Stewardship Council, an association founded by the WWF, which stands for sustainable fisheries in fish farms (ASC - seal)
Energy Vision Association: Association for the Advancement of Sustainability and market transparency in the energy sector, which has created the ok-power label for electricity from renewable sources
Make nuclear phase itself: alliance of environmental and consumer organizations for a quick phase out nuclear power by more private eco-electricity
TRAFFIC: joint program of WWF and the World Conservation Union ( IUCN), which monitors trade in endangered animal and plant species from the wild
Forum Anders Reisen: a platform for a " sustainable tourism ", which is long term ecologically sustainable, economically feasible and ethically and socially equitable for local communities
UNEP International Task Force on Sustainable Tourism: UN initiative to support environmentally sound and sustainable tourism projects
Forum on Environment and Development: Platform for German non-governmental organizations in the fields of environment and development policy
Forum for Offshore Wind Energy & Environmental Protection ( FOWEUM ): Forum of the German Energy Agency ( dena), which also environmental groups and other NGOs can participate in the development of wind power generation in Germany.
Network European Movement Germany
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO ): Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil
Roundtable on Responsible Soy ( RTRS ): Round Table for Responsible Soy
The Climate Alliance: Broad coalition of non-governmental organizations and representatives of the churches for effective climate policy

WWF Switzerland

WWF Switzerland was established as the International WWF launched in the same year ( 1961). WWF Switzerland is a foundation with headquarters in Zurich and has offices in Lausanne ( VD) and Bellinzona ( TI). It also has an educational center in Bern. 23 cantonal sections, organized as independent associations that support the WWF Switzerland in its activities. Around 215,000 members, 80,000 supporters and more than 1,000 volunteers enable the work of around 180 employees.

2012 was the WWF Switzerland active in more than 100 conservation projects, which were internationally oriented than half. With donations of around 42.3 million Swiss francs (2011) WWF Switzerland is the largest environmental organization in Switzerland.

Criticism

Due to the large industrial close to the people involved in the founding of major gifts at the WWF played from the beginning a major role. The first major donor was in the 1960s, the Royal Dutch Shell energy companies. A little later a worldwide discussion on the use of pesticides was initiated with the book Silent Spring. At the request of Shell bosses John H. Loudon, WWF, however, did not take part in the debate. John H. Loudon was later even Trustees Chairman and then President of WWF International.

Even today, the WWF has been accused by various parties to work closely with stakeholders such as business and political decision-makers and thus its actual goals no longer meet. To criticize many international as well as German environmental organizations, the participation of the WWF at the so-called Round Table for Responsible Soy ( Roundtable on Responsible Soy, RTRS ), which also includes soybean producers, genetic engineering, agricultural chemical and petroleum companies and distributors belong to agricultural raw materials. The RTRS decided in its guidelines that even as GM soy can be labeled as " responsible". The WWF, the German section actually a clear position against the use of genetic engineering, nevertheless remained in the body.

Similar accusations of greenwashing can also find other co-founded by the WWF organizations. Criticism applies particularly to the ' Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil' ( Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, RSPO), the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC ) and the Forest Stewardship Council ( FSC).

In the documentary The Pact with the Panda by Wilfried Huisman from the year 2011 to see these and other allegations against the WWF. "The earth is divided by the agro -business - and the WWF is one of the party ," it says in the film. The criticism makes itself firmly among other things, that the WWF together with large agricultural corporations like Monsanto sits on the so-called round tables for soy ( RTRS ) and palm oil producers (RSPO ). Multinational industry giants could be sure that even with dubious practices of benevolence of environmentalists. The organization set up also for the large- scale dissemination of genetically modified seeds. The WWF then issued a " fact check" on his website, in which he responded with arguments and personal statements on the allegations. On April 18, 2012, the Regional Court of Cologne issued at the request of the WWF an injunction against four statements of the film. On August 1, there is before the Regional Court of Cologne a court date between WDR, Huisman and WWF. The WDR calls as the producing station an annulment of. The film is to be sent again because by controversy over the book increased attention should be created, further the film is to be sold abroad.

Already in 2010 showed the documentary and WDR authors Wilfried Huisman and Arno Schumann in their documentation salmon fever after a questionable cooperation with the WWF in the Marine Harvest Group (the world's largest "producer" of farmed salmon ). Marine Harvest donates WWF EUR 100,000 annually and may only advertise in return with the Panda Bears the WWF for its industrially produced mast salmon.

Since 2002, there were collaborations between the WWF and the Krombacher Bernhard Schadeberg GmbH & Co. KG. In several campaigns, the brewery campaigned so to support WWF projects financially, most recently with her Krombacher climate protection project to protect tropical Torfmoorwälder in Borneo since 2011. As part of these collaborations have occurred in the past, among other things, to a unique mislead consumers and thus a violation of the Act against Unfair Competition ( Az: I ZR 33/ 04 and 97/ 04 of 26 October 2006). Furthermore accuse critics Krombacher and WWF lack of transparency of financing structures, window dressing, and environmental marketing that is directed primarily to the product sales and not on a permanent social or community involvement.

On April 20, 2012, the WWF - critical book Black Book of WWF Huisman appeared. Huisman criticized in his book close to the WWF to the industry, its colonial past and a lack of transparency and participation in environmentally controversial projects. Cooperation with major corporations designated as Green Huisman indulgences. The WWF sitting in various committees, where corporations receive certificates on sustainable production, while simultaneously destroying the forests and pollute the environment with chemicals. Among the conservation projects for tigers, gorillas and so the indigenous peoples would also always suffer. These peoples were from the protected areas, their traditional settlement areas, marketed. The WWF called the accusations of Huisman as " half-truths ". The WWF is practiced even before publication of the book is putting massive pressure on the publisher Random House, in order to prevent publication. The Black Book was then a week available everywhere. Then let the WWF major booksellers about a law firm in a letter injunctive claim it. The major book retailers such as Amazon, Thalia, Libri, KNV and the world took the book then without any reference from the range. Although so far the WWF could not obtain an injunction against the Black Book and a hearing before the Regional Court of Cologne was not scheduled until June 15, and the sale was therefore not prohibited, it nevertheless disappeared from large parts of the market. The FAZ just spoke therefore as Burkhardt Müller- Sönksen, media spokesman of the FDP parliamentary group, by self-censorship of the wholesalers. The German journalists and journalists' Union ( DJU ) threw the WWF prior censorship.

About the Publisher Random House could still be obtained. Also buchhandel.de, the Association of German Book Trade daughter MVB and other smaller traders offered the book to continue. On June 2, the FAZ made the operations publicly. Until that time, the publisher had already sold about 5000 books.

The affair was in the wake of numerous print media such as also star and Focus picked up. The bookseller Osiander and eBook showed a different response to the affair: The Regionalfilialist Osiander had instructed unmount all of its bookstores, a poster. On the poster was The book trade bows to the WWF! - It was not us. Osiander presented at the request of the book trade association the poster all booksellers neutralized at leisure.

On 15 June, the Cologne Regional Court decided to meet just one of fourteen injunctive relief the WWF. The passage in question must be removed for a reprint. The book itself or the first edition is still available and may be sold without restriction. By 20 July the armed parties time to find a mutually acceptable version. If no mutually acceptable solution is found, the court will decide. The FAZ suspected that the court battle had generated enough attention to boost sales.

On July 26, 2012, came to an extrajudicial agreement between WWF, publisher and author. For the 3rd edition of the book it comes to deletion or revision of 21 text passages. The only significant change is that an interview with the WWF Associate Dorte Bieler omitted. This interview had to be canceled after the court decision on June 15, in the 2nd edition of the book. The existing records of the first two conditions shall be sold by the trade without conditions on. The publisher sold until agreement is reached already 25,000 copies. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung the key messages of the book remain, in details there are future changes and additions. The basic message of the book that the WWF for polluters company served as a " green wash" remained untouched by settlement out of court. The Süddeutsche Zeitung therefore also headlined: Green washing plant remains green wash.

On 26 May 2012, the magazine Der Spiegel brought the report buddy of corporations. This is, inter alia, the WWF accused of not observing its own standards. Thus, the WWF was able to prove the origin of only 8,000 tons of 85,000 tons of RTRS -certified soy in June 2011. This 8,000 tonnes from two farms of Grupo Amaggi, the agricultural undertaking the Maggi family, the largest soy producer in the world. These farms are located on deforested savannah forest in the Brazilian Mato Grosso. Only in 2005 was Blairo Maggi, Governor of Mato Grosso from 2003 to 2010 and CEO of Grupo Amaggi, still awarded the Golden Chainsaw Greenpeace because of its clearings. Whether these soybean supplies at all any standards have been complied with, is not verifiable.

In July 2012, Spain's King Juan Carlos I. was after 44 years the title of Honorary President of the Spanish section disallowed indirectly. 94 percent of the members of WWF - Spain decided at a special meeting in Madrid, completely abolished the honorary office in Spain. The monarch had previously participated in an elephant hunt. Trophy hunting is however tolerated at WWF, if it is part of an integrated, comprehensive protection and utilization concept.

Film documentaries

League for the Protection of Animals. WWF - Portrait of a conservation organization. TV documentary of Heinz Sielmann, ARD 1983, about 45 minutes.
Salmon fever. Television documentary by Wilfried Huisman and Arno Schumann, ARD 2010, 43 minutes.
The Pact with the Panda. Television documentary by Wilfried Huisman, ARD 2011, 45 minutes.

Coca-Cola Canon Inc. Peter Scott Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche Juliana of the Netherlands John Hugo Loudon Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy Inheritance Capital (German magazine) Climate change mitigation Philipp von Boeselager Nuclear power phase-out Agricultural chemistry Sabangau National Park Amazon.com Integrated Authority File

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