The World Wide Fund for Nature, which was formerly known as World Wildlife Fund Internationally, is a non-governmental organization, which works on everything regarding conservation, restoration and research of the environment. The organization was started in September 1961 with the first office in Morges, Switzerland. Soon after that WWF set up operations and offices world-wide. Working in over 100 countries and more than 5 million supporters it is the largest conservation organization in the world.
To stop and reverse the environmental destruction globally is their mission and focuses mainly on three biomes, which contain the majority of the world’s biodiversity: oceans and coasts, freshwater ecosystems and forests. They are also focused on climate change, endangered species and pollution. Their initial focus when they started was protecting endangered species and operated by the provision of grants to non-governmental organizations and fundraising.
Currently they focus on the restoration of the population of 36 different species that are very important for their ecosystem and to people – big leaf mahogany, porpoises and dolphins, whales, tunas and elephants are amongst them. Also 35 different important Eco regions globally, which include the Coral Triangle, Congo Basin, Amazon rainforest and Artic. The reduction of people’s ecological footprint are also an aim in 6 areas, they are forestry and water, fishing, grazing land, cropland and carbon emissions.
Global issues that drive biodiversity loss as well as the unsustainable use of natural resources, which include consumption choices, laws, business practices and finance, are some of their other strategies. Public campaigns are undertaken by the WWF to influence authorities and influence makers and the Panda logo are to be seen globally in the attempt to educate individuals and corporations in an environmentally friendly manner.