News

Here is a selection of outside news that we think may be of interest to our readers. If you have a newsfeed you think would be relevant for this page please let us know. Don't forget we have our own news in the forum which is available as a newsfeed and is open for use by all members of the underwater community.

UnderwaterTimes.com

Oregon: State Backs Off Fining Fisherman For 2-ounce Oil Spill; 'Warning Letter Most Appropriate Action'

Double Jeopardy? Alabama Jury To Decide Honeymoon Scuba Killer Gabe Watson's Fate Later This Month

Whale Wars: Hellish Week For Sea Shepherd Activists In Marathon Whaling Chase

Scientists: 'No Evidence' To Support 'Media' And 'Climate Change' Reports On Increasing Jellyfish Populations

Study finds Southern Indian ocean humpbacks singing different tunes

Asian carp: 93% of Michigan voters concerned

Canadian PM Harper to promote seal products on China trip

Once a shark victim, now an advocate; 'I didn't give, I didn't quit'

Chainsaw the croc goes walkabout in Sydney

Josh Bazell: Author examines motive behind the Loch Ness hoax

Nine more dolphins rescued on Cape Cod

Scottish seal killings can and must end say campaigners; 'indelible stain'

Smarting over cod shortages, Canadian fishermen blame seals

World's biggest 'prawn' discovered as scientists find 11-inch crustacean in deep sea

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All parties must step up to save the Reef: WWF

Queenslanders must treat the next election as a referendum on the future health of the Great Barrier Reef, WWF says.

The group says major parties must commit to tougher policies on pollution and damaging fishing practices or risk the continuing demise of the World Heritage asset.

WWF-Australia has today written to the leaders of Queensland’s major parties seeking firm commitments to safeguard the Reef for future generations.

“There are over 700 reefs on the Great Barrier Reef that are at risk from land-based pollution, such as mud and pesticides from coastal farms,� said WWF’s Great Barrier Reef National Manager Nick Heath.

“More than a thousand turtles have washed up along the coast over the past year after their food sources were smothered by sediment, and we continue to see dolphins, turtles and dugongs getting entangled and drowning in fishing nets used near the shore.�

“WWF-Australia’s number one priority for the forthcoming Queensland election is to secure policy and funding commitments that improve the health and resilience of Reef and its wildlife.�

Along with maintaining existing protections and agency budgets, WWF has asked the parties to:

• Cut Reef pollution through greater investment in farm innovation
• Protect fish stocks, turtles and dugongs by taking fishing nets out of sensitive habitats
• Save turtles and dugongs from illegal poaching with more Indigenous rangers
• Establish a new ‘Reef Bank’ to invest money from the mining boom into Reef resilience programs.

“Queensland’s tourism industry and regional communities need a healthy Reef, and our world class marine environment deserves the best level of protection we can provide. WWF wants to work with the next Queensland Government to achieve these outcomes,� Mr Heath said.

WWF is a science-based conservation organisation and is politically non-partisan.

WWF encourages the adoption of policies that will deliver enduring outcomes for the environment.

* Press release and appendix with the full list of WWF's policies for the 2012 Queensland Election are available above to download.

WWF-Australia contacts:
Daniel Rockett, Media Officer, WWF-Australia, 0432 206 592

Earth Hour goes unplugged in 2012

The countdown to Earth Hour 2012 has started, with less than 60 days until the annual lights-out event at 8:30pm on Saturday, March 31st.

Now in its sixth year, WWF‟s Earth Hour will this year see unplugged community events held across the country to mark the „hour of no power‟. Everyday Australians will be celebrated for their grassroots contributions to a more sustainable future for the planet in the WWF Earth Hour Awards.

“Earth Hour demonstrates the true power of people uniting to protect the planet,� said Dermot O‟Gorman, CEO of WWF-Australia.

“This year, the WWF Earth Hour Awards will once again celebrate the grassroots efforts of Australians who are going „beyond the hour‟ for the planet, recognising the vital role that individuals play in reducing our impact on the environment.

“We are very excited to announce the launch this year of Earth Hour Unplugged, a platform that will allow individuals, businesses and communities to come together, get off the grid and celebrate the amazing planet that we call home.�

Earth Hour Unplugged enables businesses, councils, and individuals to sign up to host a party for neighbours, friends and family, with a focus on acoustic entertainment and sustainably-sourced food, that will raise funds for WWF-Australia‟s vital conservation work.

Australians are encouraged to hold Unplugged events ranging from community picnics and star gazing meets to candle lit music recitals and fundraisers in restaurants, hotels and bars all over Australia.
Australians can register to host an event and invite their local community to participate, or search for an event in their local area using the Earth Hour website: www.earthhour.com.au

The WWF Earth Hour awards were started last year in Sydney to celebrate the inspiring efforts of Australians going „beyond the hour‟ for the planet.

The awards recognise grassroots sustainability efforts across a range of categories, including education, Young Panda (a children‟s award), Futuremakers (lifetime achievement), sustainable small business, eco-blogger, creative arts and the People‟s Choice Award. Finalists will attend a WWF Earth Hour Awards ceremony in Sydney on the night of Earth Hour.

WWF-Australia is once again asking all Australians taking part to use Earth Hour as an opportunity to think beyond the hour and consider how they can reduce their impact planet on a daily basis.

From its beginnings in one city in one country - Sydney - Earth Hour has grown to represent a truly global community committed to creating a more sustainable planet. Millions of people in over 5,000 cities across 135 countries celebrated Earth Hour in 2011.

* Images and video available upon request

WWF-Australia contacts:
Hamish Wyatt, Communications Officer, WWF-Australia
(m) +61 (0)414 544 911
(p) +61 2 8202 1216
hwyatt@wwf.org.au

Jaya Myler, Communications and Marketing Manager, WWF-Australia
(m)+61 (0)422 202 881
(p) +61 (0)2 8202 1242
jmyler@wwf.org.au

Notes to Editors:
For Earth Hour information, to place a nomination or to register for Earth Hour Unplugged, visit www.earthhour.org.au

About Earth Hour
At 8:30 PM, Saturday 31 March 2012, hundreds of millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour, Earth Hour. In 2012 WWF-Australia is encouraging everyone to ‘go beyond the hour’ to help create a more sustainable planet, and to host or attend an Earth Hour Unplugged event.

Bring back the fish

Dwindling fish numbers a major concern for Queenslanders: poll

More than three-quarters of Queenslanders want action on dwindling fish numbers, according to new polling released today.

Two Essential Media polls were released today by WWF-Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society. One poll was conducted state-wide and the other across six state electorates.

The polling found that almost 80 per cent of people agree that action is needed to rebuild fish stocks to ensure the future of commercial and recreational fishing.

Statewide, 66 per cent of people surveyed said that protection of coasts, fish stocks and marine life would have an influence on their vote at the next state election.

For the electorate poll, 80 per cent of people said the protection of fish stocks and marine life in places such as the Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay would influence their vote at the upcoming state election.

WWF-Australia spokesperson Nick Heath said that action was needed to protect the Great Barrier Reef, the future profitability of the commercial fishing fleet, recreational fishing opportunities and the industries that support the recreational sector.

“With catch rates of fish like coral trout at their lowest levels for at least 5 years, commercial fishers in Queensland are doing it tough,� Mr Heath said.

“To rebuild stocks and improve the profitability of fisheries, we need to ensure quotas are based on sound science backed by comprehensive data.

“If prospects for fishers improve, so too will the prospects for fish stocks, dugongs, turtles and the Reef environment.�

AMCS Director Darren Kindleysides said the polling demonstrates clear support for action by the next Queensland Government to protect fish stocks and other marine life.

“There is astounding levels of support for change - 84 per cent of Queenslanders are either concerned or very concerned that turtles, dugongs and dolphins are still being accidentally caught in fishing nets,� Mr Kindleysides said.

WWF-Australia and AMCS are calling on the next Queensland Government to invest at least $12 million in:
• The protection of dugongs, turtles, dolphins and other species from fishing-related activities;
• The commercial Trawl and Reef line fisheries so they can improve to global best practice – ensuring quotas are based on sound science;
• Robust fisheries science, monitoring and enforcement;
• The installation of satellite tracking systems in all commercial fishing boats operating in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

With 80 per cent of people agreeing that it is important to have some areas free from fishing to allow fish stocks to recover, the next Queensland Government must ensure that:
• Help is given to commercial fishers who want to improve fishing practices;
• Investment is made in sustainable recreational fishing opportunities; and
• Marine zones that promote replenishment of fish stocks are maintained.

* Press release and appendices for polling results are available above to download.

WWF-Australia contacts:

Nick Heath, Spokesperson, WWF-Australia, 0418 885 324
Daniel Rockett, Media Officer, WWF-Australia, 0432 206 592
Charlie Stevens, National Media Manager, WWF-Australia, 0424 649 689.

AMCS contacts:
Darren Kindleysides, Director, AMCS, 07 3846 6777; 0422 396 077
Ingrid Neilson, Communications and Fundraising Manager, AMCS, 0421 972 731

Rare Gouldian finch found on Dampier Peninsula

A breeding population of the rare Gouldian finch, one of Australia’s most endangered birds, has been found north of Broome by Indigenous rangers and environment groups.

In an exciting find for local conservation, the Bardi Jawi and Bard Jawi Oorany Rangers working with WWF-Australia and Environs Kimberley recently discovered several Gouldian finch populations on the Dampier Peninsula, highlighting the importance of continued conservation efforts in the rich, diverse region.

“We sighted the Gouldian finches a couple of weeks ago whilst undertaking weed control and decided we needed to have a concerted look in areas that we knew they had been seen before by our old people,� said Bardi Jawi ranger Trevor Sampi. “It was great to find more of them. We always knew they were there.�

The striking, vibrantly coloured species is now threatened across its entire range and less than 2,500 adult birds currently survive in the wild. The species also has very specific habitat requirements, both in terms of the plants it feeds on and the areas in which it breeds, making conservation of suitable habitats for the colourful, iconic finch vital.

“Now that we know this species is breeding on the Peninsula, we need to find out where they are breeding and whether there is anything we can do to halt the species’ decline,� said Dr Alexander Watson, WWF-Australia’s Kimberley Program Manager.

“It’s exciting to be working with rangers and to find a breeding population of Gouldian finches utilising refuges such as monsoon vine thickets and un-burnt woodland. It shows how important it is to continue to care for land and improve fire management on the Dampier Peninsula,� said Louise Beames, Environs Kimberley Projects Coordinator.

Previously there have been few sightings of the Gouldian finch on the Dampier Peninsula, however, the recent field work by the Indigenous rangers revealed juvenile birds were among the population, marking it as a breeding ground.

Flocks of thousands of Gouldian finches have disappeared over the past 50 years. The reason for the decline is not known, although scientists hypothesise that altered fire regimes, cattle, and throat parasites are contributing factors. A large pet trade that captured and sold wild birds is also thought to have had a significant impact on finch numbers although it was banned in the mid-1980s.

Traditional knowledge and skills are playing an essential role in sustainable land management in the Kimberley. The Bardi Jawi Rangers continue to work on habitat conservation projects in the area with WWF-Australia and Environs Kimberley. This partnership utilises local knowledge and cultural heritage to appropriately monitor and manage this striking endangered species.

WWF-Australia contacts:
Hamish Wyatt, Communications Officer, hwyatt@wwf.org.au 02 8202 1216
Alexander Watson. Kimberley Project Manager. awatson@wwf.org.au 0428 975 214
Environs Kimberley contact:
Louise Beames. Project Coordinator, West Kimberley Nature Project. 0448 472 005
Kimberley Land Council contact:
Anaya Latter, 0432 121 636

WWF congratulates Pacific islands for certification of major tuna fishery

WWF-Australia has welcomed the announcement that a skipjack tuna fishery managed by eight Pacific island nations has been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC); a move WWF says will promote the future health of tuna stocks in the region, bring major benefits to the fishing industry, and have positive repercussions for consumers around the world.

The certification has been awarded to the Parties in the Nauru Agreement (PNA) purse seine free-school skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) fishery, managed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

The PNA free school skipjack catch equates to an annual harvest of 275,000 metric tons at a value of approximately US$1.3 billion at the retail level, with minimal by-catch of other species and juvenile tuna. Globally consumers, in the not too distant future, could see close to up to one billion cans of tuna harvested from this MSC-certified sustainable fishery on supermarket shelves.

“It is exciting to see the PNA free school skipjack fishery finally getting the global recognition it deserves for its leadership in driving for sustainable tuna at the international level,� said Peter Trott, Policy Manager – Fisheries Markets for WWF-Australia.

“This MSC certification will help bring change at an international level and is the first step towards safe-guarding tuna stocks into the future. It will also help to ensure the long-term viability of the fishing industry and the food security of Pacific island communities,� said Mr Trott.

“The Western and Central Pacific skipjack stock hold about 20 per cent of the world’s tuna stock. This is the largest tuna fishery to have achieved MSC certification, a standard that will help ensure this valuable fishery can achieve a healthy state,� says Mark Schreffler, Fisheries Policy Officer, WWF Western Melanesia Programme.

However, Schreffler cautions that there is still a great deal of work to be done by the PNA, the WCPFC and its partners over the next few years to fully meet the conditions set by the assessment.

“The challenge now is the implementation of robust harvest strategies and reference points by the WCPFC in partnership with the PNA. WWF believes effective, sustainable fisheries management of the Western and Central Pacific tuna stocks must also occur at the Commission level as well as within the waters of the PNA,� said Mr Scheffler.

Australian consumers can look forward to a lot more sustainable tuna bearing the MSC sustainable eco label being available in stores in the near future. With the majority of Australian canned tuna coming from the Western and Central Pacific, this will represent a great opportunity for Australian consumers to choose sustainable tuna from well-managed fisheries and support the livelihoods and bolster the food security of our Pacific Island neighbours.

Australia is a large importer of tuna, importing approximately 36,000 tonnes of tuna at an estimated value of AUD$330 million per annum, the majority of which is sourced from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

WWF will continue to work with the WCPFC, PNA and member states to meet the conditions of the certification and help ensure that the PNA fishery can maintain its MSC certification.

The PNA has done much in developing a collaborative approach to more sustainable fisheries management that has significantly boosted their capacity to assist in managing the region’s tuna fisheries in a manner consistent with the MSC certification and their individual national development aspirations.

WWF-Australia contacts:
Jaya Myler, Communications and Marketing Manager, (02) 8202 1242; 0410 221 410; jmyler@wwf.org.au
Peter Trott, Policy Manager – Fisheries Markets, 0437 960 812; ptrott@wwf.org.au

Floods, mining boom key suspects in marine deaths

WWF-Australia today called for urgent action to address the high numbers of dying fish, turtles and dugongs in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area from flood pollution and industrial development.

A report by the Gladstone Fish Health Scientific Advisory Panel released today, found that water quality results (during dredging) were not unusual, and provided no insight into the cause of fish disease.

The report did not have a conclusive view on the cause of fish impacts but noted a number of possible causes: contact with human structures such as nets; food availability; parasites; chemicals; and turbidity. Further research was recommended.

“Despite the report providing no clear cause for fish deaths, marine species mortalities in Gladstone Harbour are shocking,� WWF-Australia’s Reef Policy Manager Sean Hoobin said.

“As no clear link exists to dredging water quality we need to focus on managing those impacts that are clearly established.�

The Queensland floods dumped massive loads of agricultural pollution and freshwater into the Reef’s World Heritage Area, leading to widespread seagrass and coral mortality.

“The loss of these feeding grounds for turtles, dugongs, and fish has led to over 1000 turtle and 180 dugong deaths.�

“Whilst diseased and dying fish in Gladstone are part of the story, we also have this massive spike in turtle and dugongs deaths along the Queensland coastline.�

“The sheer numbers of dying turtles and dugongs across the Reef means that business as usual is not an option,� Mr Hoobin said.

“Unless arrested, the cumulative impact of coastal and port development, farm pollution and marine deaths poor fishing practices will continue the decline of the Reef – in the last 50 years coral cover has decreased by 50 per cent.�

Although no clear link has been identified between fish and other marine deaths and dredging water quality in Gladstone, there is no doubt the dredging has had a significant impact on high conservation value areas of the World Heritage Area.

The Environmental Impact Statement produced for the dredging showed almost 2,000 hectares of sea grass would be killed off – essential feeding ground for turtles, dugongs and fish.

“Whilst dredging isn’t the main impacting activity – it started at the worst possible time – right after the floods had caused huge impacts,� Mr Hoobin said.

The risk to the World Heritage Area from industrial development in Gladstone is so high that UNESCO has expressed “extreme concern� and is sending out a monitoring mission in March to inspect the damage.

UNESCO has also asked that a strategic assessment be undertaken of development across the Reef, driven by the mining boom.

Massive APP greenwash campaign is mostly hogwash, finds new report

PEKANBARU, SUMATRA – The Senepis Tiger Sanctuary – a prominent feature of the massive international greenwash campaign of paper giant Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) – is being subject to clear cutting operations by one of the company’s wood suppliers, an investigation by WWF and partners finds.

“The truth behind APP’s Greenwash�, a new report released today by Sumatra-based NGO coalition Eyes on the Forest, estimates that APP, part of the Sinar Mas Group, has pulped more than two million hectares of Indonesia’s tropical forests since it started paper production there in 1984.

According to the report, APP’s continued clear-cutting of forests including elephant, tiger and orang-utan habitat and the immense climate change impacts of draining deep peats to establish high turnover plantations is completely contrary to the image of environmental responsibility it is pushing through front groups and media advertising.

“The truth behind APP’s Greenwash� details how the company made the same promise on moving to 100% plantation sourcing of timber for major pulp mills four times – missing self-imposed deadlines to stop using native forest timber in 2004, 2007 and 2009.

APP is now announcing it will meet its commitment on timber sourcing by 2015 – a deadline Eyes on the Forest says it expects APP to also miss.

Through field investigations in June and October 2011 and historical satellite image analysis up to June 2011, Eyes on the Forest found that the APP supplier, PT Ruas Utama Jaya has been clear cutting tropical forest inside the Senepis Tiger Sanctuary.

“This is clear proof that the global advertising claims of APP that it actively protects Sumatran tiger are highly exaggerated,� said Anwar Purwoto of WWF.

The investigation shows a tiger sanctuary reality vastly different from the picture being pushed to the world media and through various front groups by APP.

After apparently trying to halt a government-proposed Senepis National Park that would have protected tiger habitat targeted by APP for pulping, the company switched to advertising a leading role in creating the “Senepis Tiger Sanctuary� in 2006, according to “The truth behind APP’s greenwash�.

The report alleges a very minor additional APP conservation contribution for Sumatra’s critically endandgered tigers - some 86% of the sanctuary is located on the already-protected forests of a Forest Stewardship Council-certified logging concession held by unrelated company PT Diamond Raya Timber.
Now, according to the report, at least one APP supplier is engaged in clear cutting and drainage of the small areas that were APP’s only real contribution to the sanctuary.

“It’s appalling that APP is pulping even the small blocks of forest it had told the world it would protect as tiger habitat,� Hariansyah Usman of WALHI Riau said. “This report shows a different picture to this and other, much-touted APP “conservation projects�.

“We would like the Sinar Mas Group’s buyers and investors who read this report to realize how APP’s media campaigns are exploiting their lack of knowledge or inexperience about Indonesia and how they mislead their customers about the brutal reality on the ground.�

“APP is interested only in feeding its giant mills with as much tropical forest wood as possible, and hoping that customers and investors will continue to believe conservation commitments and advertisements which past experience shows to be unrealistic.�

In the Netherlands, APP’s print and television advertisements have been judged misleading to the public by the country’s Advertising Codes Commission. Many global buyers, including some of the biggest paper users in the world, have ceased purchasing from APP. However, APP sells office paper, paper-based packaging and other paper products and is increasingly expanding globally into tissue products like toilet paper, including the brand names Paseo and LIVI.

“We urge global buyers and investors to no longer support Asia Pulp & Paper’s continuing shameless destruction of Indonesia’s tropical forests and the homes of Sumatra’s last surviving tigers,� says Muslim Rasyid of Jikalahari, NGOs network. “Join the growing list of other responsible companies that have cut all ties with SMG/APP.�

Notes to Editors:
“The truth behind APP’s greenwash� is available at http://assets.panda.org/downloads/eof__14dec11__the_truth_behind_apps_greenwash_final.pdf

Photographs can be downloaded from https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1311793434/4f2603b5938219c1cee42f713165ab1f

The new report investigates many of APP’s misleading claims to cover environmentally damaging actions that include destruction of unique forest types, tiger, elephant and orangutan habitat and clearance of forests inside the APP-driven UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Although contrary to Indonesian laws and regulations, APP suppliers are clearing and draining deep peats, a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions calculations conducted for APP and used in its greenwash campaigns, however, do not count emissions from forest clearing and peat drainage – calculations suggest the carbon footprint of APP paper could be more than 500 times the APP consultant’s claim and 10 times the North America pulp and paper sector average.

Companies that have cut off business ties with APP include: Office Depot, Staples, Kraft, United Stationers, Target and Mattel (USA); Idisa Papel (Spain); Metro Group, KiK and Adidas (Germany); Woolworths, Metcash (Australia); Tesco, Sainsbury and Marks & Spencer (UK); Nestlé (Switzerland); Unilever (Netherlands); Ricoh and Fuji Xerox (Japan); Zhejiang Hotels Association (China); Gucci Group (Italy); Lego (Denmark); Leclerc (France). Many others have cancelled their contracts quietly or have committed to avoid buying from the company.

Eyes on the Forest (EoF) is a coalition of environmental NGOs in Riau, Sumatra: Jikalahari "Riau Forest Rescue Network," Walhi (Friends of the Earth) Riau Office and WWF-Indonesia, Riau Program. EoF has been monitoring the status of the remaining natural forests in Sumatra's Province of Riau and disseminating the information worldwide since 2004. More news on Eyes on the Forest, go to: http://www.eyesontheforest.or.id.

For further information:
Phil Dickie, pdickie@wwfint.org, +41 79 703 1952
Chris Chaplin, cchaplin@wwf.sg, +65 9826 3802

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. panda.org/news for latest news and media resources

WWF: Governments fail on ambition, courage at UN climate change talks

Durban, South Africa -- After two weeks of sparring and a day-long extension, governments once again failed today to provide the inspiration and ambition to tackle climate change and provide hope for hundreds of millions around the world who suffer and will continue to suffer from climate-related impacts. While governments made some progress and reached an agreement that established a Green Climate Fund with some money, agreed to a second commitment period under Kyoto and made a commitment to a global agreement to be negotiated by 2015 and apply from 2020, the lack of ambition leaves us on a 4 degrees pathway.

Kellie Caught, National Manager Climate Change WWF-Australia said:
“The commitment to negotiate a global agreement by 2015 including major emitters such as the US and China means that Australia is at no risk of leading on climate action.

“Agreement by some countries to a second commitment period under the Kyoto protocol also means that carbon market mechanism will continue enabling Australian business to access credits under the Australian carbon price.

“What was missing from Australia and other governments was the courage to increase the level of ambition, leaving these decision to another day with no clear process to increase ambition, potentially locking the globe into a 4 degree temperature rise.

“Australia has made significant progress this year in starting to contribute our fair share to global action, we now must joint progressive countries in ensure the world is on a pathway to avoid dangerous 2 degree temperature rise.�

Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s global climate and energy initiative issued the following statement:
“Governments did just enough to keep talking, but their job is to protect their people. They failed to do that here in Durban today. Science tells us that we need to act right now – because the extreme weather, droughts and heat waves caused by climate change will get worse.

“But it is clear today that the mandates of a few political leaders have outweighed the concerns of millions, leaving people and the natural world we depend on at risk. Catastrophe is a strong word but it is not strong enough for a future with 4 degrees of warming.

“Unfortunately, governments here have spent the last two crucial final days of negotiations focused on only a handful of specific words in the negotiating texts, instead of spending their political capital on committing to more and real action to address climate change.

“Some countries here, like the United States, showed they were not interested in supporting an ambitious outcome in Durban. The US -- afraid of the politics at home – fought over a few words, but missed the bigger story: limiting dangerous climate change.

“Overall, the responsibility for this lies with a handful of entrenched governments – like the US, Japan, Russia, and Canada – who have consistently resisted raising the level of ambition on climate change. This is what brought us to this point.

“One crumb of comfort in Durban has been the emergence of a large group of high ambition countries, led by the most vulnerable nations and small island states, including many in Africa.

“We can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing, or we’re going to choke on our own carbon and run out of natural resources – and that means we won’t have food, water and energy for all.�

“We know climate change is a global problem and it needs a global response. This process didn’t deliver that today, but that doesn’t mean the global fight to tackle climate change has stopped, both within this process and outside of it.�

Tasneem Essop, head of international climate change strategy and of WWF’s COP 17 delegation:
“Greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest levels this year, so we need an aggregated response to this problem – one that includes continued action on climate change from progressive business, from governments at the national level, and from the public and civil society, who must keep up the call to arms.

“While negotiators and ministers were sitting behind closed doors, they weren’t hearing the people’s call, made by faith leaders, youth, women in protests and demonstrations, inside and outside the venue, to act with urgency. These people, including WWF, will hold them accountable.�

Jim Leape, WWF Director General said:
"Politicians here in Durban have shown an alarming inability to come to grips with the challenge of climate change. Encouraging words about finding solutions have turned into nothing but hot air.

"Last year governments agreed to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees, but here in Durban they have utterly failed to live up to that promise."

FOR INTERVIEWS OR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Kellie Caught, National Manager Climate Change, 0406 383 277
Ian Morrison, ian.morrison@wwfus.org, +27-76-211-3097 or +1-202-372-6373

Show you care with sustainable stocking-fillers

Show loved-ones you care and make a positive impact on the environment by supporting WWF’s conservation work with sustainable stocking-fillers this Christmas.

Whether you’re looking for a secret-Santa gift, or something more substantial, a range of WWF gifts allow you to give something back to the environment and contribute to a sustainable future for the planet when you give a gift this festive season.

And you don’t have to spend big to make a bit impact, with options to suit a range of gift budgets that contribute to WWF’s work to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Animal Adoptions

An animal adoption is a great way to support WWF’s conservation programs to protect threatened species and their habitats.

When you give an adoption as a gift, you can choose to have a plush toy sent to your loved one, along with an adoption kit as a cute and cuddly keepsake to remind them of your important contribution to the protection wildlife habitats.

Choose from species including the tiger, orang-utan and pygmy elephant and help an animal in danger of extinction.

^{Animal adoptions start at as little as $15 per month. WWF animal adoption packs are available from http://support.wwf.org.au/adopt-an-animal.html} 

WWF-Factorie

Panda T-shirt

By buying your loved one an iconic panda-logoed t-shirt, you’ll not only be giving them a covetable t-shirt, made from organic cotton; you’ll also be contributing to WWF’s tiger conservation work.

We have lost 97 per cent of the world’s wild tiger population. With as few as 3,200 remaining, action is needed to increase and strengthen their habitat and protect the species from major threats like poaching. T-shirts are available in men’s and women’s sizes.

^{RRP $24.95. WWF Factorie products are available from Factorie stores nationally – visit www.factorie.com.au to find the nearest store.}

Panda Beach Towel

Stand out on the beach this summer, with an organic cotton beach towel that makes an environmental statement.

Sporting the iconic black and white WWF panda logo, this beach towel is made from cotton grown using methods that have a low impact on the environment, and 20 per cent of the sale price goes to support WWF’s work.

^{RRP $29.95. WWF Factorie products are available from Factorie stores nationally – visit www.factorie.com.au to find the nearest store.}

WWF Games

Wildlife Memo

Kids can learn about wildlife while they play with this educational take on an all-time classic. Wildlife Memo features pandas, elephants, tigers, polar bears and many others.

The wildlife memo cards are made from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified plywood, packed inside a tube made from recycled post-consumer waste card that features educational content. For every product sold, a contribution is made to support WWF's conservation work.

^{For ages 3+. RRP $29.95. WWF Games are available from Australian Geographic stores nationally – call 1300 746 724}

Cheetah Safari Race

Children will love to learn about African Savannah animals in Cheetah Safari Race – a race to the finish that includes educational materials about the endangered Cheetah, Rhinoceros, Zebra and Elephant.

The Beechwood animal playing pieces are printed with natural paints, and the FSC certified packaging also folds out into a game board, creating less waste.
For every product sold, a contribution is made to support WWF's conservation work.

^{For ages 6+. RRP $29.95. WWF Games are available from Australian Geographic stores nationally – call 1300 746 724}




* Images available upon request

WWF-Australia contacts:
For more information: Jaya Myler, 0422 202 881, jmyler@wwf.org.au

Happy Feet Two auction supporting Antarctica wildlife

Fans of Happy Feet can bid for a chance to walk the red carpet at the Australian premiere of Happy Feet 2 in Sydney and Melbourne and support WWF-Australia’s conservation work, with a fundraising ticket auction launched today.

WWF-Australia is auctioning two family passes to the exclusive Australian Premiere on eBay to support conservation work in places like Antarctica and the Southern Ocean – the home of Happy Feet.

Auction winners will get to walk the red carpet along with special guests Actor and Comedian Robin Williams, and Academy Award© and BAFTA winning Writer, Director and Producer George Miller.

“Antarctica – home to the real stars of Happy Feet 2 like emperor penguins– is under threat from issues including climate change,� said Michael Harte, WWF-Australia’s National Manager-Marine.

“WWF is working in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean to create a system of marine parks to help protect the homes and feeding grounds of the penguins, whales, albatrosses and seals so that they are better able to deal with the effects of a changing climate.�

Happy Feet 2, the sequel to the hugely popular original, returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica in 3D, starring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brad Pitt, Hugo Weaving, Matt Damon, Magda Szubanski and Anthony Lapaglia.

The two family passes were proudly donated by Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, with all proceeds going to support WWF’s conservation work.

eBay spokesperson Jenny Thomas said the company was incredibly excited to be working with WWF to offer such a unique red-carpet opportunity. “We hope that all music loving, booty shaking, tap dancing Australians get bidding for the chance to support the habitats of these wonderful animals�

To bid on tickets to the Sydney and Melbourne premiere events, go to http://wwfau.org/tzL90A . Happy Feet 2 opens for general release in Australia on December 26.

The eBay auction for a family pass (four tickets) to the Sydney premiere, to be held on Sunday 4th December, opens 12pm today – until 12pm midday Friday 2nd Dec. The eBay auction for a family pass (four tickets) to the Melbourne premiere, to be held on Tuesday 6th December, opens 12pm midday Friday – until 12pm midday Monday 5th Dec.

Pesticides watchdog approves toxic Reef chemical

The Australian Government’s pesticides regulator has ignored advice from the federal environment department and allowed the continued use of diuron, a highly toxic chemical found up to 60 kilometres inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Diuron is a residual herbicide used widely along the Great Barrier Reef coast and linked to coral bleaching and loss of seagrasses. It is also toxic to birds, fish and marine algae, which forms the basis for the food chain in the Great Barrier Reef.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) last night allowed the use of diuron at levels eleven times higher than those advised by the federal environment department – despite suspending its use during parts of the Wet Season in North Queensland.

“Diuron sticks to the soil for a long time and so it makes no difference if it is applied during the wet season or any other time of the year, it still gets washed onto the Great Barrier Reef,� said WWF-Australia’s Pesticides Policy Manager, Martin Breen.

“The APVMA has therefore consciously, with full knowledge, licensed the on-going pollution of the Great Barrier Reef.�

WWF-Australia calls on the APVMA to explain to the public how this decision was reached and why they have ignored the advice of the federal environment department.

“In July, the federal environment department provided the APVMA with the most comprehensive scientific review of diuron ever done in Australia. That report took nine years to complete and recommended that diuron could not be used safely at levels above 160 grams per hectare,� Mr Breen said.

“Yet the APVMA has now allowed the continued use of diuron in sugar and other crops at 1.8 kilograms per hectare – this is eleven times higher than those deemed safe.

“The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most loved natural icons. We urge the APVMA to take further action to protect the Reef before the temporary ban is lifted.�

* Images and video available upon request

WWF-Australia contacts:

Charlie Stevens, National Media Manager, WWF-Australia, 0424 649 689
Martin Breen, Pesticides Policy Manager, WWF-Australia, 0432 469 998

More protection needed in Government’s landmark proposal for the Coral Sea

The Protect Our Coral Sea coalition has called the federal government’s draft Coral Sea plan a good start, but said it falls short of fully protecting the area’s fragile coral reefs and spectacular marine life.

“We welcome the exclusion of oil and gas extraction and the ban on fishing gear that destroys seafloor habitats,� said Imogen Zethoven of the Pew Environment Group. “However, protection levels need to be stronger – particularly in vulnerable areas – to ensure the Coral Sea’s long-term protection.�

“Only the eastern half of this ocean treasure has been set aside as a safe haven for marine life. The western half contains most of the species-rich coral reefs and critical spawning sites for black marlin and threatened tuna,� said Darren Kindleysides of the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

“Many of the jewels in the crown of the Coral Sea remain unprotected – only two of about 25 unprotected reefs are given a high level of protection,� said Steve Ryan of the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre.

“Full protection of the western half is consistent with the government’s 2010 election commitment to secure the highest level of protection for important and special places in Australia’s oceans,� said Don Henry of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

A recent poll found that almost seven in ten Queenslanders said they supported the government making the entire Coral Sea a marine national park. More than 55,000 letters have been received by federal MPs in support of this goal.

The release of the draft plan kicks off a 90-day public comment period. Protect Our Coral Sea will be encouraging all Australians to send a submission to the government calling for stronger protection levels.

“The Coral Sea is our marine Serengeti. Large and spectacular ocean wildlife such as tuna, marlin, and sharks are still found in healthy numbers, making it a special place on a global scale,� said David Roe of Project AWARE.

“Minister Burke has a rare opportunity to create a lasting ocean legacy and demonstrate global leadership in ocean conservation. Protecting special places in our oceans, like the Coral Sea, delivers long-term benefits for us all,� said Isabel McCrea of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.


Media contacts:

Elise Hawthorne, Coral Sea communications manager, Pew Environment Group, 0413 363 232
Daisy Barham, Coral Sea campaigner, Australian Marine Conservation Society, 0423 556 887
Xanthe Rivett, marine campaigner, Cairns & regional outreach manager, Protect Our Coral Sea, 0406 331 214

Editors Notes:

• Newspoll conducted a poll in September and October 2011 by telephone among a representative sample of 602 people ages 18 and older in Queensland. It found that 69 percent of people said they favoured making the Coral Sea a marine national park.
   
• A study by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Marine Protected Areas Management Costs: an Analysis of Options for the Coral Sea, released on 2 December 2009 found that a single, large, fully protected marine park is less expensive to manage than a multi-zoned plan. Full report link is: http://bit.ly/tdDXpt. The overview link is: http://bit.ly/rSurH8
  
• More than 270 marine scientists from 35 countries, including Australia, have endorsed a science statement calling for the establishment of a worldwide system of very large, highly protected marine reserves in areas like the Coral Sea: http://bit.ly/swXyUc
   
• In the past 50 years, more than 90 percent of the world’s large predatory oceangoing fish have disappeared because of overfishing. Source: R A Myers & B Worm, Nature, Vol 423, 15 May 2003.
   
• Less than 1 percent of the world’s oceans are fully protected.
   
• Protect Our Coral Sea, a coalition of 13 Australian and international conservation groups, is calling on the federal government to establish a large, world-class, highly protected marine park in Australia’s Coral Sea that will provide a haven for marine life and recognize its historic significance. www.ProtectOurCoralSea.org.au
• The Protect Our Coral Sea coalition comprises: the Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Cairns and Far North Environment Centre, Greenpeace, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Parks Association of Queensland, North Queensland Conservation Council, Pew Environment Group, Project AWARE, Queensland Conservation Council, Wildlife Queensland, and WWF-Australia.
  
   

UN report a wake-up call for Durban climate talks

A United Nations report showing global efforts to reduce carbon pollution are off track further underlines the need for world leaders to make real progress at upcoming climate change talks in Durban, South Africa, WWF said.

Published today by the world’s leading authority on environmental issues – the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Bridging the Emissions Gap makes dire conclusions about the state of global efforts to reduce pollution and outlines how efforts can be rectified.

Samantha Smith, head of WWF's Global Climate and Energy Initiative, said the report should be a reality check for negotiators heading into the Durban talks.

“This report shows the world is heading for very dangerous levels of climate change if we don't take decisive action right now. The good news is that the UNEP confirms that we still can get on the right path if we move quickly to stop deforestation and shift to renewable energy.

“The gap between the reality and our goal is not technical or economic - it is a gap in political will and leadership. We are already in a deep hole, and it's time to stop digging.�

Australia’s recent move to put a price on carbon pollution and set a target of an 80 per cent reduction by 2050 showed that progress was possible. However, WWF-Australia National Manager Climate Change, Kellie Caught warned Australia must increase its unconditional 2020 target to 25 per cent to help bridge the gap between reality and the climate change goals already set out by the Australian Government.

“Advice from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency clearly shows that developing and developed country commitments under the Cancun Agreement are sufficient for Australia to move to at least a 15 per cent reduction target by 2020 ,� said Ms Caught.

“Australia should seize the opportunity to raise this target to at least 15 per cent, if not 25 per cent, while also agreeing to a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol. This would build international confidence in the negotiations and be a sign of good faith for other countries to accept Australia’s proposal for a legally binding agreement by 2015.�

The UNEP report found that global pollution in 2020 needs to be reduced to 44 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – well below current levels – to have a “likelyâ€� chance of keeping warming below 2°C.

However, even if governments’ most ambitious current pledges are implemented in full, pollution will be 6 gigatonnes above this level – almost equivalent to the annual pollution from the United States. In practice the “gigatonne gap� is much wider – up to 11 gigatonnes – because of weak commitments and accounting loopholes in existing developed country targets.

Importantly, the UNEP also concludes that it is still possible to close the gap by 2020 and keep levels of warming to below 1.5 or 2°C through energy efficiency, promotion of renewable energy, reductions in deforestation and improved agricultural practices. Action to tackle pollution from international aviation and shipping – which are currently unregulated – could also help.

Based on the report, all countries can and must do more to close the “gigatonne gap,� WWF said.

The priority must be to increase the credibility of developed countries’ actions by closing the accounting loopholes and raising the ambition for tackling climate change in line with scientific evidence. For example, the EU needs to accept that its current commitment to cut emissions by just 20 per cent by 2020 is widening the gap and the US, which still has no credible plan in place to meet even its weak pollution reduction target, must adopt one.

Notes to editors

1. The UNEP Bridging the Emissions Gap report can be found here: www.unep.org/newscentre

2. WWF believes that at the Durban climate talks, which start on 28 November, governments can take real steps to begin to close the “gigatonne gap�:

• They must agree strict rules on accounting for land use and forestry pollution that account for what the atmosphere ‘sees’ and agree strict limits on the use of surplus pollution allowances from the first Kyoto commitment period;
• They must clearly rule out the “double counting� of offset credits against both developed country targets and developing country pledges, and rule out offsets that do not deliver real reductions and don’t promote sustainable development;
• They must agree on the need for global pollution to peak by 2015 and to be 80 per cent below 1990 levels globally by 2050;
• They must agree on new and innovative sources of finance (such as an international mechanism for international aviation and shipping) that can help to fund pollution reductions and adaptation to climate impacts in developing countries;
• They must agree a second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol and set out a clear mandate for a comprehensive legally binding agreement, with a timeline that will not effectively rule out the prospects for an early peak in pollution.

LNP plan to fish marine national parks benefits no one

An LNP plan to overturn fishing bans in Queensland’s marine national parks undermines efforts to conserve fish stocks and important marine habitats on the Great Barrier Reef, and would result in fewer fish for recreational and commercial fishers.

By allowing amateur fishers to use one line per person in protected marine areas, the LNP will open up important fish breeding and sanctuary areas to hooks and lines, which will further reduce fish stocks in Queensland and degrade the protective tenure of marine national parks.

“While one line per fisher in a marine national park might not sound like much, there are nearly one million people who go fishing in Queensland each year and if all of these people accessed marine sanctuaries it could have an enormous impact on fish stocks in those areas,� said WWF–Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Fisheries Manager Sian Breen.

“Marine national parks have been established in Queensland to be free from all forms of extractive uses to conserve important habitats in as natural as state as possible. This LNP proposal undermines this purpose, and essentially dilutes and degrades the function of marine protected areas.�

Queensland’s marine national parks provide much needed refuge for some important fish stocks such as coral trout. Published research from the Australian Institute of Marine Science shows that coral trout numbers in green zones are up to 68 per cent higher on some protected reefs than they are on nearby fished reefs.

“These protected areas are preventing the decline of popular fish species on the Great Barrier Reef, and so allowing them to also be fished could well mean these species are not able to be replenished. These marine national parks are protecting the stocks for future fishing generations,� Ms Breen said.

To date $2 million has been spent on the creation of six artificial reefs to provide recreational fishers with a range of new fishing opportunities to offset the green zones in Moreton Bay. This money would be wasted, if recreational fishers were simply allowed back in marine sanctuaries.

“WWF does not believe that throwing out marine national parks will benefit recreational or commercial fishers, and certainly not the environment,� Ms Breen said.

“A smarter Queensland fishing policy would use a mix of economic incentives and zoning to reduce fishing pressure and allow stocks to rebuild. This would result in higher catches with less effort for all fishermen, commercial and recreational, while also benefiting the environment.�

WWF-Australia contacts:
Charlie Stevens, National Media Manager, WWF-Australia, 0424 649 689;
Sian Breen, Great Barrier Reef Fisheries Manager, WWF-Australia, 0433 137 436.

No more excuses – Leading companies in WWF Scorecard show sustainable palm oil sourcing is possible

Companies are buying more certified sustainable palm oil than ever before - but urgent action is still needed to avoid the irreversible loss of tropical forests and species such as tigers, according to WWF’s latest assessment of palm oil buyers.

“It’s never been easier for companies to be responsible about the palm oil they use,� said Dr Gilly Llewellyn, WWF-Australia’s Director of Conservation.

WWF today released the Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard 2011, which measures over 130 major retailers and consumer goods manufacturers by looking at their commitment to, and use of, palm oil certified to the internationally recognised standards of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.

“Palm oil itself is not the issue – the problem is how and where it is produced. The solution is certified sustainable palm oil. Some companies have fallen behind on their existing commitments to use only 100 per cent certified sustainable palm oil, while others haven’t even started.

“This is an urgent problem. The clearing of tropical forests for oil palm production can be very damaging to wildlife, communities and the environment. Deforestation takes away precious habitat and makes a major contribution to carbon pollution caused by human activity,� said Dr Llewellyn.

Australian retailers Woolworths, Coles Supermarkets and Metcash; as well as food producers Goodman Fielder, Arnott’s, Snack Brands and Peerless Holdings were analysed in the 2011 Scorecard.

The WWF Scorecard was launched today at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo Sumatran tiger display – home to three tiger cubs. Taronga Zoo Director and Chief Executive Cameron Kerr said this was a potent reminder of the importance of sustainable palm.

“Sumatran tigers live on the brink of extinction, with as few as 400 left in the wild. Our three new cubs’ beautiful stripes can’t camouflage them if there’s no jungle left. We want people to support certified sustainable palm oil to help reduce forest clearance,� said Mr Kerr.

Many of the companies in this year’s WWF Scorecard have made commendable progress to increase their use of sustainable palm oil and reduce their impact on deforestation. 87 of the 132 companies (66 per cent) have committed to sourcing 100 per cent RSPO-certified palm oil by 2015 or earlier, an encouraging sign that could spur further market development.

Unilever Australia’s Chief Executive Sebastian Lazell said that on a global scale, Unilever recognised the need to support sustainable palm oil producers.

“As a founding member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, Unilever believes current and future palm oil needs can be met without any further deforestation if industry, governments and NGOs work together to boost production and market uptake of sustainable palm oil.

“In 2008 we made a global commitment to source all of our palm oil sustainability by 2015. So far, our entire Australian and New Zealand operations and two thirds of our global requirements are covered by GreenPalm certificates and segregated sustainable palm oil. Unilever has purchased more than half of all the GreenPalm Certificates traded and we remain the biggest buyer and supporter of certified sustainable palm oil.�

Leading companies, large and small, show the way

WWF’s Dr Llewellyn said leading companies of all sizes in the Scorecard demonstrate that it is possible to source certified sustainable palm oil.

French cosmetic company L’Oreal and UK confectionery giant Cadbury scored nine out of a possible nine points, while global manufacturing brands Unilever, Nestlé and H J Heinz and retailer IKEA all scored eight out of nine.

However, even those companies which scored highly have room for improvement and a long way to go before they are using only 100 per cent certified sustainable palm oil.

“There is no excuse for companies to delay action on such an urgent issue. 2015 is just around the corner and all companies, even the top performers, need to move faster. Only then can we ensure that the momentum gained by the RSPO is not lost and avoid the negative impacts of irresponsible oil palm plantations on forests, wildlife and communities,� said Dr Llewellyn.

Progress is still too slow

Palm oil is a highly versatile vegetable oil derived from very productive oil palm trees grown only in the tropics. Consumption of the oil is increasing globally and is set to grow from 50 million tonnes a year now to at least 77 million tonnes in 2050.

Very disappointingly, 17 of the 43 retailers and 15 of the 89 manufacturers assessed scored at three or below, showing that still too many companies are taking little or no responsibility for the negative impact of their palm oil use on forests, species and people.

The supply of certified sustainable palm has grown dramatically since WWF released its first Scorecard in 2009, and now stands at 5 million tonnes (10 per cent of global palm oil production). Encouraging as this is, only about half of all the sustainable palm oil produced is being sold. This mirrors the situation in 2009, which is why WWF is renewing its call to companies to take their responsibilities far more seriously and far more urgently.

Lack of transparency hampers progress

Most worrying is an overall lack of transparency about the amount of palm oil that companies use, which WWF believes is a major disincentive to growers of sustainable palm oil to move ahead with further certification.

While WWF asked companies to disclose the amount of palm oil they use, as well as how much of that oil is certified as sustainable, most companies were only willing to disclose a range of usage and too many companies provided no data at all.

“WWF wants far more openness in this industry. Unless there is greater transparency, oil palm growers will remain unwilling to commit to certification,� said Dr Llewellyn.

“If we want growers to act responsibly, buyers of palm oil need to show what their future demand for certified sustainable palm oil is going to be.�

The Global Picture

WWF focused the Scorecard on Europe, Australia and Japan, as these represent most of leading markets for sustainable palm oil. However, WWF recognises that other countries play a key role in the global market for palm oil, including China and India, which together account for 27 per cent of the global palm oil market; Indonesia and Malaysia, where most palm oil is produced; and the US, which imports relatively little palm oil but which is home to many corporations with global influence.

Without these countries playing a larger role in the future, sustainable palm oil will remain a niche market and deforestation will continue. WWF calls for all companies to disclose the amount of palm oil they are using, set annual milestones toward their 100 per cent sourcing by 2015 target, and deliver on their commitments early, if possible.

Notes to Editors

High resolution images and video of palm oil plantations, rainforest, tigers in the wild etc available upon request.

The WWF Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard 2011 is available for download here.


Recommendations from WWF

Companies should:
1. Join the RSPO as an active member
2. Make a commitment to source 100 per cent RSPO-certified palm oil by 2015 at the very latest
3. Be transparent on their use of palm oil
4. Start using certified sustainable palm oil immediately
5. Start investing in traceable supply chains of certified sustainable palm oil
6. For retailers, go beyond “own brand commitments�
7. Raise awareness of the RSPO and certified sustainable palm oil globally

Consumers can:
1. Support companies that have committed to certified sustainable palm oil
2. Look for the RSPO trademark on products
3. Ask your retailer to source certified sustainable palm oil products for everything they sell – not just their own brands.
4. Ask the manufacturers of the products you use to source certified sustainable palm oil

Media contacts:
Jonathon Larkin, WWF-Australia, jlarkin@wwf.org.au, +61 (0)410 221 410
Jaya Myler, WWF-Australia, jmyler@wwf.org.au, +61 (0)422 202 881
Chris Chaplin, WWF International, cchaplin@wwf.sg, +65 9826 3802
Mark Williams, Taronga Zoo, mwilliams@zoo.nsw.gov.au, +61 (0)417 293 507
Emma Peacock, Unilver, emma.peacock@unilever.com, +61 (0)401692591

Five rare wild cat species caught on camera in Sumatra

Pekanbaru, Indonesia – After an amazing five of the seven wild cat species found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra were recently caught on camera in tract of forest being rapidly lost to deforestation, WWF-Indonesia is urging companies and authorities to take immediate steps to save the valuable area.

Conducted in a forest of rich biodiversity known as Bukit Tigapuluh or Thirty Hills, the WWF survey captured on camera the Sumatran tiger, clouded leopard, marble cat, golden cat, and leopard cat. All of the wild cats were found in an unprotected forest corridor between the Bukit Tigapuluh forest landscape and the Rimbang Baling Wildlife sanctuary in Riau Province. The area is threatened by encroachment and forest clearance for industrial plantations.

“Four of these species are protected by Indonesian Government regulations and are listed as threatened by extinction on the IUCN Red List,� said Karmila Parakkasi, Coordinator of the WWF-Indonesia Tiger Research Team. “This underscores the rich biodiversity of the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape and the forest corridors that connect to it. These amazing cat photos also remind us of how much we could lose as more of these fragile forests are lost to logging, plantations and illegal encroachment.�

During a three month systematic sampling in the forest corridor this year, the camera trapping resulted in 404 photos of wild cats, including 226 of Sumatran tigers, 77 of clouded leopards, 70 of golden cats, 4 of marbled cats, and 27 of leopard cats.

In May 2011, WWF-Indonesia released video footage from a sensor camera of three young tiger siblings playfully chasing a leaf. That footage was taken in the same area of the current batch of wild cat photos.

�Unfortunately much of the natural forest area in the landscape is threatened by large scale clearance for industrial logging, pulp and paper, as well as illegal encroachment for palm oil plantation development,� said Aditya Bayunanda WWF-Indonesia’s Coordinator for the Global Forest Trade Network Programme.

“The abundant evidence of these five wild cat species suggests that the concession licenses of companies operating in these areas, such as Barito Pacific, should be reviewed and adjusted according to Indonesian Ministry regulations, which state that concession areas with the presence of endangered species should be protected by the concessionaire.

WWF-Indonesia has also called on protection for areas bordering Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, either by expanding the park or managing it under the current forest ecosystem restoration scheme,� he continued.

At a November 2nd, 2011 WWF event in Jakarta, Indonesian Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan publicly stated his support for issuing a license for a forest ecosystem restoration scheme in Bukit Tigapuluh.

Bukit Tigapuluh is designated a “global priority Tiger Conservation Landscape� and is one of six landscapes the government of Indonesia pledged to protect at last year’s International Tiger Forum, or Tiger Summit, of world leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia.

After intensive surveys this year of the Bukit Tigapuluh and Tesso Nilo landscapes in Sumatra, the forest corridor between Rimbang Baling and Bukit Tigapuluh was found to contain the most wild cats.


Notes to Editors

Photos of the five wild cat species to illustrate the press release above can be downloaded at the following link, http://www.mediafire.com/?m6pwh9fiuqp73nn and mentioning copyright by WWF-Indonesia/PHKA

Video footage of WWF Tiger team survey and an interview with Karmila Parakkasi in Bukit Tigapuluh landscape can be downloaded at http://gvn.panda.org/pages/view.php?ref=3194&k=8d70aa7e55

Sensor camera footage of the three young tiger siblings published in May 2011 can be downloaded at http://gvn.panda.org/pages/view.php?ref=3138&k=d4fe799aad and relevant photos can be downloaded at http://www.mediafire.com/?luly4a8fd15ajoa


For further information please contact:

Desma Murni, Communications Coordinator, WWF-Indonesia, +62811793458, dmurni@wwf.or.id
Karmila Parakkasi, WWF-Indonesia Tiger Research Team Coordinator: +628117510735 kparakkasi@wwf.or.id
Aditya Bayunanda, Programme Coordinator, Global Forest Trade Network, WWF Indonesia, +62 818265588 abayunanda@wwf.or.id

Climate change legislation marks proud moment in Australian history

WWF-Australia today hailed the passage through the Senate of the Clean Energy Future Bills as a proud moment in Australia’s history.

“Climate change is one of the greatest threats to our environment and the survival of thousands of species. Today our political leaders took a critical step towards reducing this threat,� said Dermot O’Gorman, CEO of WWF-Australia.

“Australia will reduce carbon pollution by 80 per cent of 2000 levels by 2050, and the biggest polluters will now have to pay for their carbon pollution. These changes will drive investment and innovation in clean energy to help us to reach our target and put us on a pathway to a cleaner, healthier future and give our wildlife and natural icons like the Great Barrier Reef a fighting chance.�

WWF-Australia said that these changes would not have been possible without the dedication of its supporters in the community.

“Many people have been working for years to make this important reform happen. We thank each and every one of them for their dedication and perseverance.�

“To those who remain uncertain about whether this reform is the best way to tackle climate change, we are confident that in time you will come to realise that Australia has acted in the best interest of our economy, our health, our environment and our wildlife.

“As an exceptionally large polluter - the highest per capita greenhouse gas polluters in the OECD and the 15th highest polluting country - Australia has a key role to play in global efforts to tackle climate change. Australia now joins more than 30 other countries, including New Zealand and all members of the European Union, who have priced their carbon pollution and are developing clean energy economies.

“If we are to maximise the economic and job opportunities this reform can bring it is critical that all political parties now get behind these changes and get on with the job of building a clean energy economy,� Mr O’Gorman said.

WWF-Australia contacts:
Jaya Myler, 0422 202 881, jmyler@wwf.org.au

Development under threat from environmental damage and social inequity

WWF has welcomed a major new UN report warning that the trend to rising living standards is coming under threat from accumulating environmental damage and rising social inequity.

According to the UN Development Program 2011 Human Development Report "Sustainability and Equity: A better future for all", sustainability is “not exclusively or even primarily an environmental issue� in a world where global population has just passed seven billion.

"This report is a salutary reminder that the economic issues currently in the headlines and topping the international agenda are the symptom, not the problem," said WWF International Conservation Director Lasse Gustavsson.

“WWF’s footprint measures indicate we are currently consuming the resources of one and a half planets, and this is the factor underlying the competition for and increasing costs of resources and our current economic instability. Behind the economic debts is a growing ecological debt.�

The 2011 Human Development Report notes that the main impacts of faltering development will fall on the world’s poorest people and countries, those most dependent on a healthy environment and also those already facing the most catastrophic climate change impacts.

“Our remarkable progress in human development cannot continue without bold steps to reduce both environmental risks and inequality,� the report says.

“WWF agrees with the report’s assessment that there are alternatives to inequality and unsustainability,� Gustavsson said. “Green and renewable development provides the pathway to greater access to essential services such as food, energy, water and sanitation.

“But the report notes that the investment to ensure access to modern energy is less than an eighth of the annual subsidies for fossil fuels and that spending on low carbon energy sources is less than two percent of the lowest estimates of what is needed.�

WWF also endorsed the report’s clear call for measurements of progress that transcend a narrow focus on income.

“The health of the environment is a key development issue, so we need national and international accounting that places environmental health at centre stage,� Gustavsson said.


For further information:

The report is available through http://www.beta.undp.org/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases.html

Elaine Geyer-Allely, Manager People and Conservation, WWF International, egeyer-allely@wwfint.org, +41 223649028

New partnership to help Great Barrier Reef marine turtles

The health and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef’s marine turtles is the focus of a new partnership launched in Townsville today between James Cook University and WWF, the global conservation organisation.

The partnership comes at a time when turtles on the Great Barrier Reef are facing continued threats from loss of food, water pollution, disease, entanglement in fishing nets and coastal development.

“Sadly extreme weather events earlier this year in Queensland have taken a serious toll on green turtles with the loss of food sources in many areas adding to existing threats from net entanglement and disease,� said WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman.

“This has inspired us to seek new ways of working with leading science and turtle health agencies like James Cook University so we can ensure the Great Barrier Reef remains one of the world’s best sanctuaries for green turtles.�

The partnership will see James Cook University and WWF-Australia working together to provide care for sick and injured turtles, conduct vital research into turtle disease and health, and promote the establishment of protected areas where turtles can be safe from fishing nets and coastal development.

Dr Ellen Ariel, Senior Lecturer at JCU's School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, said the main thrust of the university’s involvement would be research into the plight of the turtles and how best to help, treat, and protect them and their habitats – now and into the future.

“The university has a world-wide reputation in the area of marine sciences,� she said, “and in situations such as exist at present we can access and initiate research across a number of faculties and disciplines.�

Many inshore sea grass meadows – an important source of food for green turtles – were smothered with sediment and pollution after widespread flooding earlier this year. The subsequent impact of Cyclone Yasi added to the problem and removed many of the remaining sea grasses.

Between January and mid-September this year, there have been nearly 1000 turtles found stranded, most of them dead, compared with 538 for the same period last year. The few turtles that are found alive are often emaciated and require emergency care to bring them back to health.

Dr Ariel said that Reef HQ was doing a great job in looking after the distressed turtles, but extra facilities and resources were needed in order to support their efforts.

“With the help of WWF we will be in a position to assist with the overflow of starving turtles – particularly in the present situation where the numbers are overwhelmingly high,� she said.

WWF-Australia contact:

Charlie Stevens, WWF Media Manager - Queensland, 0424 649 689.

Australia's north and northwest teeming with rare and threatened marine life – new reports

Two new reports released today, Wild Blue Yonder: Fifteen underwater places for protection in Australia's north west and Twelve Tropical Sea Treasures: Underwater icons of Northern Australia reveal critical sites for rare and threatened sealife off Australia's north and northwest coast.

The reports draw attention to the urgent need for marine sanctuaries to protect these vulnerable, iconic and unique environments.

“Environment Minister Tony Burke has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect tropical sealife across northern Australia. The government’s recently proposed reserves must protect every one of these iconic areas from the threats of oil and gas drilling and overfishing", said Paul Gamblin from WWF-Australia.

"Unless large sanctuaries are established in these iconic places, Australia will not be able to claim that it is adequately protecting its tropical marine environment.�

"Spanning over one and a half million square kilometres, currently less than one per cent of these regions is protected from threats such as oil and gas drilling, seabed mining and overfishing", said Gavan McFadzean from The Wilderness Society.

The reports uncover an underwater treasure trove rich in threatened sealife, including ancient coral reefs, enormous whale sharks, dugong feeding grounds, habitat for the rare and recently described snubfin dolphin and humpback whale havens.

"This vast and diverse region, from Shark Bay through to the Gulf of Carpentaria, is a haven to tropical sealife, threatened with extinction in other parts of the world ", said Jess Abrahams from the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

"This report clearly shows that marine sanctuaries are critical for protecting vulnerable marine life and their underwater habitat."

"The ocean off North Western Australia is our last great whale haven. But this plan sets the scene for unconstrained development of the oil and gas industry to the detriment of whales, dolphins and other marine animals. The Australian Government must do more to balance the needs of industry and conservation if it’s to maintain its global reputation as a whale protector,� said Isabel McCrea from IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare).

The reports have been produced by Save Our Tropical Sealife, an alliance of local, national and international conservation groups, as part of the campaign to seek protection for iconic and vulnerable marine habitats across northern Australia. The reports can be viewed online at www.SaveOurTropicalSealife.org.au

WWF-Australia contacts:

Jonathon Larkin, 0410 221 410

jlarkin@wwf.org.au

Australia's north and northwest teeming with rare and threatened marine life – new reports

The iconic and unprotected sites identified in the northwest include:

• Shark Bay – the waters off the World Heritage area, home to dugong feeding areas and the most important breeding site for loggerhead turtles in Western Australia, and ancient stromatolites believed to be the oldest life forms on earth;

• Wallaby Saddle – abundant squid provide sustenance to sperm whales;

• Ningaloo Reef and canyons – Australia’s newest World Heritage area and longest fringing coral reef, supporting enormous biodiversity including 250 species of coral and 460 fish, a tourism mecca, and globally-important whale shark habitat;

• Dampier Archipelago – the richest area of marine biodiversity in Western Australia, migratory route for many protected species, like turtles and dugong;

• Wild offshore atolls – the clear waters around places like the Rowley Shoals where huge schools of fish rush through walls of coral and nature is still untamed.

• Kimberley –epicentre for snubfin dolphins, whale calving, majestic underwater formations and tropical fish.

• Browse Islands – an ocean mammal metropolis with large pods of oceanic dolphins, pygmy killer whales, false killer whales, melon-headed whales, minke whales and pilot whales.


In the north, critical sites include:

• Fog Bay – home of flatback turtles, unique seabirds and critically endangered sawfish;

• The Arafura Canyons – where deep nutrient-laden waters rise in an underwater “restaurant� for whale sharks;

• Coburg Pinnacles – remnants of ancient reefs provide a refuge for light loving sea life and leatherback turtles;

• Central Gulf/Cape York – where Traditional Owners have aspiration for control of their sea country, and where heart urchins cycle nutrients through the food web;

• Limmen Bight - an internationally renowned haven for dugong, cloaked in abundant seagrass;

• Arnhem Shelf Islands – clear waters rich in sacred sites and sealife found nowhere else.