Freshwater

Freshwater is the source of life. It’s what makes Earth unique in the known universe. It’s also a resource under threat. Just 3 per cent of water on the planet is freshwater, and only about 1 per cent is readily available for human use. The one-two punch of global population growth and climate change means we must be innovative and committed when it comes to water management and conservation. WWF is working to protect freshwater ecosystems and improve water access, efficiency, and allocation for people and the environment – an essential component of saving most of WWF's priority places and species and reducing the impact of humanity's water footprint. The work is focused on a number of key areas:

• Water stewardship

• Water security 

• Freshwater habitat protection

• Water governance

All this work is carried out in collaboration with diverse partners, including other NGOs, governments, development agencies, businesses, and international conventions.

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FINANCES

WWF works with key financial players (e.g., investors, insurers, lenders, policy makers) to drive business change, advocate for policy shifts towards sustainability, develops best practices and standards, and supports innovative public and private sector financial frameworks and mechanisms that encourage environmentally sustainable, low carbon and resource efficient investments.

WWF works with business to:

 promote better production and responsible sourcing of raw materials;

 encourage a switch to 100% renewable energy and away from fossil fuels;

 engage jointly on public policy;

 support the equitable sharing of natural resources;

 redirect financial flows to support conservation and sustainable ecosystem management;

 raise awareness of the need to consume more wisely; and

 protect some of the world’s most ecologically important places.

GOVERNANCE

Ensuring a healthy natural resource base into the future requires effective governance at local, national and global levels. WWF engages with partners across the world to build local and national development plans that ensure sustainable natural resource use and human well-being for current and future generations. WWF also engages on international instruments – such as conventions, commissions, agreements and treaties – for strong international laws and policies that drive the sustainable management, equitable use, and adequate protection of biodiversity and natural resources. From global to local level,WWF is active in a variety of governance settings, where they:

• provide advice and technical information on relevant issues

• demonstrate concrete actions governments can take

• advocate for stronger laws and regulations and their implementation

• help governments to implement their commitments under international conventions/commissions and follow their progress

• build civil society capacity to effectively contribute to sustainable natural resource governance