Wildlife Conservation Society

Our goal with HIFOR (the High Integrity Forest Investment Initiative) is to scale financing for the largest, highest integrity tropical areas. “There is growing realization,” says WCS’s Ashley Camhi, Ph.D., “of the role to be played by private sector finance.” Read the interview with Environmental Finance: https://lnkd.in/etrxqaJu

The upcoming #COP16Colombia and events like it are an important intersection between conservation commitment and critical funding, says WCS’s Susan Lieberman, Vice President of International Policy. https://lnkd.in/emetAQMY

Ecological integrity is a holistic way to think about the health of an ecosystem. It's a gradient from highly intact and fully functional systems with their full complement of species to deeply degraded or fragmented systems with impaired function. The importance of preserving and improving ecological integrity is reflected in both the Global Biodiversity Framework #GBF and the UNFCCC #ParisAgreement. Areas with high ecological integrity help protect #biodiversity, are more resilient to #climatechange, deliver climate adaptation and mitigation benefits, support Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and provide health benefits to people and wildlife. In many parts of the world, Indigenous Peoples have safeguarded nature for many millennia. Despite Indigenous and non-Indigenous conservation efforts, however,?almost 2/3 of the world’s terrestrial surface and more than 1/2 of the ocean has been degraded or highly modified. One of our priorities at #COP16Colombia is to ensure the parties incorporate ecological integrity?into their plans. https://t.co/6Ghtx57Z5Q

Illegal cattle ranching is altering Latin America’s largest wilderness areas, driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, degradation of soil and water sources. The impact is particularly severe in Mesoamerica’s forests, where a staggering 90% of deforestation is attributed to illegal cattle ranching, often serving as a front for organized crime, money laundering, and drug trafficking. This week, at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), we are teaming up with the Environmental Investigation Agency to raise awareness of this destructive practice and advocate for stronger political action to combat it. If you are attending #CrimeCOP12, join our side event: ?? “Illegal?cattle ranching in Latin America: deforestation, community impact and crime convergence” ?? Wednesday,?16 October | 2.00 to 2.50 PM CEST ?? Room CR7, Vienna International Centre This event is made possible through?the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Countering Nature Crime partnership.

Next Monday, #COP16Colombia kicks off. We’ll be there to advocate for many things, including that the parties’ commitment to ecological integrity remains paramount, says WCS’s Susan Lieberman. Our priorities in Cali, Colombia: https://lnkd.in/emetAQMY

The theme of the upcoming #COP16Colombia is #PeaceWithNature. That has a couple meanings for Catalina Gutiérrez Chacon, Director of WCS Colombia. "How can nature help us bring peace to a country like Colombia." On a new episode of #WCSWildAudio: https://apple.co/481irMv

In 2022, parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Global Biodiversity Framework #GBF with goals and targets on biodiversity, on species, on ecosystems. What are countries doing to implement it so far? Some are already figuring out how, but there’s a lot more to be done, says WCS’s Dr. Susan Lieberman. ???? Our priorities for #COP16Colombia ?? https://lnkd.in/emetAQMY

Protecting biodiversity worldwide can make agriculture more sustainable and profitable —? possibly increasing global GDP by USD 150 billion annually — argues a new report from IUCN with contributing authors from WCS. “Natural ecosystems provide numerous benefits to agricultural systems, including pollination, soil quality, climate regulation, and pest control,” says WCS’s Rachel Neugarten. “This IUCN report demonstrates the dependence of our food security systems on healthy, functioning ecosystems.” “When we do conservation work,” adds WCS’s Gautam Surya, “we are not only protecting biodiversity, we are protecting ourselves." Find out how conservation and agriculture can work together ?? https://bit.ly/3YfrzcR

International conservation efforts account for approximately 10% of fish on #coral reefs, new research co-authored by WCS shows. Further protections could help boost fish stocks and have flow-on benefits for people, they say. “No-take zones are punching above their weight,” said WCS's Iain Caldwell, “especially when they are well complied with, but they aren't the only way to increase fish populations.” Caldwell says there are other forms of fisheries management that can also be effective and “may be more amenable for people who depend on reef fish for their lives and livelihoods.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ga8AHvAy

Protecting endangered species. Preserving critical habitats. Utilizing nature-based solutions to combat climate change. Your support is crucial. Discover how Donor-Advised Funds can amplify your charitable impact. https://lnkd.in/e9pxW3BE #DAFDay