Wind-blown ripples in the desert sand, Namib Desert, Namibia. November 1995. / ©: John E. Newby / WWF-Canon

Our missions & goals

WWF Australia’s missions and goals for biodiversity protection and environmental conservation are the same as WWF’s Global missions and goals. As part of a global conservation network, our Australian work focuses on the environmental issues that are most relevant to our region as well as the issues where Australia is best placed to take a lead.
Our mission

Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet'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
  • promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.


Our approach and goals

WWF has two approaches for conserving biodiversity:
  • conserving the Earth’s most outstanding places
  • conserving species that are particularly important for habitats or people.

By strategically focusing our efforts on global priority places and species, WWF will also help to conserve the many other species that share these habitats and/or are vulnerable to the same threats.


The important places and environmental issues that we have built our Australian conservation projects around are:

• The Heart of Borneo
• The Coral Triangle
• The Great Barrier Reef
• The Southwest Australia Ecoregion
• Tackling climate change
• Transforming markets (large scale industrial change in areas of agriculture, fishing and natural resources).

Read more about our 6 High Impact Initiatives.

2050 Biodiversity Goal

Flooded forest during rainy season Aerial view of floating vegetation Black waters of Rio Negro ... / ©: Michel Roggo / WWF-Canon
By 2050, the integrity of the most outstanding natural places on Earth is conserved, contributing to a more secure and sustainable future for all.

2050 Footprint Goal

WWF trying to change the attitudes of thousands of long-line tuna fishermen and convince them that ... / ©: Jürgen Freund / WWF-Canon
By 2050, humanity’s global footprint stays within the Earth’s capacity to sustain life and the natural resources of our planet are shared equitably.

Our Guiding Principles

To guide WWF in the task of achieving its mission and goals, we have adopted the following principles. WWF will:
  • be global, independent, multicultural and non party political
  • use the best available scientific information to address issues and critically evaluate its endeavours
  • seek dialogue and avoid unnecessary confrontation
  • build concrete conservation solutions through a combination of field-based projects, policy initiatives, capacity-building and education work
  • involve local communities and Indigenous peoples in the planning and execution of its field programs, respecting their cultural as well as economic needs
  • strive to build partnerships with other organisations, governments, business and local communities to enhance WWF’s effectiveness
  • run its operations in a cost-effective manner and apply donors’ funds according to the highest standards of accountability.
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Adopt an animal

  • Panthera tigris altaica Amur tiger Juvenile resting Metro Toronto Zoo

    Tiger

    Your adoption of Kamrita the tiger will help WWF protect these big cats in the wild.

    Tiger

    or Adopt an animal

  • Bornean Pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) mother walking with her calf along a road in the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, North Borneo, Malaysia.

    Pygmy elephant

    The Borneo pygmy elephant is now in danger of extinction and WWF estimates that there are as few as 1,500 individuals pygmy elephants remaining in the wild.

    Pygmy elephant

    or Adopt an animal

  • Orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus), baby Semengoh Rehabilitation Center Sarawak, Borneo, Indonesia.

    Orang-utan

    Your adoption of Koyah will help WWF protect orang-utans in the wild through our campaign to stop habitat loss, hunting and illegal trade.

    Orang-utan

    or Adopt an animal

  • Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Sipadan Island, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia. 19 June 2009.

    Marine turtle

    Your adoption of Hector the turtle will help WWF to protect marine turtles around Australia.

    Marine turtle

    or Adopt an animal

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Building a future in which people and nature thrive.

Photos and graphics © WWF or used with permission. Text available under a Creative Commons licence.