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ABOUT us
WWF Global Arctic Programme, since 1992
Our vision
Given the transboundary nature of many Arctic issues, the WWF Global Arctic Programme takes a comprehensive approach to the Arctic, recognizing the area’s vast, interconnected nature. In the coming years, we expect to see a battle for space in the Arctic—an area that attracts competing interests.
- We will work to ensure that by 2030, 30 per cent of the Arctic Ocean has been designated as protected and conserved areas, with a strong commitment to sustainable management of the remaining 70 per cent to respect nature’s connectedness.
- We are committed to safeguarding species that are vital for healthy ecosystems and immensely important for Arctic communities.
- We advocate for effective conservation measures, good governance structures, and the implementation of global agreements.
- We support Indigenous-led initiatives and engage with industries to minimize their impact on Arctic biodiversity, championing nature-based solutions and climate adaptation.
- We strive to balance economic development with Arctic conservation.
- Together, we aim to secure a promising future for the Arctic and its essential ecosystems.
WWF Global Arctic Programme priorities
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Nature
We depend on nature for the air we breathe, the water we drink and the insects that pollinate the food we eat. Nature sustains us and everything around us. In the Arctic, unique ecosystems provide food, livelihoods and cultural identity for the 4 million people living in the region.
Nature also plays a key role in regulating our climate, storing carbon in the plants on land and in our oceans.
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Arctic Communities
The Arctic has been the home and traditional territory of Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years and continues to be populated by vibrant communities. For people living in the Arctic, climate change is not a distant threat—it is the driving force in many of the environmental, economic and societal transitions affecting the region today. These impacts are especially hard on Indigenous communities.
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Governance
Governance is about how decisions are made, who makes them, how they’re applied and who’s accountable.
As the climate crisis causes the sea ice in the Arctic to melt and new areas to open up, the region and its communities are facing unprecedented changes and serious threats. As a rapidly changing area, the Arctic needs rules that can adapt as needed.
