WWF (conservation organization)

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For other meanings of WWF, see WWF.

WWF is a global environment conservation organization. WWF is dedicated to stopping the degradation of the planet's natural environment, and building 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.

Currently WWF works on the conservation of three biomes: Forests, Freshwater Ecosystems, and Oceans and Coasts. These conservation works contain the bulk of the world's biodiversity, and provide the environmental goods and services upon which all life ultimately depends.

WWF promotes a factual, science-based approach to conservation, which focuses on six priority issues of global concern: forests, oceans and coasts, fresh water, endangered species, and the insidious threats of toxic chemicals and climate change. For each of these issues, WWF has developed measurable targets, and runs more than 1,200 field projects around the world in any given year.

Contents

1 Founding
2 Presidents
3 International directors
4 Lawsuit against World Wrestling Federation
5 See also
6 External links

Founding

Presidents

1962–1976: HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
1976–1981: John H Loudon
1981–1996: HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
1996–1999: Syed Babar Ali
2000–2000: Ruud Lubbers
2000–2001: The Hon. Mrs Sara Morrison
2001–present: HE Chief Emeka Anyaoku

International directors

WWF Services

James P Leape – Director General
Paul Steele – Chief Operating Officer
Thomas Schultz-Jagow – Communications
Dr Timothy Geer – Government & Aid Agency Coordination
Chiew Chong – Finance & Administration

International Conservation Programme

Dr Chris Hails – Programme Director
Dr Sheila O'Connor – Programme Audits

Regional Programmes

Dr Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu – Africa/Madagascar
Dr Isabelle Louis – Asia/Pacific
Dr Magnus Sylvén – Europe/Middle East
Dr Georg Schwede – Eastern Europe/Central Asia
Dr Meg Symington – Latin America/Caribbean

Policy

Gordon Shepherd – International Policy

Global Issues

Jennifer Morgan – Climate Change Programme
Duncan Pollard – Forests for Life Programme
Jamie Pittock – Freshwater Programme
Dr Simon Cripps – Oceans & Coasts Programme
Dr Sue Lieberman – Species Programme

Legal Advisor

Michael R. Rogers, Barrister

Lawsuit against World Wrestling Federation

In 2000, the WWF filed a lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation (also then known as WWF). The lawsuit dealt with an agreement signed by the wrestling company on 20 January 1994 not to use the initials WWF outside North America. They subsequently broke this agreement due to the fact that the World Wrestling Federation had a huge popularity explosion and used the initials internationally. They were ordered by a UK Court to comply with it. Rather than attempt a financial settlement with the Fund, WWF chairman Vince McMahon changed the name of the company to World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. Along with chaning their name, WWE had to reimbursh the WWF for legal funds, which were estimated at $1 million.

The wrestling company logo was altered, and a promotional campaign called "Get The F Out" was used to publicize this change. Also, all verbal and visual references to the "WWF" initials and the previous WWF "scratch" logo were (and continue to be) edited out of re-releases of old broadcasts, as well as their magazine publications. WWE has continued to use pre-"scratch" WWF logos without censorship due to those logos being a part of the original agreement from 1994.

Note that the WWF was founded in 1961, while the World Wrestling Federation adopted its name in March 1979, previously being the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). However, some believe that the Fund was envious of the WWE, since the wrestling organization was more popular than the Fund.

External links