In order to achieve its mission, WWF has organised global conservation efforts into a Global Programme Framework. This framework focuses the conservation programme around two Meta goals:

• biodiversity conservation covering priority places and species;
• reduce ecological footprint, impact of people on the natural environment and

WWF Biodiversity Meta-goal
By 2050, the integrity of the most outstanding natural places on Earth will be conserved, contributing to a more secure and sustainable future for all.

WWF 2020 Biodiversity Goals
To measure and assess progress along the way, the biodiversity goals to be achieved by 2020 are:

2020 Biodiversity Goal – Places

Biodiversity is protected and well managed in the world’s most outstanding natural places

WWF’s scientific analysis of the most biologically diverse and representative ecoregion on Earth resulted in the selection of Global 200 ecoregions: 238 terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecoregion that conserve more than 95 per cent of all species and most habitats on Earth. WWF has carefully and scientifically selected 41 outstanding natural places in the world as a subset of G200. These places have diverse and unique biodiversity.

Indus Delta Ecoregion from Pakistan has been included in the priority places of the WWF Global Programme Framework.

2020 Biodiversity Goal – Species

Populations of the most ecologically, economically and culturally important species are restored and thriving in the wild

WWF will focus its work on species that are among the most ecologically, economically and culturally important in the world. The priority species of WWF include species representing the world’s major biogeographic realms and biome types or global threats to biodiversity, symbolic of the importance of conservation or the most ecologically, economically and culturally important species in the world.

Flagship species
This goal will be delivered through 13 flagship species either as individual species or species clusters. Flagship species are those that can provide a focus for raising awareness, stimulating action and funding for broader conservation efforts. River Dolphins, Asian Big Cats, Marine turtles and marine cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales) are among the 13 flagship species or species clusters of the Global Programme Framework that are found in Pakistan. Refer to table 1 below for details of flagship species found in Pakistan

Footprint-impacted Species
The goal will also deliver through 23 footprint impacted species that are primarily impacted by overexploitation. The species or species clusters included in this category that are also found in Pakistan are Tortoises and freshwater turtles, Argali Wild or Marcopolo Sheep and Pelagic and Reef sharks. According to FAO statistics 1997, Pakistan is one of the main producers of shark meat with nearly 19000 tonnes of dried, salted shark. A recent study by TRAFFIC International indicates that Pakistan is placed as 12th among the shark exporting countries in the world.

Refer to table 2 for footprint impacted species found in Pakistan

Ecoregional Priority Species
Each Priority Place will identify at least one ecoregion species to be used as an indicator species. Species that are important to Pakistan and under consideration are Asian Gyps vultures and Asiatic Black Bear.

WWF Footprint Meta-goal

By 2050 humanity’s global footprint will be and remain within the Earth’s capacity to sustain life, and the natural resources of our planet will be shared equitably.

WWF 2020 Footprint Goal
Humanity’s footprint will fall below its 2000 level and continue its downward trend, specifically in the areas of:

1. Energy/carbon footprint;
2. Commodities (crop, meat, fish and wood) footprint;
3. Water footprint

Ecological Footprint measures humanity’s demand on the biosphere in terms of the area of biologically productive land and sea required to provide the resources we use and to absorb our waste. The footprint of a country includes all the cropland, grazing, forest and fishing, fibre and timber it consumes, to absorb the wastes emitted in generating the energy it uses and to provide space for its infrastructure. Water footprint has been defined as the virtual water and physical water content of a product or service.

WWF’s ultimate aim is that all people live within the Earth’s capacity to sustain them and nature.

WWF’s Global Priority Drivers
WWF’s global priorities are subject to a range of direct and indirect threats. These threats are related to a broad set of sectoral, social, economic and political drivers that collectively act as the underlying root causes of biodiversity loss and increasing human ecological and carbon footprint. To implement the GPF, WWF will focus on key threats and drivers that impact Priority Places, Species and Footprint areas.  For example; Agriculture and Regional economic strategies are drivers and threats to Priority Places, Wildlife trade and national policies are to Priority Species and energy production and new technology impact Footprint targets.