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  WWF 17 Mar 06
New WWF presence in Singapore

Today Online 18 Mar 06
Now, we're a conservation hub, too
Venessa Lee

WITH the opening of a new World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International office in Singapore on Friday, the garden city notched another "hub" to its name — a conservation hub.

And their first partners based in Singapore will be the Singapore Zoo and Sentosa's Underwater World.

The organisation, which leads international efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats, will be joining hands with the Singapore Zoo and the Underwater World to develop environmental education and outreach programmes.

The WWF also works with governments, businesses, non-governmental organisations, local communities and multinationals such as Unilever and HSBC.

Its Singapore office will be its only one outside of Switzerland, even though it operates in around 120 countries worldwide.

Said its American director general, James Leape: "This is a city which we think can be a leader in conservation in many ways, both in the private and public sectors. This office will certainly help to coordinate our work in Asia."

From its Singapore office, it hopes to do more to tackle conservation challenges associated with Asia, such as the trade in sharks' fins and in tiger parts.

Said Mr Leape: "Shark finning is a problem everywhere in the world and the demand for fins comes mainly from Asia and the sale of tiger parts is the single most significant factor threatening tigers today. We hope to do more in the region and worldwide, in terms of education and outreach, among other things."

He emphasised, though, that "the challenge is to bring conservation home to people". "It's not just about pretty places far away," he said.

WWF 17 Mar 06
New WWF presence in Singapore

In the presence of WWF's President Emeritus, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, WWF officially opened the doors of its newest office in the Asian city-state of Singapore, adding to the global conservation organzation's presence in the region.

WWF is already active in 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, one of the world's more most biologically and culturally diverse areas. The new WWF Singapore office will provide a hub to support WWF's programmes across the region, and will enable programme-led partnerships with business and industry to be established.

"Working with government, business, other NGOs and the local Singapore community, WWF aims to spearhead efforts to build the region’s expertise in planning and managing natural resources wisely, and thereby contribute significantly towards Singapore’s growing status as a regional focal point,” said Dr Isabelle Louis, Director of WWF's Asia-Pacific Programme.

The WWF office in Sinagpore will also undertake education and outreach environmental programmes, facilitate dialogue on corporate social responsibility, and explore innovative financing for environmental sustainability.

"WWF will join over 40 major international organizations and non-governmental organizations that have established their regional headquarters here," said Kenneth Tan, Services Cluster Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board. "Its presence is expected to contribute to developing Singapore as a regional platform for leadership in the environmental technology and services sector through its industry collaborations as well as high profile events organized here.”

For further information: Isabell Louis, Director WWF Asia-Pacific Programme E-Mail: ilouis@wwfint.org
links
God Save the Bears reveals news of WWF office in Singapore on Siva's habitatnews blog
Related articles on Singapore: general environment issues
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