WWF-Russia 2014

In 2014, three more cubs were born at the Persian Leopard Breeding and Rehabilitation Centre and now it is home to 13 animals including eight cubs. These cubs are destined to become the founding members of a population of wild leopard in the Russian Caucasus.

In 2014, a WWF-coordinated census was conducted in order to estimate the population size of rare species — Altai mountain sheep (argali). The key finding of the census is positive in that, during the previous two years, the population of argali found in areas along Russia-Mongolia border increased by 82%.

Under the WWF pressure Yamal LNG developed its own Strategy for the Conservation of the Atlantic Walrus. For the first time in Russia, such a corporate environmental standard has been followed.

WWF-Russia drew up agreements on the protection of high conservation value forests in Arkhangelsk Region and in the south of the Russian Far East with 18 timber producers. According to these agreements, 883,000 hectares of forest leased by timber-producing companies are excluded from exploitation while logging within another 141,000 hectares is limited.

In 2014, the area of forests managed in an environmentally and socially-responsible manner grew by 1.2 million hectares. This is confirmed by the international FSC standards.

From the second half of 2014, timber from the Mongolian oak and Manchurian ash listed in Annex III of CITES (Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species) may only be exported after an additional procedure to confirm the legality of the timber has been conducted.

The Government of Russia approved a National Plan to combat IUU-fishing. It took several years to formulate this document and WWF experts participated actively in that work.

In 2014, two fisheries were granted MSC certificates of environmentally-responsible fishing. The companies Strelets and Eridan together harvest 10% of Russian cod and haddock in the Barents Sea.

In April 2014 and after a long period of consultation during which WWF-Russia was an active participant, the Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, signed an Instruction whereby each sector of the economy must have its own quotas of GHG emissions and from the beginning of 2016 obligatory reporting for each enterprise must be in place.

A coalition of environmental NGOs including WWF succeeded in postponing the government approval for the construction project in Piltun Bay that threatened western pacific grey whales and other marine mammals.

WWF, together with the Global Footprint Network, calculated for the first time the ecological footprint and biocapacity of Russian regions. The research has been conducted with financial support from Teplocom Holding.

WWF together with the Creon Energy Group prepared for the first time in Russia an environmental responsibility rating for the oil and gas sector. WWF developed the methodology while the National Rating Agency made the calculations. Surgutneftegaz received the highest score, while Sakhalin Energy came in second place and Gazprom third.

WWF along with other environmental NGOs prepared the appeal to withdraw the draft law, tabled by several members of State Duma and proposed abolishing the state environmental review. The appeal was sent to the Russian President and State Duma. Consequently, the draft law was withdrawn.

In 2014, five criminal cases were initiated with respect to the violation of Article 258.1 of the Russian Criminal Code for the trade, storage and transportation of body parts belonging to the Amur tiger, Amur leopard and polar bear. The Law that came into effect put a halt, not only to poaching, but also to the black market-related trade in endangered species.

In January 2014, WWF asked their supporters to appeal to and request the President of Russia to limit the list of nature reserves that can be transformed into national parks. As a result, President Putin instructed the Russian Government to endorse this list.

• Over 50 million roubles were raised for WWF conservation projects thanks to individual supporters.
• In 2014, the WWF charity gift shop was launched at help.wwf.ru/podarki. Helping our planet was made even easier and more pleasant.
• Now everyone can support WWF conservation projects by sending a text message with the word «PANDA» to 3443, thereby donating 100 roubles.
• In 2014, a charitable campaign called Important People for the Living Planet was launched at wwf.ru/vmeste.
• In total during 2014, WWF was mentioned in the media no fewer than 15,174 times.