Wyss Campaign for Nature

Wyss Campaign for Nature
Name	Wyss Campaign for Nature
Founded	2018
Founder	Hansjörg Wyss
Key people	Molly McUsic (President)
Focus	Conservation, protected areas, Biodiversity
Location	Washington, D.C., United States
Website	https://www.campaignfornature.org

Wyss Campaign for Nature is a major philanthropic initiative launched in 2018 by Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist Hansjörg Wyss. The campaign operates as a project of the Wyss Foundation, a private charitable foundation based in Washington, D.C.. Its primary objective is to accelerate the global pace and scale of land and ocean conservation, with a central focus on supporting the international goal to protect 30% of the Earth's surface by 2030. The campaign provides grants, advocates for policy changes, and supports scientific research to advance the creation and effective management of protected areas worldwide.

Background and founding

The campaign was established by Hansjörg Wyss, a noted philanthropist who made his fortune in the medical device industry through companies like Synthes. Inspired by a lifelong passion for wilderness and informed by the escalating biodiversity loss and climate change crises documented by bodies like the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Wyss pledged an unprecedented financial commitment. The launch coincided with growing international momentum around ambitious conservation targets, building upon frameworks like the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The initiative is strategically headquartered in Washington, D.C. to influence global policy and works in close concert with the established grantmaking of the Wyss Foundation.

Mission and goals

The core mission is to galvanize support for conserving 30% of the planet in a natural state by 2030, a target often referred to as "30x30." This goal aligns with proposals from leading scientific organizations, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the National Geographic Society. Key objectives include expanding and strengthening marine protected areas and terrestrial national parks, supporting the stewardship rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities, and promoting conservation financing mechanisms. The campaign emphasizes that protecting nature is essential for mitigating climate change, preserving ecosystem services, and ensuring human well-being.

Major initiatives and projects

A flagship project is the Wyss Academy for Nature, established in partnership with the University of Bern in Switzerland. The campaign has provided major grants to organizations like the African Parks Network for park management in countries such as Zambia and Mozambique. It significantly supports the Campaign for Nature (a distinct advocacy partnership with the National Geographic Society) to promote the 30x30 goal. Other initiatives include funding for the creation of the Bears Ears National Monument in the United States, supporting Conservation International's work in the Amazon rainforest, and financing large-scale conservation projects across South America, Africa, and Canada.

Financial commitments and impact

In 2018, Hansjörg Wyss pledged $1 billion over a decade to advance global conservation efforts through the campaign. This commitment has translated into hundreds of millions of dollars in grants disbursed to conservation NGOs, research institutions, and community-led projects. Documented impacts include direct support for the protection of millions of hectares of land and sea, contributions to the establishment of new protected areas from the Argentine Patagonia to the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area in Southern Africa, and catalytic funding that has leveraged additional public and private finance for conservation. The campaign's spending is a significant driver in the philanthropic landscape for environmental protection.

Partnerships and collaborations

The campaign operates through extensive partnerships with major international conservation organizations. Key collaborators include the Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. It works with intergovernmental bodies like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat. The campaign also partners with Indigenous groups, such as the Inuit Circumpolar Council, and supports initiatives like the Global Environment Facility and the Endangered Landscapes Programme. These collaborations are designed to implement on-the-ground projects and advance policy advocacy at national and international forums.

Criticism and controversies

Some critics, including certain development advocates and representatives from the extractive industries, argue that the 30x30 target could restrict economic development and resource access, particularly in the Global South. There have been debates about the campaign's approach to Indigenous rights, with concerns that top-down conservation models could inadvertently marginalize local communities, though the campaign explicitly states support for Indigenous land rights. Other critiques from within the conservation community question the focus on area-based targets over qualitative measures of protection effectiveness and ecological connectivity. The campaign's large-scale, philanthropically-driven model is also part of broader discussions about the influence of private wealth in shaping global environmental agendas.

Category:Environmental organizations based in Washington, D.C. Category:Conservation organizations Category:Philanthropic organizations