WWF: News from nature 🌿🐼

• Even though we are slowly saying goodbye to summer, I hope that doesn’t make you sad. Autumn does have its magic and I’m pretty sure we have a couple of more sunny weeks coming. ☀ Before we take our autumn clothes, coffees and hot chocolates, I have some important summer news from WWF Adria. 🐼

• Summer is not over yet – become a Seastar Hero!

This summer, on the beaches of the city of Poreč, visitors and residents can participate in the SeaStar Hero project. How does it work? Anyone interested can get involved at one of the five Blue Flag beaches in Poreč where they have the opportunity to dive out waste from the sea. Beforehand, they need to  find special stations for picking up waste equipment. Every diver who returns the equipment and surfaced waste to the station gets a symbolic reward in the form of a badge from a lifeguard, and to the participants who bring a larger amount of waste, a t-shirt. Participants who receive a t-shirt achieve the “SeaStar” status, which for one day brings them benefits in catering facilities throughout the city! This initiative was created by studio Sonda.

If you find yourself in Poreč and you would like to become a SeaStar Hero, find out more here.

• As of 2nd of August we live on ecological credit

Did you know that scientists calculate Earth Overshoot Day every year? That date marks the day when people have used all of the natural resources our planet can provide us with without any harm for the planet. After that point, we start overexploiting natural resources, which leads to accelerating ecological and climate collapse, and each one of us feels the consequences. This year Earth Overshoot Day lands on August the 2nd.

Why is this happening and how can we help? Find out here.

• Not even 1% of drinking water for 100% of Earth’s life

One of the most important natural resources is definitely drinking water, do you agree Siniša? A campaign “Not even 1% of drinking water for 100% of life” demonstrated life without it.

How to make lunch without water, how to do exercise without drinking water afterwards, how to take a shower, brush your teeth, what to drink when we are thirsty?

We have presented this problem through an innovative exhibition held in Silosi event place in Belgrade, but you can also see it on our social media. This campaign was realized with RED communications creative time.

You can find out more here.

• Extreme weather conditions in the region

Unfortunately, this summer was not completely carefree. Unprecedented storms hit the region and caused enormous damage. The most worrying thing is that we cannot say that it was just an isolated incident. We have to prepare for increasingly frequent weather extremes.

Find out more about the storm that hit the entire region here, and more about the floods that swept through Slovenia read here.

• Nature Restoration Law is adopted

Of course, there is plenty we can do. One positive outcome for nature restoration definitely happened on July 12, when Members of the European Parliament adopted the Nature Restoration Law. Nature Restoration Law is one of the key elements of the EU’s Green Deal.

It obliges EU member states to increase the percentage of protected natural habitats and species – at least 20% of habitats by 2030, and to invest more in nature protection and restoration. The adoption of this Law is a clear sign that the EU remains consistent with its green policy and global goals on biodiversity protection.

However, it remains to be seen how much nature protection will remain an EU priority for the next EU Parliament and the Commission, after the European elections in 2024.

• The celebration of health, preservation of planet and all of its life

And this weekend we were at the ZeGeVege Festival in Zagreb. The European square was filled with a diverse offer of exhibitors of healthy food and eco-products. Our pandas were also there, presenting our work on protecting nature and wildlife. And for a symbolic donation, visitors could become real pandas with our t-shirts, bags, notebooks and other materials. Many interesting lecturers could be heard, including our Communications and Individual Fundraising Director, Petra Boić Petrač, who in her lecture explained in more detail what Overshoot day is, how it is measured and how we can reduce it.

• Blue Panda will sail the  Adriatic sea

The Blue Panda, WWF’s sailboat for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea, comes to Croatia! This ship has sailed through the Mediterranean since 2019 showing the importance of seas and oceans’ protection. This year, it will sail the Adriatic from September 23 to September 30 and you will be able to see it around Lastovo island.

• We have a new Director of the Nature Conservation Program

Dunja Mazzocco Drvar is the new Director of the Nature Conservation Program at WWF Adria.

In her role as the Program Director, Ms Mazzocco Drvar will play a key role in shaping conservation strategies and developing new initiatives and partnerships in eight countries in the region: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

She will lead expert efforts to address key environmental challenges, promote sustainable practices, and advocate for policies that protect the most vulnerable species and ecosystems in the region.

Find out more here.

Thank you for reading! 😊