The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
- Adria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- AsiaPacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Borneo
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Caucasus
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- European Policy Office
- Finland
"To take effective climate and biodiversity action, the EU must uphold its commitments to sustainability, nature protection and viable fisheries to secure a healthy and resilient ocean."
Dr Antonia Leroy
Head of Ocean Policy
+32 485 69 20 85
@AntoniaLeroy
The EPO draws on the WWF European network’s field experiences to call for environmentally robust and evidence-based policies for sustainable ocean governance.
To ensure a sustainable relationship with our ocean and to effectively protect our seas, marine ecosystems and biodiversity, we:
- Take action across all levels of governance, including the public and private sector, to promote sustainable fishing practices that guarantee the social, economic and environmental resilience of fisheries and which minimises impacts on the marine environment;
- Advocate for better implementation and monitoring of European legislation to end illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (the IUU Regulation).
- Advocate for ambitious control rules which strengthen and enforce fisheries legislation to make EU fishing practices more sustainable and transparent
- Promote the creation of an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas and their proper management;
- Promote an ecosystem-based approach to the maritime spatial plans that are adopted by European Member States;
- Advocate for a sustainable deployment of offshore renewable energy which balances environmental protection and socio-economic needs;
- Influence investment decisions within the maritime sector to be founded on the most sustainable blue economy pathways possible.
Contacts
Dr Antonia Leroy
Head of Ocean Policy
+32 485 69 20 85
@AntoniaLeroy
Laure Guillevic
Ocean Policy Officer
Dr Aleksandre Gogaladze
Ocean Policy Officer
Louis Lambrechts
Ocean Policy Officer
@Louis_Lbts
Helena Rodrigues
Ocean Policy Officer
+32 492 33 00 08
@hiavrodigues
Larissa Milo-Dale
Senior Communications Officer, Marine
+32 483 26 20 86
@larashka
Policy timeline
Ocean 2024
- Autumn: European Commission publishes its assessment of implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive
- 2 September: Political priorities defined for 2024-2029 and the start of the new European Commission mandate
- 16-18 October: United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16)
- 11-22 November: United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP29)
WWF analyses of 16 coastal Member States' maritime strategies reveal none are on course to meet EU climate and nature goals
Continued failure to adopt an ecosystem-based approach to Maritime Spatial Planning will make it increasingly difficult for the EU and its neighbours to overcome the impacts of climate change.
WWF is calling for all EU Member States to ensure their maritime spatial plans secure sufficient space for nature to recover and thrive. This includes leaving offshore renewable energy development out of MPAs and establishing transboundary cooperation between Member States to reduce harmful impacts to nature from this type of infrastructure.
It is crucial for national plans to not only dedicate more space to nature via effectively managed MPAs that cover at least 30% of national waters, with at least 10% under strict protection, but also adopt a regional approach to monitoring the cumulative impacts of all human activities.
Finally, stakeholders must be involved and consulted in all phases of MSP, with national plans covering all sea areas and continuously adapted as new data becomes available and new pieces of legislation come into force.