PURPOSE: World Wildlife Day observed on 3 March, is an ideal opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people. Habitat destruction, fragmentation, and modification caused by human-led activities (i.e., industrial and residential development, logging, crop farming, livestock grazing, mining, road and dam building, and pesticide use) have taken an extreme toll on threatened and endangered wildlife populations at an alarming rate At the same time, the day also reminds us the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.

FORUM: ”Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.” World Wildlife Day 2025. The year also coincide with the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1975. With more than 1 million species now estimated to be threatened with extinction amid the intensifying triple planetary crisis, innovative finance for wildlife conservation has never been more urgent. Over half of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) is dependent on nature, making biodiversity loss an increasing threat to financial stability and livelihoods. Building on a collaborative spirit, the events will serve as a platform for exchanging ideas, showcasing solutions and advancing wildlife conversation on how innovative finance can contribute to halting biodiversity loss, raising the interest of private sector stakeholders to invest in wildlife conservation, and creating a sustainable future. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #TechForWildlife, #3March, #WorldWildlifeDay, #DigitalInnovation, #WWD2025, #wildlifeconservationfinance.

EVENTS: At UNHQ in New York, NY, United States of America. On March 3rd, the 50th anniversary of CITES and the World Wildlife Day 2025 will be celebrated under the critical theme of “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet”. The event will showcase key global initiatives in wildlife finance. For example, the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works to demonstrate how nature-positive economies can work for people and the planet; the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) established by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to help countries achieve the Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; the Green Climate Fund (GCF) which works to increase access to climate finance for biodiversity rich (and other) developing countries; the Biodiversity Credit Alliance which works to facilitate the transition to a nature positive economy; as well as other initiatives.

At the Palais des Nations on Monday, March 3rd; From 10:00AM-12:00PM Central European Time. The WWD2025 main celebration event in Geneva will highlight innovative financial mechanisms for wildlife conservation and share actionable pathways to mobilize the financial resources for investing in the future of our planet. The event will showcase the efforts on innovative financing of financial institutions, such as Building Bridges, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the World Economic Forum. Participants will explore Wildlife Conservation Finance and how to better invest in people and planet To mark the World Wildlife Day 2025, the CITES Secretariat will leverage the expertise, knowledge, and creativity of key stakeholders through collaborative partnerships with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jackson Wild, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (ifaw), WILDLABS, the Geneva Environment Network, and other organizations. This event will feature a musical performance with medicinal plants, an expert panel discussion on the 2025 theme, statements from Member States, the announcement of the winner of the International Youth Art Contest, and a trailer premiere of the 2025 Jackson Wild Film Showcase. The World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest and the winners will be presented during the high-level event. Congratulations in advance to the winner of the annual WWD Poster Contest!. On and around March 3rd, many side-events, seminars, workshops and excursions will be held worldwide; Explore the map of WWD2025 celebrations around the world. Get the Agenda Programme; register to participate and watch the livestream on United Nations WebTV.

At UN Geneva, from 3–8 February 2025; the 78th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee was held. The CITES SC78 reviewed the reports of the Plants and Animals Committees July 2024 meetings, where members discussed emerging operational issues; cooperation with other multilateral environmental agreements and international organizations; the transport of live specimens; specimens produced through biotechnology; and the role of CITES in reducing the risk of potential zoonotic disease emergence associated with international wildlife trade.. It preceded the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP20) from 24 November – 5 December 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Convention’s entry into force. In addition to these issues, the Standing Committee considered:

• arrangements for the 20th meeting of the CoP, including a draft provisional agenda and draft work programme;

• the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities;

• non-detriment findings for specimens of Appendix-II species taken from areas beyond national jurisdiction;

• trade in medicinal and aromatic plants;

• demand reduction to combat illegal trade;

• an assessment of the practicalities of the CoP12 decision that the Convention should apply to fungi; and

• an information system for trade in specimens of CITES-listed tree species.

Delegates have celebrated achievements, like the dramatic recovery of the saiga antelope. But their agenda with over 127 working documents across 87 agenda items containing more than 200 draft decisions could not be completed, illustrating a growing gap between the Convention’s workload and resources. Read the summary report of the meeting!

STATEMENTS : Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on World wildlife Day 2025; march 3rd.

Statement by the CITES Secretary-General, Mme Ivonne Higuero for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the UNDP Administrator, MrAchim Steiner for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the Secretary-General of the Convention on Wetlands; Mme. Musonda Mumba for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the Executive Secretary of the ICW, Mme Martha Rojas Urrego For World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the UNCTAD Secretary; Mme Rebeca Grynspan for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the Director General of the WOAH, Mme Monique Eloit For World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the UNEP FI; Mr Eric Usher for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the CBD Executive secretary; Mme Astrid Schomaker for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd; Statement by the World Heritage Centre Director, Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo for World Wildlife Day 2025, March 3rd.

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