WWF-UK and WWF-Switzerland have produced a guide for banks on developing robust World Heritage site policies and implementation procedures.
A WWF survey found that 66 per cent of people in the UK said that they expect their bank not to fund any activity that might cause damage to World Heritage sites. Despite this, almost half of all natural World Heritage sites – home to endangered animals and species, precious biodiversity, and millions of livelihoods – are threatened by harmful industrial practices such as oil and gas exploration and mining.
The report has found that the banks questioned urged for the need for better and more systematic data on the threats of extractives to World Heritage sites. This is a gap which the analysis from WWF-SIGHT aims to fill. Now in exploration is how to develop a potential business model and vision allowing for commercial access by the financial sector to integrated mapping and decision making tools and its analysis. In doing so, tools such as WWF-SIGHT are able to outline the urgent action required by the finance industry in safeguarding these important natural sites.
Read the full press release at WWF-UK.org [external link]: WWF calls on all banks to take action to prevent funding companies or activities that threaten endangered wildlife and local communities
Download the full report: How Banks can Safeguard our World Heritage
Find out more about how tools like WWF-SIGHT are providing better data on extractives overlaps across the world: Contact the WWF-SIGHT Team