WWF’S REPRT ON GRASSLANDS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The recent report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveals that an area of Great Plains grasslands larger than the state of Delaware in the United States has been lost in just one year, primarily due to ploughing for row crop agriculture.

Key Highlights of Report

• The report analysed the rate of grassland ploughing across the US and Canadian portions of the Great Plains.
• The majority of the grasslands with the best agricultural soils were ploughed up decades ago. The remaining intact grasslands are not always as productive for row-crop farming.
• The loss of grasslands affects all, not just the people living in those areas. When grasslands are ploughed, increasing amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere, increasing the likelihood of frequent and intense droughts.

World Wide Fund  for Nature (WWF)

• Established: In 1961 
• Headquarter: In Gland, Switzerland.
• Previously known as the: World Wildlife Fund
• Mission: WWF's mission is to halt the degradation of the planet's natural environment and create a future in which humans coexist harmoniously with nature.
• Global Reach: The world's largest conservation organization, boasting over five million supporters across 100 countries.