Last updated: 22 Feb 2024

Nature

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World Wildlife Day, celebrated each year on 3 March, commemorates the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in 1973. The theme for 2024 is "Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation".

About World Wildlife Day

On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March – the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – as UN World Wildlife Day.

World Wildlife Day celebrates the beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people. At the same time, World Wildlife Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.

The UNGA resolution also designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar. World Wildlife Day has now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife.

2024 Theme

World Wildlife Day 2024 will be held under the theme “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation” to explore digital innovation and highlight how digital conservation technologies and services can drive wildlife conservation, sustainable and legal wildlife trade and human-wildlife coexistence, now and for future generations in an increasingly connected world.

We are in the midst of a global digital revolution that is breaking down barriers to people-centered digital governance and to equal opportunities for all to unleash the power of digital transformation. The ‘digital divide’ is slowly narrowing, with better connectivity and Internet access reaching 66 per cent of our global population. However, around 2.7 billion people of our global population are still not online. On average, only 36 per cent of the populations in the least developed countries and landlocked developing countries are online. Women and young people are more likely to experience gaps in Internet access and/or job-ready digital skills.

Technological innovation has made research, communication, tracking, DNA analysis and many other aspects of wildlife conservation easier, more efficient and accurate. Yet, uneven access to these new tools, environmental pollution and unsustainable applications of certain technologies remain critical issues for achieving universal digital inclusion by 2030.

This year, the CITES Secretariat has teamed up with the United Nations Development Programme, WILDLABS, Jackson Wild (host of the World Wildlife Day Showcase) and the International Foundation for Animal Welfare (IFAW) (host of the World Wildlife Day Youth Art Contest).

Digital innovation is transforming the way we safeguard our invaluable biodiversity. Groundbreaking apps now enable us to tell different tiger species apart in seconds. Drones are helping us roam large areas to locate sea turtle nesting sites. Advanced tracking systems, real-time data analytics, and artificial intelligence-driven solutions are empowering conservationists across the globe with unprecedented tools to help identify, monitor, track and ultimately preserve wildlife. However, as we leverage our growing technological capacities, we must also revitalize our commitments to sustainable development. This includes preventing destructive ecological impacts, mitigating threats to species and livelihoods arising from the misuse of technology, and ensuring digital inclusion for all by 2030.
— CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero

Celebrate World Wildlife Day in Geneva

The Geneva celebration of World Wildlife Day will take place on 4 March 2024 at the International Telecommunication Union from 14:30 to 16:00 CET. → Find more information and register on Forms to attend in person.

Visiting the Geneva Bioparc on Sunday, 3 March 2024

The Geneva Bioparc is offering free capsule visits every hour throughout the day on Sunday 3 March 2024 to learn more about threatened species and species frequently illegally traded housed at the park. → Visit the Bioparc Geneva premises, from 10:30 to 16:00 CET.

Discover the Fauna in Ariana Park

In the spirit of World Wildlife Day, take the occasion to discover wildlife in Ariana Park.  The park provides wildlife with a safe habitat and as a result many of our fellow animal friends feel comfortable passing by. If you have a close look, you can see a plethora of fascinating insects, birds, and even bats in the evening.

Key Messages

Check out other video Messages for World Wildlife Day 2024

Previous sessions on digital innovation and wildlife

Listed here are previous sessions on the collaborative work International Geneva does to protect wildlife through digital innovation.

Yearly Themes and Activities

Since 2014, the international community has been celebrating World Wildlife Day with a different theme selected for each year. Find more information for each year below:

Role of Geneva

International Geneva

Geneva and its surrounding area host important international organizations working on wildlife and forests.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

CITES is an international agreement between governments. Because the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. CITES was conceived in the spirit of such cooperation with the aim to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Today, it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 37,000 species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens, fur coats or dried herbs.

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

ITU is the UN specialized agency responsible for many matters related to information and communication technologies. While Information and Communication Technology (ICT) directly impact the environment, biodiversity, loss resulting from raw material extraction, increased production, contaminating disposal of end-of-life ICT equipment, and land occupation, ICTs and digital technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence and digital twin are helping monitor biodiversity through remote sensor networks, data gathering and management to promote the conservation of biodiversity.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 18,000 experts. This diversity and vast expertise makes IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN hosts the Red List of Threatened Species, the Red List of Ecosystems and the Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. Additionally, ecosystem restoration has been identified as one of the priority areas of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM).

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

As part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, UNECE is collaborating with the FAO to support countries in the UNECE region to restore degraded forest landscapes, work directly with cities to protect, maintain and restore forest ecosystems in and around urban areas, and foster the international exchange of knowledge and best practices on the management and protection of forests in the boreal zone.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Europe Office

The UNEP Europe Office provides guidance to national governments at various levels, and to take part in the dialogue on environmental issues between governmental authorities, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders. This includes projects to strengthen ecosystem management, for the benefit of people and biodiversity. The Europe Office in Geneva also hosts the Tehran Convention, a framework designed to protect the marine environment of the Caspian Sea.

United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD)

The UN-REDD Programme was launched in 2008 and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the FAO, UNDP and UNEP. The Programme supports nationally led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation. Additionally, the programme supports national REDD+ readiness efforts in 65 partner countries, spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

In 1996, UNCTAD launched the BioTrade Initiative to support the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity. BioTrade refers to those activities of collection, production, transformation, and commercialization of goods and services derived from native biodiversity under the criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The seven principles address issues such as conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity, equitable sharing of the benefits of BioTrade between different actors, and respect for the rights of indigenous people and local communities.

WWF International

WWF is an independent conservation organization active in nearly 100 countries to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. Working with many others – from individuals and communities to business and government – WWF urgently seeks to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable.

World Economic Forum

WEF is leading the Nature Action Agenda (NAA) is a multi-sector movement catalyzing economic action to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and enable humans to live in harmony with nature. It aims to build business and policy action by building a knowledge base, catalyzing leadership, scaling solutions, and supporting an enabling environment by ensuring implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Earthworm Foundation

Earthworm Foundation, formerly known as The Forest Trust, works to preserve forests and oceans, while empowering the people that care for our lands and produce our everyday needs. Their projects contribute to a world where forests are a boundless source of materials and a home for biodiversity; communities see their rights respected and have opportunities to develop; workers are seen as productive partners; and agriculture becomes the instrument to feed a hungry planet and keep our climate stable.

Local Geneva

State of Geneva

Geneva is active in protecting biodiversity, which faces significant pressure due to urbanization and high human population density. Geneva’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity highlights the need to promote biodiversity at every scale, from land-use planning to concrete achievements in neighborhoods or gardens. The State has also established several protected areas, covering 2,7% of its territory, and is developing various restoration projects for rivers and lake banks. In regard to the Swiss context, significant success could be achieved for the local biodiversity thanks to the active collaboration of the local agriculture actors. Geneva has also published a campaign called CATS OUTDOORS to raise awareness on the threats posed by domestic cats in an attempt to recover a local key species, the European wild cat.

Conservatory and Botanical Garden

Occupying roughly 28 hectares, the city of Geneva’s Conservatory and Botanical Garden is the largest public botanical garden in Switzerland. With a six-fold mission of exploration, conservation, research, transmission of knowledge, protection, and cooperation, the botanical garden is home to a living collection of more than 15,000 species of wild or cultivated flora, which includes a variety of CITES protected species, and a herbarium of nearly 6 million botanical specimens.

Faune Genève

Faune Genève is a non-profit association aiming at protecting and raising awareness of the fauna of Geneva. Its website is an official platform for naturalists and wildlife observers in the region.

La Libellule

La Libellule is a non-profit association raising public environmental awareness through field activities, mainly in the Geneva region.

Bioparc Geneva

The Bioparc works for the conservation of local and exotic animal species by participating in conservation programs, providing environmental awareness and education on wildlife, developing a recognized animal-assisted intervention center, and collaborating in research. It is home to more than 250 animals, a third of which are threatened of extinction. The Bioparc is part of the Action Plan for Biodiversity of the State of Geneva.

Pro Natura

Pro Natura is the oldest nature preservation organization in Switzerland, with several protected sites with important wildlife such as the Centre Nature Vallon de l’Allondon and the Centre Nature de la Pointe à la Bise in Geneva.

WWF Geneva

WWF Geneva works to implement projects in support of biodiversity, which includes a Panda Club that organizes outings and activities for young people on environmental issues.

Dans Ma Nature

The platform dansmaNature.ch aims to increase public awareness of biodiversity. A collaborative work by the Canton of Geneva and local associations and institutions, the platform brings together all the activities organized in Geneva, including excursions and nature-friendly outings.

GEN Events

The Geneva Environment Network has supported the CITES Secretariat in the organization of World Wildlife Day Celebrations in Geneva.

Geneva World Wildlife Day Celebration | 50 Years of Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation and Sustainability

CITES, GEN | 3 March 2023 | 12:00 CET | Conservatory and Botanical Garden

Killing the Shepherd | Wednesdays for the Planet

CITES, GEN | 23 February 2022 | 13:30 CET | Online

World Wildlife Day Film Showcase: Nature’s Fear Factor | Wednesdays for the Planet

CITES, GEN, Jackson Wild | 2 March 2022 | 13:30 CET | Online

World Wildlife Day | Geneva | Sustaining All Life on Earth

CITES, GEN, Jackson Wild | 3 March 2020 | Palais des Nations

World Wildlife Day 2019 Celebration in Geneva

CITES, GEN, Jackson Wild | 1 March 2019 | Palais des Nations | Room XIV

World Wildlife Day Celebration 2017

CITES, GEN | 3 March 2017 | Fonction Cinema

World Wildlife Day 2016 Celebration

CITES, GEN | 3 March 2016 | Palais des Nations, Room XIV (Cinema)

Wild and Precious | Conservation in the 21st Century?

CITES, GEN | 3 March 2015 | Geneva Airport

Learning