President and CEO’s message - Annual Report 2026 

There is reason to be hopeful about nature’s future. As WWF’s 2026 Living Planet report reminds us, the choices we make this decade will shape the future of nature. While the pressures of climate change, habitat loss and species decline remain significant, there is growing evidence that nature can recover when we act with urgency, ambition and persistence. Around the world, we are seeing what sustained conservation efforts, strong partnerships and collective action can achieve, with new opportunities emerging to accelerate nature’s recovery.

During 2025-26, this progress was reflected in WWF-Australia's work across Australia, the Pacific and beyond, where climate, nature and communities came together to deliver stronger, more enduring solutions. We supported locally led action, scaled practical solutions and advocated for the policy and investment needed to drive regeneration.

Today, almost half of our conservation programs are delivered in collaboration with, or led by, Indigenous Peoples and local communities. We are committed to strengthening these partnerships and expanding Indigenous and community-led approaches, recognising that lasting conservation is strongest when the people most closely connected to nature help shape its future.

This year marked the completion of the first phase of the Climate Resilient by Nature program, driven by communities and supported by the Australian Government. This program demonstrated the power of locally led nature-based solutions to climate impacts and laid the foundations for the next phase of work across the region. As the global climate conference COP31 approaches, the Oceania First Voices Forum is bringing indigenous leaders together to share knowledge, strengthen connections and help shape the global climate agenda.

Creating lasting change also requires strong policies and institutions. This year, advocacy by WWF-Australia, together with our partners and supporters, helped advance nature protection in Australia and beyond. Major reforms to national nature laws and the passage of the High Seas Biodiversity Act laid important foundations for stronger protection of wildlife and habitats at scale. Progress continued in expanding protected reserves and Indigenous Protected Areas, while the New South Wales Government committed to establishing the Great Koala National Park, one of the state's largest protected areas and a vital refuge for endangered koalas.

New economic models that make nature restoration investable are also critical. Building on successful pilot projects, we launched the Koala Friendly Carbon Initiative as a joint venture with Climate Friendly, creating a scalable model for private investment in nature recovery. Early monitoring found koalas using restored habitat less than three years after planting, while carbon credit sales demonstrate growing confidence in market-based solutions for nature.

Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, are creating new opportunities to accelerate conservation outcomes and scale regenerative solutions for nature and communities. As these technologies advance, we are testing and applying them responsibly, while advocating for the safeguards needed to minimise environmental impacts.

The progress highlighted throughout this report gives us confidence that positive change is possible. These achievements belong to the Traditional Custodians, partners, donors, supporters and staff whose commitment, expertise and generosity make this work possible. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Achieving our vision of regenerating nature by 2030 will require us to build on this progress: accelerating our efforts to protect and restore nature, delivering a faster and fairer renewable energy transition, and building an economy that values and protects nature.

WWF-Australia will continue to help identify, test and scale the solutions capable of delivering change at the pace and scale this decade demands. By bringing together science, policy, finance and partnerships, we can turn the progress already underway into lasting impact for nature, climate and communities.

Judy Slatyer - President

Dermot O’Gorman - Chief Executive Officer

Climate Resilient by Nature is an Australian Government initiative in partnership with WWF-Australia, supporting nature-based solutions to climate change in the Indo-Pacific.