A Gift to the Earth is a public celebration by WWF of a conservation action by a government, a company or an individual that is both a demonstration of environmental leadership and a globally significant contribution to the protection of the natural world.

WWF, to date, has recognised 88 Gifts to Earth since the inception of the scheme in 1996. Each gift represents an important success within one or more of WWF's six global conservation priorities: the protection of forests, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the conservation of endangered species, the prevention of climate change, and the elimination of toxic chemicals.

» Read more about WWF's Gifts to the Earth programme

The creation of whale sanctuaries focuses attention on the wider marine environment at a critical time. As recognised in the collapse or depletion of fisheries worldwide, the seas are in crisis and urgent conservation action is required. Creation of marine protected areas and other conservation mechanisms such as whale sanctuaries greatly contributes to restoring the health of the marine environment.

The creation of a network of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific provides a framework for international cooperation in the South Pacific Region, a platform for ongoing management of shared marine resources across the region, and acknowledges the cultural importance of whales to many cultures across the South Pacific.

The long term vision of WWF is for all whale populations to have recovered and to be thriving throughout the oceans. The praiseworthy effort by the 11 South Pacific countries and territories to form a network of EEZ whale sanctuaries serves as a winning example for other island states in the region, and creates a blueprint for whale conservation and cooperation for marine management in both the South Pacific and elsewhere in the world