As part of Sustainability Week 2026, the GISA Environmental Committee is pleased to host Custodians of Wildlife: NGOs and IOs in the Shadows of Biodiversity, Law and Action, a panel discussion bringing together leading practitioners working to protect wildlife across policy, conservation, and advocacy.
Across the globe, wildlife faces mounting pressures, from illegal wildlife trade and poisoning to habitat loss and weak enforcement of environmental laws. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated action across borders, stronger legal frameworks, and meaningful partnerships with local communities.
This panel will explore the realities of protecting wildlife in today’s complex environmental and political landscape. Drawing on their work in international organizations, foundations, and conservation networks, the speakers will discuss key challenges in combating wildlife crime, safeguarding threatened species, and mobilising political and public support for conservation. The conversation will also examine how different actors, from governments and NGOs to civil society, can work together more effectively to protect biodiversity.
By bringing together experts working on the front lines of wildlife conservation, this discussion aims to highlight both the urgency of the biodiversity crisis and the collaborative solutions needed to address it.
PANEL DISCUSSION
The event will consist of a moderated panel discussion followed by a short Q&A with the audience.
The panelists joining this discussion are:
- Rob Parry-Jones – Head of the Wildlife Crime Programme, WWF International
- Elisa Facchini – Programme Officer, Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme, IUCN
- José Tavares – Director, Vulture Conservation Foundation
- Javiera Calisto – Programme Officer, Oak Foundation
- Anna Zangger – Head of International Campaigns, Franz Weber Foundation
The discussion will be moderated by Akansha Gupta, Co-President of GISA Environmental Committee.