2025 showed what is possible when the global animal protection movement acts together.
From the historic inclusion of animal welfare in the Pandemic Agreement to advancing a Wildlife for Climate Action Declaration at the UN Climate negotiations, the World Federation for Animals (WFA) and its members delivered meaningful progress for animals across health, climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development policy. Together, we ensured animals were not left out of key global decisions.
At the High-Level Political Forum, governments adopted a Ministerial Declaration that called for recognising the value of the One Health approach, reinforcing the links between human, animal, and ecosystem health. Similarly, the 27th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-27) under the Convention on Biological Diversity, advanced recognition of the role of wild animals in ecosystem function and resilience.
In 2025, WFA helped shape the evidence base of future AMR policy. The Federation led the UN Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform work to help develop recommendations to integrate animal welfare into the mandate of the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against AMR. We also joined the World Health Organisation Civil Society Task Force on AMR, giving animal welfare a direct voice in global AMR governance.
Other highlights from the year
- The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s landmark AMR resolution, recognising the need to reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use in food and farming systems
- The third UN Ocean Conference, where governments adopted the Nice Ocean Action Plan with commitments to marine protection, sustainable fisheries, and reducing plastic pollution
- UN climate negotiations at COP30, which progressed the discussion on synergies between climate and biodiversity
- Continued work at the UN General Assembly to demonstrate how animal health and welfare support achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
- At WOAH’s General Session, delegates updated the Terrestrial Animal Health Code’s animal welfare chapter to reflect the five-domain model
- At UNEA-7, WFA worked with governments to advance recognition of the environmental dimensions of AMR
Reflecting on the year’s achievements
Josef Pfabigan, current President of WFA, noted:
“When we founded the WFA, we knew animals needed a global coalition. What we could not have foreseen was how much would become possible – and how quickly.”
Reflecting on what’s coming, James Yeates, CEO of WFA, added:
“The years to 2030 will be hard for international politics, for our movement, and for animals. We will need to gather, focus, and sustain more effort than ever. We are ready.”
