Global Nature Fund
Professional services
UnclaimedGlobal Nature Fund is a German private non-profit foundation focused on environmental protection, freshwater conservation, wetlands, and international lake partnerships.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Global Nature Fund is a private non-profit foundation established in 1998 and headquartered in Radolfzell, Germany. Its stated purpose is environmental protection, with a particular emphasis on freshwater ecosystems, lakes, wetlands, biodiversity, and cooperation among conservation organizations in different countries. Rather than operating as a consumer-facing product brand, the organization functions as an environmental foundation and international platform for conservation initiatives. One of its best-known activities is its sponsorship of the Living Lakes Network, an international network intended to connect organizations working to protect lakes and other water bodies. Through this network-oriented approach, Global Nature Fund supports the exchange of knowledge, conservation experience, and public attention across regions. Its work reflects the view that the ecological condition of lakes and wetlands is closely linked to biodiversity, livelihoods, water security, and the resilience of local communities. The foundation also marks World Wetlands Day by selecting a water body as the “Threatened Lake of the Year.” The designation is used to highlight lakes and wetlands facing serious environmental pressures and to draw attention to the need for coordinated protection. The documented selections have covered water bodies in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and North America. Examples include Lake Chapala in Mexico, Lake Victoria in East Africa, the Dead Sea, the Pantanal, Lake Atitlán, Lake Titicaca, Tonle Sap, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nokoué, Albufera Lake, and the Pantanal Wetlands. Global Nature Fund’s international orientation is also reflected in its cooperation with the Ramsar Convention framework. In 2004, it signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ramsar. This relationship connected the foundation’s lake and wetland activities with the broader international effort to conserve wetlands and promote their sustainable use. The organization’s public identity is therefore centered on environmental advocacy, conservation partnerships, and issue-based campaigns rather than commercial offerings. Its geographic scope is international, while its institutional base remains in Germany. Available reference material provides substantial information about its founding, headquarters, Living Lakes involvement, annual threatened-lake designation, and Ramsar cooperation, but does not identify a founder, current executives, detailed funding figures, or a comprehensive account of its present organizational structure.
History
Global Nature Fund was established in 1998 as a private non-profit foundation dedicated to environmental protection. It is headquartered in Radolfzell, Germany, and developed an international profile through work involving lakes, wetlands, biodiversity, and cooperation among conservation groups. A central element of its activity has been the Living Lakes Network, which the foundation sponsors. The network provides an international framework for organizations concerned with the protection and sustainable management of lakes and associated ecosystems. Its approach emphasizes collaboration across national boundaries and the sharing of conservation knowledge among local and regional partners. The foundation’s public advocacy has also been expressed through its annual “Threatened Lake of the Year” initiative, held in connection with World Wetlands Day. Beginning with Lake Chapala in 2004, the initiative has called attention to water bodies experiencing major ecological, social, or governance pressures. Subsequent designations have included Lake Victoria in 2005, the Dead Sea in 2006, the Pantanal in 2007, the Mahakam Wetland in 2008, Lake Atitlán in 2009, Pulicat Lake in 2010, Laguna de Fúquene in 2011, Lake Titicaca in 2012, Lake Winnipeg in 2013, Lake Sampaloc in 2014, Lake Hovsgol in 2015, Tonle Sap Lake in 2016, Lake Tanganyika in 2017, Lake Bolgoda and Lake Madampe in 2018, Lake Nokoué in 2019, Albufera Lake in 2020, the Pantanal Wetlands in 2021, Lake Malawi in 2022, and Lake Titicaca again in 2023. The locations represented by these designations span Mexico, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Indonesia, Guatemala, India, Colombia, Peru, Canada, the Philippines, Mongolia, Cambodia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Benin, Spain, and Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The breadth of the list illustrates the foundation’s international focus and its use of individual threatened water bodies to communicate broader concerns about freshwater and wetland conservation. In 2004, Global Nature Fund signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ramsar. This was an important institutional link because Ramsar is associated with the international framework for wetland conservation and sustainable use. The cooperation complemented Global Nature Fund’s lake-focused advocacy and network activities. The available reference material presents Global Nature Fund primarily as a conservation foundation and campaign platform. It does not provide sufficient information to document the identities of founders or executives, detailed program budgets, legal changes, or later organizational restructuring. Its documented historical development is instead defined by its establishment in 1998, its sponsorship of Living Lakes, its annual threatened-lake campaign, and its cooperation with Ramsar.
- 2023
Lake Titicaca designated again
[1]Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and Peru was selected again for the annual threatened-lake designation.
- 2022
Lake Malawi designated
[1]Lake Malawi, shared by Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania, was selected as Threatened Lake of the Year.
- 2021
Pantanal Wetlands designated
[1]The Pantanal Wetlands in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay were selected for the annual designation.
- 2020
Albufera Lake designated
[1]Albufera Lake in Spain was selected as Threatened Lake of the Year.
- 2017
Lake Tanganyika designated
[1]Lake Tanganyika, shared by Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia, received the annual designation.
- 2012
Lake Titicaca designated
[1]Lake Titicaca, shared by Peru and Bolivia, was selected as Threatened Lake of the Year.
- 2007
Pantanal designated
[1]The Pantanal, spanning Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia, was selected for the annual threatened-water-body designation.
- 2006
Dead Sea designated
[1]The Dead Sea, involving Jordan, Israel, and Palestine, was selected as Threatened Lake of the Year.
- 2005
Lake Victoria designated
[1]Lake Victoria, shared by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, was selected as Threatened Lake of the Year.
- 2004
Ramsar cooperation signed
[1]Global Nature Fund signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ramsar, linking its environmental activities with the international wetlands-conservation framework.
Products and positioning
An international environmental foundation and conservation-network organizer focused on lakes, wetlands, biodiversity, and cross-border environmental cooperation.
Marketing campaigns
- 2004Threatened Lake of the Year
International
An annual World Wetlands Day initiative that highlights a lake or wetland facing significant environmental threats and uses the designation to encourage public and institutional attention.
Outcome. The campaign produced a recurring international series of designations covering water bodies across multiple continents.
- Living Lakes Network
International
A network-based conservation initiative sponsored by Global Nature Fund that connects organizations working on the protection and sustainable management of lakes and related ecosystems.
Outcome. The network established an international platform for cooperation and knowledge exchange among lake-conservation organizations.
Brand decisions
2004
Memorandum of Cooperation with RamsarOtherBackground
Global Nature Fund’s lake and wetland work intersected with the international wetlands-conservation agenda represented by Ramsar.
Action taken
The foundation signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ramsar.
Aftermath
The agreement provided a formal connection between Global Nature Fund’s conservation activities and the broader international wetland-protection framework.
Sources2 sources
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