DOCSLIB.ORG

Illegal Logging, Fishing, and Wildlife Trade: the Costs and How to Combat It

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Illegal Logging, Fishing, and Wildlife Trade: the Costs and How to Combat It ILLEGAL LOGGING, FISHING, AND WILDLIFE TRADE: THE COSTS AND HOW TO COMBAT IT i WORLD BANK GROUP REPORT OCTOBER 2019 OCTOBER BANK GROUP REPORT WORLD ii ILLEGAL LOGGING, FISHING, AND WILDLIFE TRADE LOGGING, ILLEGAL PHOTO BY DAVID CLODE ILLEGAL LOGGING, FISHING, AND WILDLIFE TRADE: THE COSTS AND HOW TO COMBAT IT OCTOBER 2019 SUPPORTED BY LED BY DEDICATION This paper is dedicated to the memory of Claudia Sobrevila — mentor, friend, and a leading voice for biodiversity, indigenous peoples, local communities, and women in conservation. We are forever grateful for her outstanding leadership of the Global Wildlife Program and Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program. Acknowledgements This paper was prepared under the guidance of Benoit Blarel, Practice Manager. Julia Bucknall and Garo Batmanian provid- ed invaluable advice during the preparation and consultation phase of the paper. Various development partners provided case studies, references, and insights to help inform key findings and recommendations. The paper greatly benefited from input from the OECD, the USAID-funded Targeting Natural Resource Corrup- tion (TNRC) consortium, and International Consortium on Com- bating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) partners. The Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Global Wildlife Program (GWP) funded the research and development of this paper. The GWP/World Bank Group (WBG) team that authored the paper consisted of Juan Jose Miranda Montero, Elisson Wright, and Muhammad Najeeb Khan. This paper could not have been completed without the input of numerous individuals who provided sector-specific insights and feedback on the draft analysis. We thank the following for their ef- forts and valuable input: Ivonne Higuero, Ben Janse Van Rensburg, Edward Van-Asch (CITES Secretariat); Phil Franks (IIED); Michael Morantz and Piotr Stryszowski (OECD); Dr. Timothy Wittig (Unit- ed for Wildlife); Dr. Louise Shelley and Judith Deane, Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) at George Mason University; Angela Me, Julie Viollaz, Theodore Leggett, and Irmgard Zeiler (UNODC); Mary Rowen (USAID); Roux Raath (WCO); Elizabeth Hart, Rachel Kramer, and Richard Nash (WWF). The paper benefited from feedback provided during various side events and discussions, including at the London IWT Conference 6 2018, CBD CoP 13, CITES CoP 18, and a GWP virtual event held in March 2019. Susan Pleming, Laura Ivers, Sunny Kaplan, and Hasita Bhammar provided communications expertise and worked with various WBG colleagues to publish the paper. Finally, we would like to thank the peer reviewers and other colleagues who supported the paper analysis, editing and dis- semination, in particular, Urvashi Narain, Nigel Bartlett, Marilyne Goncalves, Nagaraja Rao Harshadeep, Csaba Boros, Hrishikesh Patel, Robert Livernash and Thomas Cohen. Disclaimer: This work is a product of the staff of the World Bank with external contributions. All omissions and inaccuracies in this document are the responsibility of the authors. The findings, inter- ILLEGAL LOGGING, FISHING, AND WILDLIFE TRADE LOGGING, ILLEGAL pretations, and views expressed in this guide do not necessarily represent those of the institutions involved, nor do they necessarily Acknowledgements reflect the views of Global Wildlife Program, The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. © 2019 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank Rights & Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because the World Bank Group encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for non-com- mercial purposes, but only with full attribution. Authors Note Systematic data collection and additional research is needed to better understand all implications of illegal fishing, logging and wildlife trade. These activities are examples of renewable natural resource crimes. These are large-scale, involve organized crime, and should be treated as a serious crime and not small-scale lo- calized activity not linked to transnational networks. International human rights, agreements, and national laws guide enforcement action, which should be proportionate and well-targeted. Design and implementation of national solutions should be guided by detailed assessments that incorporate environmental and social impacts, including direct and indirect impacts on communities, and opportunities to promote legal alternative livelihoods. Main Messages » Illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade deplete the world’s nat- ural resources, deprive nations of needed revenues, and under- mine key ecosystem services such as carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, and water filtration. » This illegal trade undermines international and local commit- ments to sustainable development, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation. » Illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade have an estimated value of $1 trillion¹ or more per year. Most of the economic losses (more than 90 percent) comes from estimated ecosystem services that are not currently priced by the market. » The inability of current markets to value crucial ecosystem ser- vices is a major policy dilemma facing global biodiversity con- servation efforts including initiatives to combat illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade. viii08 » Governments in source countries forego an estimated $7-12 billion each year in potential fiscal revenues that aren’t collected due to illegal logging, fishing, and, in some instances, wildlife trade. This shortfall in revenues hinders economic growth in source coun- tries and increases development risks and vulnerabilities beyond national borders. » Systematic corruption and weak governance across the public and private sectors enable illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade. » Without greater investments and coordinated action at the local, national, and global levels, the plundering of natural re- sources will undermine economic growth and social stability in ILLEGAL LOGGING, FISHING, AND WILDLIFE TRADE LOGGING, ILLEGAL ILLEGAL LOGGING, FISHING, AND WILDLIFE TRADE LOGGING, ILLEGAL poorer countries. » International criminal organizations exploit low-risk, high-reward opportunities to conduct the multibillion-dollar illegal trade that is comparable in economic value and global scope to human and drug trafficking. » Despite important targeted efforts already underway, initiatives to combat the illegal activities pale in comparison to efforts against other transnational crimes. » Strong political commitment at the highest levels of government in source, transit, and demand countries is required to combat criminal activities, scale back corruption, take on powerful spe- cial interests, and change the incentives and behaviors that drive demand and supply for illegally traded wildlife, forest products, and fisheries. 09ix » Effectively addressing illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade requires policies and actions to strengthen governance, leverage WORLD BANK GROUP REPORT OCTOBER 2019 OCTOBER BANK GROUP REPORT WORLD risk-based financial and customs tools, and establish a legal 2019 OCTOBER BANK GROUP REPORT WORLD and fiscal environment that bolsters private-sector investments and the use of certifiable trade mechanisms to promote sustain- able livelihoods. » Governments in source countries need to capture financial ben- efits from global ecosystem services such as carbon storage and biodiversity conservation, and promote legal and sustainable logging, fishing and wildlife trade to improve local livelihoods and increase their fiscal revenues. Definitions For the purposes of this paper, Ecosystem services and natural capital losses are difficult to the following definitions are used: estimate due to insufficient data and established methodol- ogies. Data and detailed analysis on illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife activities have not been systematically tracked and reported on at a global level. Existing estimates of illegal markets mostly focus on income and lost revenues, rather than estimating its full economic value. The estimates presented in this paper have a broader scope (larger than other estimates previously produced on the value of global illegal markets). To better understand the full impact illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife activities have on sustainable development, concepts and methodologies applied in natural capital accounting and used to estimate a nation’s wealth rather than simply their GDP was used (see World Bank – The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018). Estimation of ecosystem services losses allows for a more complete understanding of the rough order of magni- tude of illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife activities. Illegal Logging (EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Facility 2019): The harvesting, processing, trans- porting, buying or selling of timber in contravention of national and international laws. For example, illegal logging in a protected area and trade of that timber product is an example of an activity considered in the calculation of economic losses estimated in this paper. Evaded taxes and royalties on logging done illegally (with- out the
Load more

Recommended publications
  • PROCEEDINGS of the WORKSHOP on TRADE and CONSERVATION of PANGOLINS NATIVE to SOUTH and SOUTHEAST ASIA 30 June – 2 July 2008, Singapore Zoo Edited by S
    PROCEEDINGS OF THE WORKSHOP ON TRADE AND CONSERVATION OF PANGOLINS NATIVE TO SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA 30 June – 2 July 2008, Singapore Zoo Edited by S. Pantel and S.Y. Chin Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group PROCEEDINGS OF THE WORKSHOP ON TRADE AND CONSERVATION OF PANGOLINS NATIVE TO SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA 30 JUNE –2JULY 2008, SINGAPORE ZOO EDITED BY S. PANTEL AND S. Y. CHIN 1 Published by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia © 2009 TRAFFIC Southeast Asia All rights reserved. All material appearing in these proceedings is copyrighted and may be reproduced with permission. Any reproduction, in full or in part, of this publication must credit TRAFFIC Southeast Asia as the copyright owner. The views of the authors expressed in these proceedings do not necessarily reflect those of the TRAFFIC Network, WWF or IUCN. The designations of geographical entities in this publication, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of TRAFFIC or its supporting organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The TRAFFIC symbol copyright and Registered Trademark ownership is held by WWF. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF and IUCN. Layout by Sandrine Pantel, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Suggested citation: Sandrine Pantel and Chin Sing Yun (ed.). 2009. Proceedings of the Workshop on Trade and Conservation of Pangolins Native to South and Southeast Asia, 30 June-2 July
    [Show full text]
  • And Wildlife Trafficking
    Coronavirus (COVID-19) and wildlife trafficking PUBE Click or tap here to enter text. Click or tap here to enter text. Coronavirus (COVID-19) and wildlife trafficking The ongoing Covid crisis has brought renewed attention to the global problem of wildlife trafficking. The World Health Organization has determined that COVID-19, just like SARS, Ebola, Bird Flu, and MERS, originated from an animal. In a recently published Nature article, scientists claim that smuggling of pangolins in South-East Asia could be one of the triggers of the current crisis, as these smuggled animals carried viruses closely related to coronavirus. In fact, pangolins are the most-commonly illegally trafficked animal in South East Asia, used both as food and in traditional medicine. The OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade has been looking at the threat of wildlife trafficking. In a 2019 report The Illegal Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia, the OECD has reported that, after pangolins, the other most traded illegal wildlife products in South East Asia were good such as carved ivory, big cats, rhino horn and various live animals. The Task Force finds that several complex trade routes are used to smuggle wildlife products such as pangolins, and that Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam are the key transit countries for these illegal wildlife trade products. Illegally smuggled wildlife products arrive into the Southeast Asian region via air and sea, and subsequently transit through complex and organized routing processes. Poachers sell pangolins mostly in regional markets in Viet Nam and China where their consumption as food is appreciated, and their scales are used for medical purposes.
    [Show full text]
  • Do Wildlife Trade Bans Enhance Or Undermine Conservation Efforts?
    Applied Biodiversity Sciences Perspectives Series Advancing Conservation with innovative ideas from the future generation Do Wildlife Trade Bans Enhance or Undermine Conservation Efforts? Anna Santos Texas A&M University Thitikan Satchabut Texas A&M University Gabriela Vigo Trauco Texas A&M University Office: Mailing address: Email: [email protected] Applied Biodiversity Science NSF‐IGERT Phone: (979) 845‐7494 Texas A&M University Fax: (979) 845‐4096 216 Old Heep Bldg. Room: 110G Old Heep 2258 TAMU College Station, TX, 77843 © 2011 Applied Biodiversity Sciences. All rights reserved. http://biodiversity.tamu.edu/ The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions and policies of Texas A&M University, any of the co‐sponsoring or supporting organizations, or the Applied Biodiversity Sciences program. Permission must be secured by copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material included in this document. Applied Biodiversity Sciences Perspectives Series No. 1(3) May, 2011 By Anna Santos, Thitikan Satchabut, Gabriela Vigo Trauco Suggested citation: + Santos, A., Satchabut, T., & Vigo Trauco, G. (2001). Do wildlife trade bans enhance or undermine conservation efforts? Applied Biodiversity Perspective Series, 1(3), 1‐15. ABSTRACT The billion dollar businesses of both legal and illegal wildlife trade show little decline and continue to pose major threats to global biodiversity. Despite international wildlife trade bans such as the Appendix I listing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the illegal trade of wildlife undermines conservation efforts. Evidence has shown that Appendix I listing can inadvertently increase black market prices and trade of wildlife.
    [Show full text]
  • Position Statement on Illegal Wildlife Trade July 2020
    Position Statement on Illegal Wildlife Trade July 2020 The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) supports legal, sustainable, ethical wildlife trade that does not pose a threat to the conservation of species or human or animal health. AZA recognizes that illegal wildlife trade is a multi-faceted, international crisis that has devastating impacts to both animals and humans. Illegal wildlife trade: ● Is fueled by global demand for illegal wildlife and wildlife products. ● Is a significant threat to wildlife, driving many endangered and threatened species to the brink of extinction, and negatively impacting the earth’s biodiversity. ● Poses risks to human health and welfare, damages the global economy, and fuels transnational criminal networks, government instability and corruption. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, with approximately 200 million annual visitors, tens of millions of people reached through social media, and through their extensive conservation work, are well-positioned to play a critical role to reduce—and eventually end—illegal wildlife trade. Therefore, AZA supports the following strategies and actions to help stop illegal wildlife trade: • Raise awareness with consumers and the general public about the illegal wildlife trade through targeted messaging and campaigns to effect behavior change and reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products. • Support – both directly and through audience engagement – legislation at the local, national, and international levels to strengthen anti- poaching and anti-trafficking regulations and reduce demand for illegal wildlife. • Advocate for the closure of live animal markets that contribute to illegal and unsustainable trade, threaten human health, or jeopardize animal welfare. • Support anti-poaching initiatives such as training, patrolling, provision of equipment, and application of innovative anti-poaching tools such as poacher cams and SMART1.
    [Show full text]
  • International Illegal Trade in Wildlife: Threats and U.S
    International Illegal Trade in Wildlife: Threats and U.S. Policy Liana Sun Wyler Analyst in International Crime and Narcotics Pervaze A. Sheikh Specialist in Natural Resources Policy July 23, 2013 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34395 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress International Illegal Trade in Wildlife: Threats and U.S. Policy Summary Global trade in illegal wildlife is a potentially vast illicit economy, estimated to be worth billions of dollars each year. Some of the most lucrative illicit wildlife commodities include elephant ivory, rhino horn, sturgeon caviar, and so-called “bushmeat.” Wildlife smuggling may pose a transnational security threat as well as an environmental one. Numerous sources indicate that some organized criminal syndicates, insurgent groups, and foreign military units may be involved in various aspects of international wildlife trafficking. Limited anecdotal evidence also indicates that some terrorist groups may be engaged in wildlife crimes, particularly poaching, for monetary gain. Some observers claim that the participation of such actors in wildlife trafficking can therefore threaten the stability of countries, foster corruption, and encourage violence to protect the trade. Reports of escalating exploitation of protected wildlife, coupled with the emerging prominence of highly organized and well-equipped illicit actors in wildlife trafficking, suggests that policy challenges persist. Commonly cited challenges include legal loopholes that allow poachers and traffickers to operate with impunity, gaps in foreign government capabilities to address smuggling problems, and persistent structural drivers such as lack of alternative livelihoods in source countries and consumer demand. To address the illicit trade in endangered wildlife, the international community has established, through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a global policy framework to regulate and sometimes ban exports of selected species.
    [Show full text]
  • Escaping the 'Era of Pandemics': Experts Warn Worse Crises to Come
    Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Media Release • Access the executive summary and the full Report here: www.ipbes.net/pandemics • Access social media assets/images here: https://bit.ly/PandemicsReportResources • For interviews: [email protected] Escaping the ‘Era of Pandemics’: Experts Warn Worse Crises to Come Options Offered to Reduce Risk Highlights: Intergovernmental Council on Pandemic Prevention; Addressing risk drivers including deforestation & wildlife trade; Tax high pandemic-risk activities 631,000 – 827,000 unknown viruses in nature could still infect people; More frequent, deadly and costly pandemics forecast; Current economic impacts are 100 times the estimated cost of prevention Future pandemics will emerge more often, spread more rapidly, do more damage to the world economy and kill more people than COVID-19 unless there is a transformative change in the global approach to dealing with infectious diseases, warns a major new report on biodiversity and pandemics by 22 leading experts from around the world. Convened by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) for an urgent virtual workshop about the links between degradation of nature and increasing pandemic risks, the experts agree that escaping the era of pandemics is possible, but that this will require a seismic shift in approach from reaction to prevention. COVID-19 is at least the sixth global health pandemic since the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918, and although it has its origins in microbes carried by animals, like all pandemics its emergence has been entirely driven by human activities, says the report released on Thursday. It is estimated that another 1.7 million currently ‘undiscovered’ viruses exist in mammals and birds – of which up to 827,000 could have the ability to infect people.
    [Show full text]
  • Wildlife Trade, Origins of COVID-19, and Preventing Future Pandemics”
    U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus Virtual Caucus Hearing “Wildlife Trade, Origins of COVID-19, and Preventing Future Pandemics” Written testimony John E. Scanlon AO Special Envoy, African Parks 15th April 2020 Witness expertise1 A career spanning Australia, Germany, Kenya, the Russian Federation, South Africa and Switzerland, working on environment and sustainable development governance, institutions, law and policy at the international, national, sub-national and local level and across multiple disciplines. Experience gained in senior positions with the private sector, in government, with international organisations and the United Nations, and most recently with a non-profit organization, including serving as: Special Envoy, African Parks (2018-continuing); Secretary-General, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Secretariat (CITES) (2010-2018); Chair, International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) (2010-2018); Principal Adviser on Policy & Programme, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2007-2010); Head, Environmental Law Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (2001-2004), and Chief Executive, Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs (South Australia), (1997-2000). Qualifications: Bachelor of Laws (1983); Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (1983), and Master of Laws (Environmental) (1995). Admitted to legal practice (1984). Attorney in private legal practice (1984-1994). Executive Summary o Health and wildlife experts alike have warned us for decades of the public health risks associated with people mixing with wild animals, including through habitat destruction, illegal or poorly regulated wildlife trade, and the sale of wildlife through ‘wet markets.’ o As we take immediate measures to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we must also look ahead and envisage a reformed international system of laws, programmes and financing that is best able to avoid the next wildlife-related pandemic.
    [Show full text]
  • Wildlife Crime – Understanding Risks, Avenues for Action Part 1: Illegal Wildlife Trade and Financial Crime
    Wildlife crime – understanding risks, avenues for action Part 1: Illegal wildlife trade and financial crime Green Corruption – Basel Institute on Governance | April 2021 Basel Institute on Governance Associated Institute of Steinenring 60 | 4051 Basel, Switzerland | +41 61 205 55 11 the University of Basel [email protected] | www.baselgovernance.org BASEL INSTITUTE ON GOVERNANCE Table of contents 1 At a glance 3 2 Introduction to wildlife crime 4 3 CITES and national laws 9 4 Legal and illegal supply chains 11 5 Organised crime and corruption 15 6 Organisations and partnerships against wildlife crime 19 7 Quick quiz 23 8 Bibliography and further learning resources 26 9 Annex: Infographics 30 BASEL INSTITUTE ON GOVERNANCE About this learning resource This publication is the PDF version of a flexible and practical learning resource developed by the Green Corruption programme at the Basel Institute on Governance. It is aimed at: • Private-sector companies exposed to risks of illegal wildlife trade and related crimes, including financial institutions, transport companies, traders and wholesale retailers • Policy makers and practitioners in both conservation and anti-corruption fields • Law enforcement The aim is to broaden understanding of the threats that wildlife crimes pose to sustainable development and clean business. It provides relevant information, statistics and background knowledge to help enhance policies and processes aimed at curbing wildlife crime and associated risks. The focus is on financial crimes and supply chain vulnerabilities that facilitate the illegal trade in wildlife and thereby increase companies’ legal, financial and reputational risks. This learning resource and many more are available as interactive learning tools on the Basel Institute’s LEARN platform: learn.baselgovernance.org The Green Corruption programme at the Basel Institute on Governance applies anti- corruption and governance tools to address environmental crime and degradation.
    [Show full text]
  • Community-Led Approaches to Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade: Case Studies from Latin America
    Biodiversity IIED and IUCN-SULi Keywords: wildlife crime, illegal wildlife trade, community-based approaches, The scale of illegal wildlife trade (IWT) livelihoods, Latin America September 2019 internationally is a conservation crisis and tackling it is seen as a race against time. As a quarter of the world’s land is owned or managed by communities, they must be central to conservation efforts – and community engagement is already internationally recognised as important to the global effort to tackle IWT. But because community engagement strategies are complex and take time to implement, not enough initiatives are being supported. This compilation of case studies seeks to address this problem. Prepared to coincide with the regional conference on IWT in Peru in October 2019, it showcases a wide range of successful initiatives from Latin America that have engaged communities in tackling IWT in different ways. However, these need to be scaled up and scaled out, learning from experience and adapting approaches to fi t specifi c contexts and to meet specifi c challenges. Community-led International Institute for Environment and Development 80-86 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8NH, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3463 7399 approaches to tackling Fax: +44 (0)20 3514 9055 email: [email protected] www.iied.org illegal wildlife trade Case studies from Latin America Funded by: The production of this compilation has been made possible with fi nancial support from the UK Government’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, TRAFFIC and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the funders.
    [Show full text]
  • The Global Threat to Biodiversity from Wildlife Trade - a Major 21St Century Challenge
    PROGRAMME BRIEFING Aug 2017 The Global Threat To Biodiversity From Wildlife Trade - A Major 21st Century Challenge Published by the Oxford Martin Programme on the Illegal Wildlife Trade The Global Threat To Biodiversity From Wildlife Trade - A Major 21St Century Challenge E.J. Milner-Gulland (Zoology) Joss Wright (Oxford Internet Institute) The illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is a major and growing threat to biodiversity, estimated to be worth $8-10 billion (excluding fish and timber), making it one of the highest valued illicit trade sectors in the world. This is recognised by many governments as a major threat to biodiversity. For example, Tanzanian government statistics show a 60% decline in elephant numbers between 2009 and 2014, attributed to poaching for ivory. The western black rhino was officially declared extinct due to poaching in 2011. China’s pangolin population has declined by an estimated 94% since the 1960s due to trade for consumption, while international trade in its bile and paws has contributed to a global decline of 49% in Asiatic black bear populations. The UK government has taken a global lead in the international response to this threat, including hosting the 2014 London Declaration on wildlife trade, signed by 46 countries. Our programme will address this huge societal challenge by making a step change in scientific understanding of how to tackle this threat, and by providing an international hub for interdisciplinary research into the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade, which makes real-world impact in reducing this threat to the survival of wildlife species. This research will support efforts to change people’s relationships with wildlife onto a new path; subverting the predictable continuation of wildlife decline as a consequence of human progress, towards a new and more sustainable future.
    [Show full text]
  • Trading Tactics: Time to Rethink the Global Trade in Wildlife
    animals Communication Trading Tactics: Time to Rethink the Global Trade in Wildlife Neil D’Cruze *, Jennah Green, Angie Elwin and Jan Schmidt-Burbach World Animal Protection, 222 Gray’s Inn Rd., London WC1X 8HB, UK; [email protected] (J.G.); [email protected] (A.E.); [email protected] (J.S.-B.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 30 October 2020; Accepted: 17 December 2020; Published: 21 December 2020 Simple Summary: The Covid-19 outbreak has brought about fresh and intensified scrutiny of the wildlife trade, which substantively involves commerce in exotic pets. In response, there have been calls for trade bans involving key components of the global commercial wildlife trade, and some major policy decisions involving trade bans have ensued. Yet, these actions have been criticised, largely based on concerns that they risk exacerbating poverty, undermining human rights, damaging conservation incentives, and otherwise harming sustainable development and conservation efforts. Instead, many critics propose improved regulation of the status quo, with the intention of nurturing a legal, sustainable, safe, humane, and equitable wildlife trade. Here, we provide a countering view that draws attention to: (1) why the risks presented by the wildlife trade (to animal welfare, biodiversity, public health, and financial security) are manifold, and cannot be treated with complacency; (2) why the goal of a legal, sustainable, safe, humane, and equitable wildlife trade is misleading and unachievable; and (3) why moving towards an end to the commercial trade in wildlife should be our ultimate and more ambitious goal. We hope to stimulate further discussion on this issue both within the sustainability research and policy domains, identifying a path towards consensus on how best to protect wildlife, people, and planet.
    [Show full text]
  • The Trade in Wildlife: a Framework to Improve Biodiversity and Livelihood Outcomes Geneva: ITC, 2015
    THE TRADE IN WILDLIFE A FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOOD OUTCOMES THE TRADE IN WILDLIFE A FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOOD OUTCOMES THE TRADE IN WILDLIFE Abstract for trade information services ID=43146 2015 SITC-941 CON International Trade Centre (ITC) The Trade in Wildlife: A Framework to Improve Biodiversity and Livelihood Outcomes Geneva: ITC, 2015. xii, 29 pages (Technical paper) Doc. No.: SC-15-311.E This paper provides an analytical framework for assessing the impact of international trade in wildlife and wildlife products on conservation and local livelihoods. It also explores the role of factors related to particular species and their habitat, governance settings, the supply-chain structure, and the nature of the end market. The framework is relevant for importers and exporters, regulators, policymakers, non- governmental organizations, community representatives and researchers seeking to improve the sustainability of international wildlife supply chains. Descriptors: Endangered Species, Biodiversity, Sustainable Development, Economic Development. For further information on this technical paper, contact Mr. Alexander Kasterine ([email protected]) English, French, Spanish, Mandarin (separate editions) The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC, Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland (www.intracen.org) Suggested citation: Cooney, R., Kasterine, A., MacMillan, D., Milledge, S., Nossal, K., Roe, D. and S.,’t Sas-Rolfes, M. (2015). The trade in wildlife: a framework to improve biodiversity and livelihood outcomes, International Trade Centre, Geneva, Switzerland. Views expressed in this paper are those of consultants and do not necessarily coincide with those of ITC, UN or WTO.
    [Show full text]