14 April 2015

Executive Director of the UNODC: ‘balanced approach, addressing supply and demand, in a spirit of shared responsibility, is needed’ to combat wildlife crime

‘Wildlife and forest crime … has the potential, not only to devastate the environment, but also to undermine the social, political and economic well-being of societies, while generating billions of dollars for criminal gangs and sustaining their illicit activities’, General Assembly President Sam Kutesa told a high-level event held as part of the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. (more…)

Source: UN News Centre | Doha: UN conference stresses grave need to combat wildlife crime

19 November 2014

UN-backed joint INTERPOL global operation targets ‘most wanted’ environmental fugitives

Nine fugitives are being pursued as part of a UN-backed joint INTERPOL global operation targeting individuals wanted for serious environmental – including wildlife – crime. (more…)

Source: UN News Centre | UN-backed treaty, INTERPOL operation targets ‘most wanted’ environmental fugitives

14 November 2014

ICCWC issues Guidelines to combat illegal ivory trade

The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) released Guidelines on Methods and Procedures for Ivory Sampling and Laboratory Analysis in support of the deployment of forensic technology to combat elephant poaching. (more…)

Source: UN News Centre | New UN guidelines issued to counter ‘critically high’ levels of elephant poaching in Africa
Source: ICCWC-UNODC | Guidelines on Methods and Procedures for Ivory Sampling and Laboratory Analysis | 2014

23 January 2014

The Extinction of the West African Lion: Whose Responsibility?

Lion status in West African protected areas within lion range.
© P. Henschel, L. Coad, C. Burton, B. Chataigner, A. Dunn et al. (see footnote).

A recently published study showed that the lion in West Africa is now critically endangered and faces extinction. From one angle, this would be just one of the large (though unknown) number of species that has previously faced extinction or has even become extinct. But the risk of extinction of some species give more reason for pause than others. Surely the lion – a cultural icon for cultures across the world since time immemorial – deserves a moment of reflection.

The cited study describes how the lion was once the most successful large carnivore. Its range extended from South Africa, across Eurasia, and into the southern United States. Today, the lion’s range is restricted to Africa, with a population of the Asiatic sub-species in India. Lions in Africa have lost 75 percent of their range in the last 100 years. (more…)

14 January 2014

China publicly destroyed confiscated ivory in effort to combat illegal trade

On 6 January 2014, six tonnes of confiscated ivory (ornaments, tusks and carvings) were publicly destroyed by Chinese authorities in the city of Dongguan, in an effort to combat the illegal trade in elephant tusks.

UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Achim Steiner said: “[t]he largest remaining land mammal on the planet is facing one of the greatest crises to hit the species in decades (…) Yet, there is reason for optimism. International cooperation is paving the way towards improved law enforcement and increased efforts to reduce demand. These efforts need to be stepped up and strengthened to produce the desired results (…) We have also seen the destruction of ivory stockpiles across range, transit and demand states: in the Philippines, the Gabon, the United States and China among others. As well as create critical public awareness, such actions send a clear message that wildlife crime will not be tolerated.” (more…)

Source: UN News Centre | UN agency praises China’s destruction of ivory stockpile
Source: UNEP News Centre | UN Applauds China Efforts to Combat Illegal Ivory Trade