The triennial summit of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will tackle disputes over the conservation of the world’s endangered species. From giraffes to sharks, to great beasts such as elephants and rhinos, they all could gain better protection from this international wildlife conference.
Ivonne Higuero, the secretary-general of CITES, said:
CITES is a powerful tool for ensuring sustainability and responding to the rapid loss of biodiversity – often called the sixth mass extinction – by preventing and reversing declines in wildlife populations.
The 183-country conference hopes to bring about extra conservation efforts to the planet’s extraordinary creatures being driven to extinction by the exotic pet trade, from glass frogs to star tortoises and many more.
Not only living species but extinct species as well may get safeguards. There is talk about having the woolly mammoth safeguarded on the grounds that illegal elephant ivory is sometimes laundered by being labeled as antique mammoth tusks.
Higuero said:
We do depend on biodiversity. It is not just an environmental issue. There are so many species that, if they went extinct, would be sorely missed and we just don’t realize it.
Scientists say the destruction of nature has reduced wildlife populations by 60% since 1970 and plant extinctions are running at a “frightening” rate. Humanity itself is in jeopardy from the accelerating decline of the planet’s natural life-support systems, which provide the food, clean air, and water on which society ultimately depends.
Matt Collis, the head of the NGO IFAW’s delegation at CITES, said:
Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade, coupled with habitat loss and other human-made threats, has decimated many species so that they are now at a tipping point for future survival. It is vital that countries come together to do all they can.
The CITES agreement regulates the international trade in wildlife, from live animals to skins and timber. It differs from other international conventions because it can punish countries that flout bans by barring them from lucrative markets.
The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth $7bn to $23bn a year, ranking only behind drugs, human trafficking, and weapons, reports The Guardian. Higuero said:
They use wildlife like drugs, prostitution and arms, because the financial rewards are high. People have been killed. The [drug] cartels are involved, they are heavily armed and it seems the navy and police can’t control it, so you have a governance crisis.
Higuero believes there’s a greater chance that progress might be made by focusing on a goal all the countries share – to improve their citizens’ lives. She said:
[Local communities] want to put food on their tables, education for their children, hospitals and healthcare. It is very easy for people from outside to say ‘don’t do this, don’t do that’ but what are the options we can give them so they feel they are gaining something from taking care of nature?
Apart from the dark issues regarding conservation, the summit could bring the good news of some species being taken off danger lists because their populations are recovering. For example, the vicuña, a relative of the llama which provides extremely valuable wool. They managed to pull off this achievement by getting local communities involved in their conservation. “This is definitely a demonstration of how successful you can be when there are issues of humans and wildlife living side by side,” Higuero said.
The post Conference Of 183 Countries Held To Tackle Wildlife Extinction Crisis appeared first on Intelligent Living.
