The Ministerial Dialogue on Illegal Trade in Wildlife, part of the Ministerial segment of the first-ever UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), discussed threats from the illegal harvesting and trafficking of timber, fish, tigers, pangolins, great apes and other species.
It provided a high-level forum to exchange views and experiences among Ministers on the challenges of and progress towards addressing the causes and implications of illicit wildlife trade.
26 June 2014: The Ministerial Dialogue on Illegal Trade in Wildlife, part of the Ministerial segment of the first-ever UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), discussed threats from the illegal harvesting and trafficking of timber, fish, tigers, pangolins, great apes and other species. It provided a high-level forum to exchange views and experiences among Ministers on the challenges of and progress towards addressing the causes and implications of illicit wildlife trade.
The Dialogue was held in a plenary format on the evening of 26 June.
Introducing the session, Moderator Marco Lambertini, Director-General, World Wildlife Fund, invited delegates to address three main issues: the most important gaps in knowledge and action, and barriers to enforcement at the national and international levels; how to ensure a coordinated UN response; and how to maintain momentum from UNEA.
Many countries underscored the inextricable link between poverty and illegal trade in wildlife, with a large number of delegates stressing the need for UNEP to play a coordinating and awareness-raising role on the socio-economic drivers. Participants also called for stronger synergies between the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other multilateral environment agreements (MEAs) to support an integrated response, and highlighted the need to send a message that reaches beyond the environmental community.
Most countries shared the strategies they have implemented to combat illegal trade in wildlife and called for a strong ministerial declaration on this issue. In his remarks, John Scanlon, Secretary-General, CITES, stressed that generating political momentum “is a means to an end not an end in itself” and that support is necessary for those who are serving in the front line in the fight against illegal trade.
UNEA is taking place from 23-27 June 2014, at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. [UNEA Illegal Trade in Wildlife page] [CITES Statement] [UNEP-WCMC News] [IISD RS Coverage of UNEA]