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Project update
- October 2006
DSWF
in action at CITES
 Last
week saw DSWF representative, Dr Rosalind Reeve, in action at
the CITES Standing Committee meeting in Geneva. This was the last
meeting before the main conference gathers next year in The Netherlands,
and the agenda was packed with important issues on wildlife trade.
The possible approval of ivory stockpile sales from southern Africa
was top of the list. After a hot debate the sales were refused.
Information on populations and illegal killing of elephants across
Africa and Asia (the "baseline" data required before
the sales can be approved) was considered incomplete. DSWF led
the Species Survival Network in analyzing the data presented by
the MIKE programme (Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephants) and
exposed huge gaps and flaws which it laid out before the Committee.
DSWF also had to counter a strong attack
by Japan on the CITES compliance system. This system - which has
proven highly effective - uses trade sanctions to ensure that
parties comply with CITES rules to control wildlife trade. DSWF
has been working for seven years to shore up and strengthen this
system through tireless lobbying in CITES and supporting Dr Reeve's
research and publications by Chatham House - a highly regarded
international policy think-tank. DSWF's unique expertise and knowledge
enabled her to take on Japan on the floor of the meeting and demonstrate
that their claim - that for 20 years the Standing Committee had
over-stepped its remit in recommending trade sanctions - was unfounded.
http://www.iisd.ca/cites/sc54/4oct.html
Note:
The Standing Committee is the most important decision-making body
after the Conference of Parties to CITES - the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species - which only meets every three years.
Every little contribution helps wildlife
and remember 100% of your donation will go in full to the project - thank you!
You can also help by becoming a member
of DSWF. Click here for more information
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