International Trade In Wildlife

A comprehensive examination of the way in which the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is implemented and policed. CITES is one of the oldest international environmental agreements and has been responsible for some striking conservation successes. But, given the way it has evolved, there are also some critical weaknesses that unscrupulous countries and commercial interests can exploit, especially regarding information, institutions and enforcement. The convention needs reform and this book gives a trenchant critique, including practical and effective recommendations for change.

Originally published in 1979 International Trade in Wildlife is a product of the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora conference, containing the full text of the CITIES convention. The volume outlines the animals and plants controlled by CITIES, and describes the protective policies put in place to protect endangered plants and animals. It gives a detailed background to the international traffic in monkey’s, spotted cats, whales, ivory, parrots, tortoises, marine turtles, crocodiles, butterflies, sponges and rare orchids at the time of publication and acts as a comprehensive document on the conservation policies enacted through CITIES, as well as facts surrounding the decline of endangered species. Although published over 40 years ago, the document still offers a comprehensive and useful guide to conservation and will be an important historical document for environmental policy makers and conservationists alike.

The Investors' Environmental Guidelines will be useful to all those associated with the process of investment in Central & Eastern Europe. The Guidelines have been designed for rapid use by the investor who knows very little about the environment, as well as for the environmental specialist working in the corporate environment unit. The Guidelines , in particular the sections covering liability & regulatory compliance, will also be of particular interest to lawyers. The Guidelines give a unique & up-to-date coverage of environmental legislation which will be of far wider interest to policy makers, consultants, NGOs & others, both from within the region & from western countries. In particular, they will be able to compare how investor-related environmental requirements are handled in other countries in the region. The Investors' Environmental Guidelines is based on a major project executed by the European Commission, with the theme of 'Harmonisation of Environmental Legislation & Standards' between Eastern & Western Europe.

In this book the author examines the illegal wildlife trade from multiple perspectives: the historical context, the impact on the environment, the scope of the problem internationally, the sociocultural demand for illegal products, the legal efforts to combat it, and several case studies from inside the trade. The illegal wildlife trade has become a global criminal enterprise, following in the footsteps of drugs and weapons. Beyond the environmental impact, financial profits from the illegal wildlife trade often fund organized crime groups and violent gangs that threaten public safety and security in myriad ways. This innovative volume covers several key questions surrounding the wildlife trade: why is there a demand for illegal wildlife products, which actors are involved in the trade, how is the business organized, and what are the harmful consequences. The author performed ethnographic fieldwork in three key markets: Russia, Morocco, and China, and has constructed a detailed picture of how the wildlife trade operates in these areas. Conversations with informants directly involved in the illegal business ensure unique insights into this lively black market. In the course of his journey the author follows the route of the illegal wildlife trade from poor poaching areas to rich business districts where corrupt officials, legally registered companies, wildlife farms and sophisticated criminal organizations all have a share. A fascinating look inside the world of poachers, smugglers and traders.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is the best known and most controversial of international conservation treaties. Since it came into force 25 years ago, debate has raged over its most basic assumptions. CITES treats the international trade in wildlife as the most important threat to the continued existence of wild species. It offers a prescription of trade bans and restrictions for endangered species. However, it is now generally acknowledged that for most species habitat loss is a much more significant threat. Some argue that the CITES remedy actually exacerbates the problem by removing the incentive to conserve wildlife habitat. This collection of essays, the first of its kind, charts the controversies and changes within CITES. It provides case studies of the way CITES has dealt with particular species and notes the growing role of the South in shaping the direction of the treaty. It considers the role of sustainable use, the precautionary principle and unilateralism within CITES. Finally, it examines options for the future of CITES. Implicit within a number of the contributions is the recognition that questions of wildlife conservation cannot be divorced from wider issues of land use, development and social justice. This book provides an essential resource for policy makers, practitioners, academics and students concerned with conservation, development and trade.

The report presents the latest assessment of global trends in wildlife crime. It includes discussions on illicit rosewood, ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales, live reptiles, tigers and other big cats, and European eel. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has highlighted that wildlife crime is a threat not only to the environment and biodiversity, but also to human health, economic development and security. Zoonotic diseases - those caused by pathogens that spread from animals to humans - represent up to 75% of all emerging infectious diseases. Trafficked wild species and the resulting products offered for human consumption, by definition, escape any hygiene or sanitary control, and therefore pose even greater risks of infection.