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China gets green light to buy ivory

Posted on 15 July 2008

Ivory stockpiles to be traded under condition. Credit: WWF-Canon / M. Harvey

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China has been approved as a buyer of African Elephant ivory in a one-off sale from four southern African countries, probably later this year.

The decision was taken to accept China at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, Switzerland.

To gain approval, China had to convince CITES it had put in place adequate measures to manage regulated sales and tackle any illegal domestic ivory trade.

“China has acted rather successfully against its own illegal domestic ivory market,” said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network which operates the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) on behalf of CITES.

“Now China should help other countries do the same, especially in Central Africa where elephant poaching is rampant and Chinese nationals have been implicated in moving ivory out of the region.”

China thus joins Japan in having CITES approval to bid in the one-off sale for registered government-owned ivory stockpiles from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The ivory to be sold originates from elephants that died from natural causes or as a result of population management (e.g. problem animal control). None of the ivory is from elephants deliberately killed to obtain their ivory.

A massive illegal trade in ivory caused dramatic declines in many elephant populations in Africa in the 1970s and 1980s, and an international ban on trade in ivory came into effect in January 1990.

“The sight of ivory openly and illegally on sale in many African cities is likely to be a far more powerful encouragement to those contemplating poaching and smuggling than a strictly controlled one-off sale,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s Species Programme.

“The only way to end elephant poaching is through an effective clampdown on illegal domestic ivory markets.”

Since the CITES trade ban, international commercial trade in ivory has legally taken place only once, in 1997, when a one-off sale of raw ivory was approved for Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The African Elephant range states who export ivory are required by CITES to use the revenue derived from the sale exclusively for elephant conservation and community development programmes within or adjacent to the elephant ranges.

Comments

ngaya munuo

March 28, 2009 - 18:26

It makes sense that, the trade is authorized on reasonable grounds. i.e. Elephants are not killed deliberately for trade.

However, unlike other multilateral treaties, CITES does not provide compensation to African states for the loss of revenue resulting from the ban of international trade in ivory. This was a mistake. In the same vein, poor administration of the laws and policies suggest increase illegal trade.

Therefore, in my view, CITES is trying to correct that mistake by giving a green light to China based on reasonable grounds. One should ensure that, laws and policies of involved states are 'properly' harmonized and administered before authorizations of such trade, based on the ‘reasonable grounds.’ And, there has to be a permanent solution for loss of revenue.

In other words China should get RED LIGHT until there is a guarantee that elephant won’t be endangered. It sounds like China is desperate for ivory.

Natasha

September 2, 2008 - 21:01

It cannot possibly resolve anything. Seems like they'll only be fueling the trade, like giving a recovering alcoholic alcohol.

Bushman

August 3, 2008 - 18:40

I think that WWF acted reasonably, becouse a total ban of ivory sale would make the black market thrive, and the damage would be worse. However when controlling it in this way we save lives. We must accept that economy does'nt value life so I think this a very good way to limit the killing of elephants. The world is cruel. Laws and restrictions won't prevent people from trading this valued from ancient time precious ivory. If anyone has a better way than WWF had, please do tell. ( a realistic plan that is )

Angela Campbell

July 23, 2008 - 15:22

This an outrageous support of a vile industry! Legal or illegal it is still wrong. Living or dead it is part of the elephant. It is never our place to decide.

Kim Petersen

July 19, 2008 - 06:13

WWF, you should be ashamed of yourselves for supporting China's approval for this sale of ivory. It will increase poaching and illegal trade. Your organization now has elephant blood on your hands!Never again will I support you or any organization affiliated with you!

Anbarasi Boopal

July 18, 2008 - 00:56

It is a shame that CITES should open up China's domestic market for ivory, be it legal or illegal, when we all know that this is going to increase the demand and fuel the illegal trade as well - consequences faced by the elephants!!!

The only way to end elephant poaching is to ban trade in ivory completely!!! - There should be no 'legal' or 'illegal' definitions when lives are lost!