WWF - Environmental News

Atlantic bluefin tuna trade ban fails

2010-03-18

Doha, Qatar – Discussion of a long-awaited proposal to ban international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna was cut short today at the largest wildlife trade convention when an immediate vote was pushed through.

Member governments of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) chose to vote today on the proposal. 72 out of 129 CITES members voted against the trade ban, 43 voted in favour, with 14 abstentions.

“After overwhelming scientific justification and growing political support in past months – with backing from the majority of catch quota holders on both sides of the Atlantic – it is scandalous that governments did not even get the chance to engage in meaningful debate about the international trade ban proposal for Atlantic bluefin tuna,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean and observer at the CITES Conference of the Parties in Doha.

Once the Principality of Monaco had tabled the proposal this afternoon and a number of countries had given brief interventions, Libya called for an immediate vote on the proposal.

“The regional fisheries management organization in charge of this fishery – the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, ICCAT – has repeatedly failed to sustainably manage this fishery,” said Dr Tudela. “ICCAT has so far failed miserably in this duty so every pressure at the highest level must come to bear to ensure it does what it should.”

WWF will proactively call on restaurants, retailers, chefs and consumers around the world to stop selling, serving, buying and eating this endangered species. Already a growing body of the global seafood market sector is choosing to avoid Atlantic bluefin tuna to give the exhausted fish stocks a chance of recovery – including such groups as Carrefour Europe.

“It is now more important than ever for people to do what the politicians failed to do – stop consuming bluefin tuna,” Dr Tudela said.

The Principality of Monaco – the CITES member country that submitted the proposal for a CITES Appendix I listing of the species – became last year the first country in the world to be entirely bluefin tuna free. WWF is urging other countries to follow suit.

Corporate support swells for Earth Hour

2010-03-17

Gland, Switzerland: Thousands of offices of some of the world’s leading corporations will be supporting this year’s Earth Hour “lights out” initiative for effective climate change action.

Many of the companies will also be encouraging staff to individually join the expected hundreds of millions of others from every continent who will turn lights off for one hour from 8.30 pm on Saturday, March 27.

The ever-growing list of corporate support around the world for Earth Hour 2010 includes Canon, Coca-Cola, HSBC, Nokia Siemens Networks, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and Wells Fargo. The companies are emphasising that while corporate efforts for Earth Hour are symbolic gestures, they also highlight the critical need for more action around climate protection.

One of the world’s leading financial institutions, HSBC, is taking the opportunity with its commitment of world-wide support to Earth Hour 2010 to reinforce the need for greater consideration of energy use habits.

“HSBC will switch off lights in its offices around the world to highlight to our employees, customers and the public the continued importance of thinking about the way we consume resources,” said Head of Group Corporate Sustainability for HSBC, Mr Simon Martin.

With around 8,500 office locations across 86 countries, HSBC’s worldwide power-down aims to inspire the behavioural change and corporate accountability they feel is required to address the ongoing indiscriminate threat of global warming.

“Climate change remains a clear challenge to human society, and the symbolic act of powering down our offices for an hour is a way of heightening awareness of the need for everybody to act responsibly and cohesively to manage the challenge,” Mr Martin said.

Similarly, communications giant Nokia Siemens Networks will urge its offices worldwide to ‘flick the switch’ on March 27, while at the same time encouraging its 64,000 strong staff and worldwide customer base to be part of a global resolution to climate change.

Coca-Cola will be turning out lights in many offices and bottling facilities around the world while also helping to raise awareness by activating iconic marketing assets.

Wells Fargo, which is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent through energy efficiency efforts in its own operations, is encouraging its customers to participate in Earth Hour through messages on its ATMs expected to reach more than eight million people. The company is also turning off its own non-essential lights where practical. Wells Fargo Green Teams (grassroots groups of Wells Fargo team members that help drive environmental stewardship) are encouraging co-workers to participate in the event.

Mary Wenzel, director of Environmental Affairs at Wells Fargo said, “While the 60 minutes of energy saved during the event is important, the true significance of this event is that it demonstrates that by both working together and also taking personal responsibility for turning off lights, unplugging electrical items and making our homes more energy efficient each of us can make a positive difference.

“Please join us.”

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics' (WWL) will lead up to Earth Hour with an “energy efficiency week” in its main office in Oslo, with staff invited to “find wasted energy in the building”, while WWL offices globally are being encouraged to plan their own activities for Earth Hour.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the world’s largest professional services firm, have conducted a study of the international business community, with some enlightening revelations into attitudes towards the global management of the climate dilemma. Titled Appetite for Change, the world’s most comprehensive survey of its kind reveals that 84% of corporate executives believe global warming will change the way they do business over the next two to three years.

With an extensive program of measured carbon emission targets to meet the impending changes to the international business landscape, PwC will show its commitment to climate action by engaging its offices in more than 150 countries to switch off their lights for Earth Hour 2010, while also encouraging its 163,000 staff to participate in the world’s greatest show of action on global warming.

“The implementation of sustainable business practices is not just an environmental imperative, it’s a commercial one, too,” said Earth Hour Executive Director Andy Ridley.

“Earth Hour brings together cities, communities, businesses and individuals on the journey to positive action on climate change.”

WWF and IKEA join hands to support Earth Hour

2010-03-17

Earth Hour has gained the support of the world’s largest home-furnishing companies, IKEA, to spread the message that a brighter future for all people on our planet requires action from all sectors. We can accomplish so much more by working together.

IKEA and WWF have co-operated together since 2002 towards a decreased ecological footprint by promoting responsible and sustainable use of resources. Today, the partnership includes projects on forestry, climate and sustainable cotton production on three continents.

"We at IKEA recognise that our business will be successful only if there is a sustainable management of the resources we rely on to make our products," says Thomas Bergmark, Sustainability Manager at IKEA.

Last year, almost half of IKEA’s retail countries participated in Earth Hour including activities in the stores as well as to co-workers with the aim of highlighting the importance of fighting climate change. This year the aim is even higher.

"Earth Hour is an opportunity to remind everyone that we - and everyone - must take steps in order to stop climate change. With 123,000 co-workers and 525 million visitors to our store we can make a great impact by raising awareness of the possibilities we all have to make a change," says Thomas Bergmark.

On March 27, IKEA stores around the world will have a variety of activities ranging from turning off the non-essential lighting inside and outside the store, offering "solar-powered-lit" dinners, competitions among customers and co-workers to highlight climate change and Earth Hour.

““Never has there been a more important time or better opportunity for the people of the world to stand up and take the matter of climate change into their own hands. Earth Hour brings together communities, businesses and individuals to show world leaders and, more importantly, show each other, that a resolution to global warming is possible if we work on it together. IKEA is helping to lead the way for positive action,” says Co-Founder and Executive Director of Earth Hour, Andy Ridley.

He continues: "Earth Hour demonstrates the determination of the world’s citizens for a better healthier world. It brings together cities, communities, businesses and individuals on the journey to positive action on climate change."

Earth Hour began in Australia in 2007 and has now spread throughout the world. Last year about 1 billion people participated in Earth Hour. Landmarks like London's Big Ben, The Sydney Opera House and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur switched off their lights to show support.

More than 100 countries will be participating in Earth Hour, surpassing last years total with nearly two weeks to spare. On March 27 from 8.30-9.30 pm - the world will go dark.

New analysis points to ivory enforcement failures in parts of Africa, Asia

2010-03-17

Doha, Qatar – Urgent law enforcement action by governments in Central and West Africa and South-east Asia is crucial to addressing the illicit ivory trade, according to a new analysis of elephant trade data.

Detailed regional summaries of the data held in the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), the world’s largest database on ivory seizures, highlight the failure of law enforcement in key elephant range States facing an increasing threat from organised crime and the presence of unregulated markets.

The re-analysis comes as 175 governments meet in Qatar for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), where they will consider ivory trade issues.

"It's clearer than ever that governance shortfalls and weak enforcement allow illicit ivory trade to go unchecked in West and Central Africa and in South-East Asia, where large domestic ivory markets openly sell ivory illegally," said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC, who undertook the ETIS analysis.

"What's needed is urgent action by government enforcement agencies in these regions and strong collaboration with counterparts in Asia where many of the current seizures are being made."

“If there was adequate political will, a commitment to law enforcement would shut down the illegal markets and check corruption. That isn’t happening.” Milliken said.

ETIS is compiled by TRAFFIC on behalf of CITES, and comprises more than 15,400 ivory seizure cases compiled over the last 21 years.

The re-analysis of the data was made by region rather than by country, and was carried out to align the data with MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants), another of the CITES tools used to monitor poaching, which also shows that the Central African region is losing the most elephants.

"Until this strengthened law enforcement happens, ivory will continue to leak out of Africa” said Elisabeth McLellan, Species Manager, WWF International.

"We're not talking small-time smugglers here, we're talking hardened, organized criminal gangs," McLellan said.

International development finance agendas at risk of clashing

2010-03-16

New York – The world’s nations needed to quickly agree on principles that would avoid different international development finance agendas coming into conflict, WWF warned today.

WWF welcomed a report released by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon today aimed at achieving lagging Millennium Development Goals on the original schedule of 2015, but said there was a risk MDGs and other current development agendas would not be achieved unless each had adequate and quarantined funding.

Also on the international agenda is securing the funding mechanisms for climate adaptation for least developed countries and the low carbon development support promised under the Copenhagen Accord, with the UN Secretary General recently announcing a High Level Advisory Group on climate financing.

“The danger when we have two parallel processes essentially related to development funding is that governments will start to pick and choose priorities and merge funding streams for less overall development funding,” said Kim Carstensen, WWF climate initiative leader.

“The world’s poorest people are due the commitments made to them at the opening of the new millennium and they also are due the world’s assistance in coping with climate change impacts they had almost no role in causing and having a chance to develop without contributing to climate catastrophe.”

WWF is calling for agreements and commitments that Copenhagen Accord related funding be additional to commitments under overseas development aid commitments, including meeting the MDG objectives.

“The MDGs are behind schedule largely because developed countries made funding commitments they did not keep,” said Carstensen. “There are lessons there, both for an accelerated effort to achieve the MDGs on the original schedule and to achieve the funding commitments made under the Copenhagen Accord.”

“Where we should be finding the synergies between the two development agendas is not in mixing up and depleting the funding streams but in emphasising the common objectives.”

“Successful climate adaptation works towards several MDG goals in protecting productive landscapes and marine environments, reducing health risks, achieving food security and empowering women in their communities.”

Keeping the Promise, the new UN outline for achieving the MDGs, breaks new ground by identifying climate change as an issue that will hold back their achievement.

The report also notes that “achieving the MDGs should also contribute to the capacities needed to tackle climate change.”

“We couldn’t agree more,” Carstensen said.

For further information:

Kim Carstensen, Leader Global Climate Initiative, WWF International, k.carstensen@wwf.dk, +4540343635;

Martin Hiller, Head Climate Policy Communications, WWF Int., mhiller@wwfint.org, +41793472256

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

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WWF calls to stop illegal logging as plundering of Madagascar’s rainforests continues

2010-03-16

Lack of governance and export exemptions allow the continuation of illegal rosewood logging in Madagascar and threaten to undermine decades of conservation works.

Recent reports confirm that the situation is worsening.

According to local sources a vessel named “Kiara” last week has docked at the small port of Vohemar in the Northeast of Madagascar, the heart of the illegal rose wood logging to pick up between 192 and 274 containers of illegally cut rosewood.

In the aftermath of a coup d’état in March 2009, Madagascar's rainforests have been pillaged for precious hardwoods such as rosewood and ebony. Up to 20,000 hectares have been affected in Madagascar’s Biodiversity rich Northeast protected areas.

The rosewood logs have mostly been felled within the boundaries of Masoala and Marojejy National Park, a World Heritage Site, as well as Mananara Biosphere Reserve.

Although the logging is selective, not only rosewood trees are cut, as in order to transport the very heavy rose wood, 5-6 trees need to be cut to help float the rose wood down the various rivers towards Vohemar.

This leads to extensive deforestation, opens the forest to intrusion, and in order to eat, the timber fellers, eat all the bush meat available, seriously impacting on many key species, including the various Lemur species in this area.
“The situation is out of control,” said Niall O’Connor WWF’s Regional Representative in Madagascar.

“The number of wood exploiters has suddenly more than doubled from formerly 13 to currently 31 or 32” says O’Connor referring to several articles in the national press.

“We fear and know that the ongoing export of these stock piles of illegally felled logs only further encourages wood operators to cut more wood,” says Niall O’ Connor, Regional Representative of WWF Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean Programme Office.

“We strongly condemn the traffic of these hardwoods as we can see no benefit going to the local people’s livelihoods nor to Madagascar National Parks who manages the protected areas and few can see what benefits go to Government and how it is utilized for the benefit of the state”.

International donors have become impatient with the unsolved situation and fear that decades of vital conservation work in the region is now being undone by the lack of good governance within the environmental sector, led by the state.

The small port town of Vohemar has been the real hub for rosewood export for more than half a year. It is again bustling with people prepared to load the next containers to be picked up by the “Kiara” which is transporting DELMAS Cargo. Several local sources confirm the cargo being loaded into CMA CGM Delmas, a French shipping company’s containers is indeed unprocessed rosewood.

An estimated amount of 1000 containers of rosewood has been stocked in the port town of Vohemar waiting for the next opportunity to leave the country.

According to operators, rose wood sells for 4 000 to 5 000 dollars per ton. The impoverished villagers who were actually cutting the wood and pulled it out of the forests earned about 5000 Ariary a day (approx USD 2.50).

Rosewood is a very dense wood with a red colour going black after a while. It is extremely sought after and logs from Madagascar’s National Parks leave the country mainly for China, where they are turned into furniture, instruments and other wood products being sold everywhere in the world.

“We call on the Malagasy transitional authorities to immediately end all ongoing export of rosewood from Vohemar and other Malagasy ports once and for all. We also ask shipping companies to stop dirtying their hands with the export of illegally felled rosewood. Last but not least, we ask consumers everywhere not to buy rosewood products originating from Madagascar any more,” O’Connor said.

Porous China-Myanmar border allowing illegal wildlife trade

2010-03-16

Doha, Qatar — Porous borders are allowing vendors in Myanmar to offer a door-to-door delivery service for illegal wildlife products such as tiger bone wine to buyers in China, according to TRAFFIC’s latest snapshot into wildlife trade in China.

The State of Wildlife Trade in China 2008, released this week, is the third in an annual series on emerging trends in China’s wildlife trade.

The report found that over-exploitation of wildlife for trade has affected many species and is stimulating illegal trade across China’s borders.

“China’s border areas have long been considered a hotbed for illegal trade, with remote locations often making surveillance a difficult problem in sparsely populated areas,” said Professor Xu Hongfa, Director of TRAFFIC’s programme in China

The illegal trade in Asian big cat products is a key issue at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting, which began on 13 March and runs until 26 March.

The meeting is taking place in Doha, Qatar, where 175 countries will vote on measures that, if properly enforced, can end illegal tiger trade for good. Tigers are especially in the spotlight during this Year of the Tiger in the Chinese lunar calendar.

“Both TRAFFIC and WWF will be encouraging CITES Parties to enforce the law effectively in their own countries in order to end all illegal trade,” said Colman O’Criodain, Wildlife Trade Analyst, WWF International.

Tiger and leopard parts were also found openly for sale in western China, although market surveys in 18 cities found just two places where such items were encountered. One of them—Bei Da Jie Market in Linxia city—has a history of trading in tiger products. There, a total of five surveys between late 2007 and 2008 found one tiger, 15 leopard and seven snow leopard skins for sale.

“There is clearly ongoing demand for leopard and tiger products, but the trade appears to be becoming less visible year-on-year,” said Professor Xu, adding that it is unclear if it is because there is less trade in such products or it has become more covert and organized.

The report also examines the trade of other wildlife species in China. In southern China, TRAFFIC identified 26 species of freshwater turtles for sale. The majority of animals were claimed by vendors to be supplied from freshwater turtle farms—many of which do not practice closed-cycle captive breeding and therefore rely on wild-sourced breeding stock.

“If no action is taken, sourcing from the wild coupled with increased captive production to meet an expanding market demand will pose a serious threat to wild species through unsustainable harvesting from wild populations in China and beyond,” said Professor Xu.

The report also highlights research into the legality of timber imported into China from source countries in Africa and South-East Asia, noting up to 30% discrepancies between reported import and export timber volumes.

Other topics covered include sustainable utilization of traditional medicinal plants, analysis of wildlife trade information, the Corallium trade in East Asia, tackling cross-border illegal wildlife trade on the China-Nepal border, and stopping illegal wildlife trade online.

Indonesian fishing moratorium a small step to help save Coral Triangle

2010-03-15

WWF welcomes Indonesian moratorium on new trawl and purse seine fisheries licenses but an immediate reduction in fishing efforts is needed in order to protect the Coral Triangle, the world’s most diverse marine environment.

Trawling and purse seine fisheries have become a problematic issue in Indonesia, strongly contributing to the overfishing of mostly fully exploited juvenile tunas, and illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in the area (IUU).

“This moratorium on new fishing licenses for trawlers and purse seiners will certainly stop the bleeding but not the wound, so to speak. A reduction in current fishing capacity is key to addressing problems of overfishing and bycatch of juvenile tunas in the Coral Triangle” says Dr. Lida Pet-Soede, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Head.

Tuna is an important fishing resource in Coral Triangle as it supports the economies of many developing nations and represents the livelihoods of millions of people in this region and beyond.

The region contains spawning and nursery grounds and migratory routes for commercially-valuable tuna species such as bigeye, yellowfin, skipjack and albacore, producing more than 40% of the total catch for the Western Central Pacific region, and representing more than 20% of the global catch.

As of 2007, more than 10,000 trawlers and 22,000 purse seiners have been found in Indonesian waters.

‘These existing fishing fleets are highly capable of bringing already fully exploited fish stocks to an even greater overfished state’ adds Dr. Pet-Soede.

‘We would also like to seek further clarification on the criteria being used to determine stock recovery and how this is will be evaluated. WWF is willing to participate and contribute to this process.’

Trawling, which can catch as much as 30 tons of fish in a single operation, was banned nationally in 1980 but was once again made legal two years later, specifically in the Arafuru Seas in Papua.

In 2008, a regulation to allow shrimp trawling in the East Kalimantan province was issued.

Today, demersal fish stocks and shrimp are fully exploited and overfished in the Arafuru Seas. Similar results have occurred in the Flores Seas and Makassar Strait in East Kalimantan.

Purse seining has likewise become an issue in Indonesian fisheries. As much as 57% of skipjack, 71% of yellowfin and 75% of bigeye tunas caught by Indonesian purse seiners are juvenile and fully exploited.

Purse seining of small pelagic fish, or free swimming open ocean species like Skipjack tuna and sardines in Indonesia accounts for as much as 80% of the total catch in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. This however also includes big pelagic fish, which have been overfished in the Sulawesi Seas and Pacific Ocean. Pelagic fish, both big and small, have now been classified as fully exploited in Indonesia.

Earth Hour in Cancun a prelude to key climate role

2010-03-15

Cancun,

Mexico

- When Earth Hour rolls into the city of Cancun on

Mexico

's east coast on March 27th, it will be a prelude to the city's year in the climate spotlight.

It might be lights out for an hour from 8:30 pm for Earth Hour, but it will be television lights on in November when ministers and representatives of the world's governments flood in to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to try to add detail and firm up the commitments reached at last year's Copenhagen Accord.

The need for action remains extremely urgent, and the Cancun discussions must produce tangible results," said Vanessa Pérez-Cirera, Climate Change Director for WWF-Mexico.

“While a positive political recognition on the need to keep below 2 degrees was reached, we should be orienting our economic growth plans to the goal of keeping below 1.5 degrees as recent science has revealed if, for example, we want to continue having viable coral reef systems, a land-mark of Cancún and the Yucatán Península,” she said.

Earth Hour is the great opportunity people around the world have to underline to our leaders that we want adequate and decisive action on climate change.

This year in Mexico Earth Hour will be a country-wide initiative supported by the Federal Government, the Mexico City Government, the alliance WWF-Fundación Carlos Slim, HSBC and Coca-Cola.

“Earth Hour sets the tone for a year in which businesses, individuals and governments must strengthen the work together to set our planet back on the right track. We in the host country for COP16 must show all what the Government, local communities, businesses and civil society groups in Mexico are doing to mitigate global climate change” said Omar Vidal, Director of WWF-Mexico.

"Calls from the people are particularly powerful"

Further south in the Americas, Ecuador will be preparing for its first ever participation in Earth Hour. Among the keenest participants will be the new WWF International President, Yolanda Kakabadse, a former Ecuadorian Environment Minister with a long and distinguished career in resolving environmental and other conflicts between policy makers, industry and social groups.

“Never doubt that decision makers will be watching what masses of people do in their homes and communities for Earth Hour,” she said. “Dealing with climate change is not easy and leaders are themselves are looking for leadership on the issue.

“Calls from the people are particularly powerful.”

Bolivia, meanwhile, will be experiencing something of a forest-based Earth Hour with a key focal point being in the city of Santa Cruz where 150 companies and institutions involved in responsible forestry and trade in wood products are involved in the annual Forest Exposition.

"Deforestation is a major problem in Bolivia, and is responsible for four-fifths our all our carbon emissions" said WWF Bolivia's Conservation Director, Mr. Adolfo Moreno.

"Earth Hour gives us an excellent opportunity to further the dialogue on this issue, and encourage both the government and companies to do their part to reduce our carbon footprint."

The Expo includes a forum to discuss climate change in Bolivia and the priorities the country will take to Cancun, Mexico for the UN climate conference in December.

Seven other Bolivian cities, including capital La Paz will be celebrating Earth Hour this year, which is significant uptake in civic participation, and marks the increasing interest the public is taking in the danger posed by climate change.

These dangers are considerable. According to the National Navy Hydrographic Service (SNHN), currently there are at least nine rivers in the Bolivian Amazon Basin registering an increase in flows, jeopardizing numerous riverside communities and underlining the priority that needs to be given to mitigating and adapting to climate change in the short term.

Another climate change related impact foreseen by scientists for the year 2030 is that the mythical Titicaca Lake will have been reduced and divided in three parts.

Potential CITES trade ban for rare salamander underscores wildlife e-commerce

2010-03-15

Doha, Qatar – A little-known Iranian salamander is poised to become the first example of a species requiring international government protection because of e-commerce – a major threat to endangered wildlife that authorities are struggling to address.

The Kaiser’s spotted newt, found only in Iran, is considered Critically Endangered and is believed to number fewer than 1,000 mature wild individuals. The amphibian is being proposed for an Appendix I listing during a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Endangered Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Appendix I is the highest level of protection under the CITES appendices system and bans all commercial international trade in the species.

The Kaiser’s spotted newt is emblematic of the availability of the internet as an additional way to sell products made from endangered wildlife. It is the first species to be up for protection mostly because of e-commerce sales.

The newt is sought as a pet by collectors and wildlife enthusiasts and numbers have declined by more than 80 percent in recent years.

Meanwhile, CITES governments will consider in the coming days whether to take a more proactive approach to regulating the online trade in endangered species. This would include the creation of an international database of the trade, scientific research to gauge the correlation between wildlife loss and online trade, and closer collaboration with INTERPOL, the international law enforcement agency.

In 2006, an investigation by TRAFFIC into the sale of Kaiser’s spotted newts revealed 10 websites claiming to stock the species. One Ukrainian company claimed to have sold more than 200 wild-caught specimens in a single year.

“The Internet itself isn’t the threat, but it’s another way to market the product,” said Ernie Cooper, of TRAFFIC Canada. “The Kaiser’s spotted newt, for example, is expensive and most people are not willing to pay USD300 for a salamander. But through the power of the internet, tapping into global market, you can find buyers”.

WWF and TRAFFIC are concerned by other items sold and bought online, including elephant ivory, and precious corals, including red and pink coral, which currently are overharvested to make jewellery and collectables. Red and pink corals have been proposed for listing in Appendix II of CITES, a measure that would regulate their international trade

“It’s a growing issue mainly because the internet and marketing on the internet is growing,” Cooper said.

In addition, e-commerce will continue to be a growing issue for CITES governments.

“This is going to be an ever-growing enforcement issue for CITES,” said Colman O’Criodain, WWF International Wildlife Trade Policy Analyst.

Peru mahogany decision highlights overlooked timber proposals at CITES

2010-03-14

Doha, Qatar – Beyond the headline-grabbing proposals on bluefin tuna and ivory trade, the largest wildlife trade convention meeting this week will also address several timber-related issues – an often overlooked responsibility of the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

In a CITES meeting on Friday, Peru was given a six month ultimatum to address critical issues over the illegal mahogany trade.

The CITES Standing Committee – the body that governs the CITES between conference of the parties meetings – took the decision to take this step following Peru’s repeated failure to manage effectively illegal logging and trade in the valuable timber. CITES Parties will be discussing timber, medicinal plants and agarwood at the meeting on Monday, March 15th.

The timber-related trade – including agarwood, an aromatic resin extracted from certain tree species –is especially important in the Middle East, where CITES governments are meeting for the first time.

Mahogany is popular to make furniture all over the world, while agarwood is used in perfume-making in Middle Eastern countries.

“Trees account for the vast bulk of wild plants in trade, yet only three commercially important timber species are listed on CITES, of which bigleaf mahogany is the most valuable,” said Colman O’Criodain, Wildlife trade analyst, WWF International.

Six months from now, Peru must have enacted legislation to regulate the mahogany trade, implemented a computerised tracking system for mahogany and harmonised the different harvest and export quota systems being used.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in the Standing Committee voting on a suspension of mahogany exports from Peru.

“Peru argues that it exports less than a fifth of the mahogany it did a decade ago, but that’s not because they’ve cut down on the trade through better management, it’s because they’ve plundered their forests of the resource,” said Bernardo Ortiz, Director of TRAFFIC South America.

“Years of mismanagement in Peru’s mahogany trade are making an international ban an inevitable outcome. But the reality is it is too little too late given mahogany is effectively commercial extinct in Peru already.”

Earlier, Peru rejected a recommendation from the Committee that it set a voluntary moratorium on its mahogany exports.

Other timber proposals that CITES governments will consider at this conference include Brazilian rosewood and holy wood (also known as palo santo), both of which are also valued for their oils by the cosmetics industry.

An estimated 175 governments are expected to participate in the 15th Conference of the Parties to CITES, which began Saturday in Doha, Qatar, and runs through March 25.

Chinese medicine societies reject tiger bones ahead of CITES

2010-03-12

Doha, Qatar – WWF and TRAFFIC welcome a World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) statement urging its members not to use tiger bone or any other parts from endangered wildlife.

The statement was made at a symposium Friday in Beijing and notes that some of the claimed medicinal benefits of tiger bone have no basis. The use of tiger bones was removed from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacopeia in 1993, when China first introduced a domestic ban on tiger trade.

“Tiger conservation has become a political issue in the world. Therefore, it’s necessary for the traditional Chinese medicine industry to support the conservation of endangered species, including tigers,” said Huang Jianyin, deputy secretary of WFCMS.

Illegal trade in Asian big cat products is a key issue at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Conference of Parties meeting at Doha, Qatar. China is among the 175 countries that are signatories to this international treaty governing wildlife trade.

“CITES governments should be encouraged by this statement and use the opportunity they have at this meeting to pass measures, that if properly enforced, can help put an end to tiger trade,” said Dr. Colman O’Criodain, Wildlife trade analyst, WWF International.

The statement also calls on all WFCMS’ members to promote tiger conservation and encourages them to abide by all relevant international and national regulations on wildlife trade.

“The Societies’ public declaration is a clear signal that the traditional Chinese medicinal community is now backing efforts to secure a future for wild tigers,” said Professor Xu Hongfa, head of TRAFFIC’s programme in China.

As an international traditional Chinese academic organization, the WFCMS stated that it had a duty to research the conservation of endangered species, including tigers.

“We will ask our members not to use endangered wildlife in traditional Chinese medicine, and reduce the misunderstanding and bias of the international community,” said the WFCMS’ Huang Jianyin. “The traditional Chinese medicine industry should look for substitutes and research on economical and effective substitutes for tiger products, which will improve the international image and status of traditional Chinese medicine and promote TCM in the world.”

The WFCMS is an international academic organization based in Beijing, with 195 member organizations spanning 57 nations where traditional Chinese medicine is used. It aims to promote the development of traditional Chinese medicine, which is a primary form of healthcare delivery in China, and widely regarded as an important part of China’s rich cultural heritage.

WWF and TRAFFIC are calling for a permanent ban on all trade in tiger parts and products, and for a curtailment of commercial captive breeding operations.

Wild tigers are especially in the spotlight as 2010 marks the celebration of the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese lunar calendar. This year is seen as a unique opportunity to galvanize international action to save this iconic species.

Forest and donor countries stump up to reduce emissions

2010-03-11

Paris, France: Forest and donor countries have kicked off an important joint process which could speed up action to reduce the 15 per cent of global carbon emissions linked to deforestation and forest degradation.

Despite no formal agreement to achieve Reduced Emissions from forest Degradation and Deforestation (REDD) being reached at the United Nations conference on climate change last December, key nations met yesterday in Paris in a process being called the REDD+ Partnership Process.

The initiative, which brings together major forest countries and donor nations, is hosted by Norway and France. Broad agreement has already been reached on principles and safeguards of REDD+ and according to WWF, the initiative represents a critical opportunity to mobilise early action and financing for national REDD+ programmes.

“Slowing deforestation would help the world significantly cut global emissions,” said WWF Forest Carbon Initiative Leader Chris Elliott.

“That’s an opportunity we simply cannot ignore as any delay in reducing emissions only makes it more difficult to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees C.”

“The REDD+ Partnership process must build real momentum for countries to move ahead with REDD+,” said Elliott, “It is important this remains an open and inclusive process.”

Countries have signalled their commitment to REDD+, with many developing countries, including Brazil and Indonesia, announcing targets for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. In Copenhagen, $3.5 billion was pledged for REDD+ by Australia, France, Japan, Norway, the UK and the US.

“With funding already flowing for REDD+, it is vital that benefits for people and biodiversity are a fundamental part of this effort to integrate forests into the climate change solution,” said Elliott. “REDD+ is not only about the carbon stored in forests and so we must ensure there are positive social and environmental impacts as REDD+ becomes a reality.”

For futher information:
Melissa Tupper, WWF Forest Carbon Initiative Communications, Washington DC
+1 202 495 4182, Melissa.Tupper@wwfus.org

Carbon cap and trade at risk as Japan considers climate bill

2010-03-10

Tokyo, Japan: Japan is at risk of undermining its own recent commitments on carbon emissions reductions during a confused – and confusing – debate on forthcoming climate legislation, WWF said today.

WWF is calling on a high-level Cabinet Member Committee meeting regarding climate change on Thursday to stick with the already outlined absolute emissions reductions of 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 agreed under the Copenhagen Accord framework, and with the ‘cap and trade’ scheme outlined as a key mechanism for achieving the target.

The climate bill, to be presented to the full cabinet including Prime Minister Hatoyama on Friday, is being criticized by heavy industry labour unions for possible job loss while some government ministries are promoting a carbon intensity framework for emissions reductions.

Intensity-based emissions trading schemes however seriously undermines the environmental integrity of the bill - absolute emissions would increase with production even if intensity-based targets are achieved.

“If the bill includes "intensity-based" emissions trading schemes then it does not consider the emissions cap that the Japanese government has promised to the Japanese people during the elections and to the world following the Copenhagen Accord,” said Naoyuki Yamagishi, WWF-Japan's Head of Climate Change.

“It should have “absolute-based" emissions trading, which is crucial for the scheme to be called “cap and trade” scheme.”

Japanese civil groups are also calling on the government to drop the conditionality clauses in the new bill that threaten to tie Japanese action on climate change to a successful international agreement which includes all the major economies.

“Japan should not send wrong signals by making its action absolutely conditional to an international agreement,” said Yamagishi. “It will not only jeopardize the credibility of the Japanese target internationally but will also slow down domestic actions.”

“The current language in the bill could be interpreted as Japan doing nothing to reduce emissions if there is no comprehensive international agreement.”

Japan's pledge to cut greenhouse-gas emissions to 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 is one of the most ambitious in the world.

Japanese civil society groups are also not wishing to see the climate bill being used as a vehicle for an expansion of nuclear power plants.

They would also like to see feed-tariffs for renewable energy that require power companies to buy all the energy produced from all kinds of sustainable renewable energies and not, as proposed, just surplus power from domestic solar installations.

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www.wwf.or.jp/activity/climate

All 27 EU countries to back Atlantic bluefin tuna international trade ban

2010-03-10

Brussels, Belgium – WWF applauds the confirmation from European Union member states that they will vote for a ban on international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna during a meeting of the largest wildlife trade convention starting this week.

The 27 EU members said today they would vote to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), joining a growing list of supporting countries, including the United States of America.

“WWF welcomes the EU announcement, which will give this devastated species the possibility to recover,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “Other governments must back the ban when they meet for CITES later this week.”

“The EU is a major trade and development partner in many key regions of the world, and some countries may have been hanging back on Atlantic bluefin tuna to see what the Europeans would decide to do,” Tudela said.

“With the two largest holders of bluefin tuna fishing quota on either side of the Atlantic – the U.S. and EU – now supporting the trade ban, other countries should follow suit,” Dr Tudela said.

“Our only remaining concern is that we do not understand the continuing need on the part of the EU for conditions to be attached to the Appendix I listing. WWF believes this trade ban should be implemented immediately, without conditions or delay.

“The EU must now push for widespread support of this proposal during the CITES meeting.”

The proposal to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on CITES Appendix I was submitted by the Principality of Monaco in October. Atlantic bluefin tuna is at serious risk of commercial extinction because of decades of unsustainable and illegal fishing in the Mediterranean Sea, driven by demand from Japan’s luxury seafood markets.

The eligibility of Atlantic bluefin tuna for the CITES Appendix I listing proposal is backed by independent experts including a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization panel, and the scientific committee of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the regional fisheries management organization in charge of this fishery.

The 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP 15) will take place March 13-25 in Doha, Qatar. The Convention is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild.

Earth Hour heads into record territory

2010-03-05

Gland, Switzerland: A record Earth Hour is looming with more countries now signed up for the event than for last year’s globe circling lights out for climate action.

Just over two weeks out from the event, timed for 8.30 pm on March 27, organisers are now active in in 92 countries, compared to a final participation figure of 88 countries in 2009 which saw hundreds of millions participating.

With confirmation that the Tokyo Tower in Tokyo and Brandenburg Gate in Berlin will both turn off their lights for Earth Hour, all members of the G20 are now taking part in the event.

“Earth Hour demonstrates the determination of the world’s citizens for a better healthier world,” said Earth Hour Executive Director, Andy Ridley.

“It brings together cities, communities, businesses and individuals on the journey to positive action on climate change,”

As a co-founder of the event, Ridley has seen it boom from a one city, one country event in 2007 to the levels where nearly half the world’s nations, and many of its largest cities and iconic landmarks make a statement for a more secure and safer future.

Countries and regions involved for the first time include Kosovo, the remote island nation of Madagascar, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Paraguay, Ecuador and the US Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands in the Pacific Ocean amongst others.

Honduras became the latest nation to have official Earth Hour recognition and Earth Hour global organisers confirm that there are currently more than 1,100 cities and towns signed up to switch their lights off at 8.30pm on 27 March - 100 more than at the same time last year.

“Typically we see a big jump in the number of cities and towns taking part in the last few days before the lights go out, but to see such strong support already is fantastic,” said Ridley.

“Earth Hour is an opportunity for the global community to speak in one voice on the issue of climate change, while at the same time coming together in celebration of the one thing every single person on the planet has in common – the planet,” he said.

“Whether it’s joining your community in a town square to watch the city lights go dark or hosting a lights out party in your own home, I encourage everybody across the world to be a part of this important and historic occasion. Turn off your lights, celebrate the planet, enjoy the moment and think about the future of our living planet.”

For more information about Earth Hour 2010 please contact:
Kirsten Hodgon, Communications Director, Earth Hour Global
Tel: +61 (0) 424 507 095 E: khodgon@wwf.org.au

Indian Ocean tuna commission fails again on tuna, does better with sharks

2010-03-05

Busan, Korea: Closing to fishing an area already largely closed by pirates is a long way short of being meaningful fisheries management, WWF said at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in Busan, Korea today.

“The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission continues to lag well behind nearly every other comparable fisheries regulator in its failure to introduce catch limits for the commercial fish species under its control,” said Dr Amani Ngusaru, head of WWF’s Coastal East Africa Marine Programme.

“We have agreement on a catch limit for bigeye and yellowfin tuna, as recommended by the scientists and this is a big step forward for the IOTC. And we have a non-binding commitment that catch limits for the tuna resources of the Indian Ocean will be considered at the 2012 meeting, which could be a big step nowhere.”

“In the meantime, we have this laughable measure that an area off Somalia which is already largely off limits due to piracy will be closed to long-liners for a month and purse seiners for a month. Are we really serious about limiting fishing pressure on our already overfished stocks?”

But the IOTC did rather better on protecting sharks and seabirds.

“The vote to adopt a ban on commercial landing of endangered thresher sharks is not all we wanted in relation to sharks and to the trade in shark fins but it is a major advance for the commission,” Dr Ngusaru said.

“It also illustrates the truth of our assertion for all the world’s Regional Fisheries Management Organisations that they make better decisions when they vote on recommended fisheries management measures than when they race to the bottom trying to achieve a consensus.”

With studies showing that several endangered albatross and petrels were highly vulnerable to longline fishing in the Indian Ocean during their critical juvenile phase, the commission hardened seabird catch mitigation requirements for longline boats operating south of 25 degrees south.

Boats will now need to use two out of five recognised mitigation measures which include minimum light night operation, bird scaring lines, weighted branch lines and blue-dyed bait.

IOTC’s scientific community had warned contracting country parties that bigeye tuna catches should be limited to 110,000 tonnes and yellowfin tuna should be limited to 300,000 tonnes. But although the meeting accepted these recommendations, action to institute catch restrictions is to wait on a process of setting country allocations.

Another key measure not adopted was a Seychelles proposal for a ban on discards of Skipjack, Yellowfin and Big eye tuna from purse seine vessels. This would have reduced the carnage from the practice of trawlers “trading up” or discarding previous catches if better catches of higher value fish are found.

“Developing Indian ocean states were rightly upset about the failure to pass this significant bycatch measure as it is a food security issue for them,” said Dr Ngusaru. “If it is good enough for fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, why isn’t it good enough for fisheries in the Indian Ocean.”

A key development of the meeting was the growing assertiveness of Indian Ocean developing states in taking responsibility for their fish stocks, both in improving management of their own fishing industries and in seeking better practice from foreign industrial fleets in their waters.

“This was illustrated in the Maldives signing up to the IOTC,” said Dr Ngusaru. “WWF is totally behind this new push for sustainable fishing in the Indian Ocean and will do all we can to support it as it benefits both the fisheries and coastal populations depending on them.”

For further information:
Dr Amani Ngusaru,
Head of Marine Programme, WWF Coastal East Africa Network Initiative, ANgusaru@wwftz.org
+255 754 367362

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

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WWF hails Interpol efforts to curb illegal wildlife trade

2010-03-05

WWF hails the efforts of a recent worldwide Interpol operation to curb the illegal trade in traditional medicines containing endangered animal and plant species.

'Given that this crosses many borders, co-ordinating effective efforts to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife is not easy,' said WWF-UK's wildilfe trade advisor, Heather Sohl. "It's great to see 18 countries all working simultaneously to investigate and curtail the trade in traditional medicines containing threatened species. This can be a blueprint for future action on other areas of illicit wildlife trade too.'

The bust comes as WWF is preparing to call on countries which are members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to improve law enforcement, using intelligence-led, coordinated and cross-border approaches, to stop the illegal wildlife trade, when they meet in Doha, Qatar from 13 to 25 March.

'Such measures will help protect some of our most valued and yet threatened species such as tigers, rhino and elephants,' Sohl said.

Interpol conducted a month-long investigation into the illegal trade in traditional medicines containing protected wildlife products across 18 countries, according to its website. The investigationresulted in a series of arrests worldwide and the seizure of thousands of illegal medicines worth more than EUR 10 million.

For more details about the operation, which were released today, see http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/PressReleases/PR2010/PR014.asp

EU’s new 10-year plan lacks ambition in green economy – WWF

2010-03-05

The European Commission has shown little ambition in developing a green economy strategy, WWF said after the 27-member bloc published its 2020 policy framework.

EU 2020 replaces the overarching policy framework known as the “Lisbon Strategy” which has guided economic, employment and social policy in the EU since 2000.

In the future, all objectives, policies and programme priorities as well the budgets will also have to contribute to the realisation of the new 10-year plan.

In WWF’s view the new proposal is yet another missed opportunity to facilitate a transition into a clean economy of Europe.

"The EU 2020 strategy is a collection of policy aspirations that are in themselves pretty unobjectionable, but do not add up to a whole,” said Tony Long, Director, WWF European Policy Office-

“It gives us signposts in reducing Europe’s environmental burden on itself but none on its impact on the rest of the world. We welcome some of the bolder elements such as resource efficiency, but there isn’t sufficient guidance for such a long-term strategy, especially in terms of integrating nature into key areas of policy or budget’’.

According to WWF the the strategy fails to give any clear direction on some of the biggest policy overhauls coming up in the next few years, including agriculture (Common Agricultural Policy reform), fisheries (Common Fisheries Policy reform) and rural development which are barely mentioned in the document.

"We cannot be saddled for the next 10 years with a strategy which is out of date before the ink is even dry. It is clear that the world needs to switch mindset. Instead of exploiting nature, we should be making space for it.”

Respecting ecological limits by enabling economic activity without depleting natural resources or burdening our planet’s ecosystems, are key to the sustainable creation of jobs and a sustainable economy. This is where the jobs of the future will come from and the EU has no choice but to lead the way in this respect.

WWF welcomes US backing for Atlantic bluefin tuna international trade ban

2010-03-03

Washington, D.C. – WWF welcomes today’s announcement that the United States government will vote for a ban on international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna during a meeting of the largest wildlife trade convention later this month.

Joining a growing list of supporting countries, the U.S. announced today that it would vote to list the Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

An Appendix I listing would ban all international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna, giving this endangered species a chance to recover.

“The U.S. has a vested interest in this issue, as a fishing nation of Atlantic bluefin tuna – so if the U.S. can see the bigger picture and back the international trade ban proposal for the long-term survival of a species and a fishery, all countries can and should do so,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, WWF tuna expert.

In addition, the U.S. is not asking for any conditions or delays of the ban unlike France and the European Commission.

“WWF now urges EU member countries to follow the US lead and drop any conditions in their own backing for the international trade ban, and calls on all CITES members to support the Appendix I proposal at the Doha Conference of the Parties. The time to save Atlantic bluefin tuna is now, and with a concerted global effort, we can do this,” said Dr Tudela.

The proposal to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on CITES Appendix I was submitted by the Principality of Monaco in October. The listing proposal is backed by countries including main Mediterranean fishing nations France and Italy as well as the European Commission and Parliament.

Atlantic bluefin tuna is at serious risk of commercial extinction because of decades of unsustainable and illegal fishing in the Mediterranean Sea, driven by demand from Japan’s luxury seafood markets.

Latest official estimates suggest 36,282 tonnes of Atlantic bluefin tuna were caught in 2008, over four times the amount scientists say can be taken while allowing exhausted fish stocks to recover. It is believed the real catch figure may be well above this.

The 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP 15) will take place March 13-25 in Doha, Qatar.

The Convention is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild.