Investigator - Autumn 2013 by Environmental Investigation Agency

Investigator environmental investigation agency

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

tech revolution 03 Cool easier on the climate – and energy bills!

tigers don’t have 05 Wild the time for China’s conflicting policies

Wildlife crime hitting the headlines, but will it turn into action?

firm ditches 07 Japan pet treats made from fin whale meat

EIA Investigator Autumn 13 www.eia-international.org

Has the tide turned? In the past six months, we have seen a raft of initiatives and actions aimed at tackling the illegal trade in, and the poaching of, wildlife. It seems the international community has finally woken up to the crisis facing elephants, rhinos and tigers. In May, HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duke of Cambridge, in collaboration with the UK Government, hosted a high-profile international conference at St James’ Palace to focus world attention on the urgent battle to tackle and end the illegal trade in wildlife. The aim of the royal event was to get illegal wildlife trade acknowledged as a serious crime which is increasingly perpetrated by the same international criminal networks involved in other illicit goods (arms or drugs smuggling, money laundering, corruption and violence). A few months later, on the other side of the pond, President Obama issued an Executive Order pledging US$10 million to improve protection for threatened wildlife in key African countries, the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking and a review of the federal government’s Transnational Organised Crime Strategy. In September, a high-level meeting on poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking was held at the UN General Assembly in New York. Following on from the St James’ Palace meeting, the UK Government will host the London Summit of Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014. The aim will be to incorporate outputs from all of these meetings and encourage participation and attendance at the highest political level to leverage commitment and action from the international community. And there have been many other things happening as well. In June, the Philippines Government took the bold step of becoming the first non-African country – and the first consuming and transit country – to destroy its stockpile of seized ivory. The Obama administration also announced it would destroy all six tonnes of its stocks of seized ivory – potentially millions in contraband – stepping up efforts to crush an illegal trade that has brought wild elephants to the brink of extinction. October 4 saw an International March for Elephants in 15 cities worldwide in support of iWorry – an initiative started by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – to raise awareness and call for action to address the growing crisis. This was a stunning display of support for elephants worldwide from people who care telling their governments that they should care too. My worry is that all of this talk could turn out to be a lot of sound and fury that does not translate to real and meaningful action on the ground in both source and consumer countries. They can all talk the talk, but will they walk the walk? Watch this space. Mary Rice Executive Director

Contents 3

Cool tech revolution easier on the climate – and energy bills!

Climate campaign news

Wild tigers don’t have the time for China’s conflicting policies

Printed on 100% recycled paper

Mercury treaty flags health threats from toxic cetaceans

A huge and heartfelt thanks to our members and supporters. Without you we would not be able to carry out our vital work.

Japan firm ditches pet treats made from fin whale meat

ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY 62-63 Upper Street, London N1 ONY, UK Tel: 020 7354 7960 email: ukinfo@eia-international.org

Wildlife crime news

A crushing blow struck against the illegal ivory trade

Written and edited by EIA Designed by: designflavour (www.designflavour.com) Printed by: Emmerson Press (www.emmersonpress.co.uk) All images © EIA unless otherwise stated

PO Box 53343, Washington DC 20009, USA. Tel: 202 483 6621 Fax: 202 986 8626 email: info@eia-global.org

8-9 Greens on the Green serve up a day of fun in the sun! 10

Forests campaign news

11 Siam rosewood can be saved, but only if key countries take action

14-15 Members’ Zone

Cool tech revolution easier on the climate – and energy bills! THE fifth installment of our highly successful annual Chilling Facts reports was released in September with the announcement that the shift towards new cooling technology is proving to be a ‘double win’ for the climate. As new climate-friendly technology rolls out across Europe, leading retailers are reporting significant energy savings even as they move away from chemicals which help cause climate change. The Chilling Facts reports are a key plank of EIA’s climate campaign, offering the retail industry an annual state-of-play snapshot as it encourages major supermarket chains in the UK and Europe to move away from traditional refrigeration and airconditioning systems using hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and towards natural refrigerants. HFCs are a fluorinated gas – commonly referred to as an F-gas – and they can be thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2); HFCs are responsible for about two per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, are used widely in refrigeration and leak into the atmosphere.

Companies responding to EIA during research for Chilling Facts V highlighted the energy efficiency savings of new HFC-free systems; in Switzerland, Co-op Schweiz found annual energy efficiency improvements of 30 per cent over its previous HFC systems, with additional heat recovery benefits, while Carrefour’s HFC-free store in Turkey reports energy efficiency improvements of about 15 per cent.

Chilling Facts V also found a significant rise in the number of stores adopting HFC-free systems. “Moving away from HFCs is a double win for the climate, reducing energy demand and eliminating the need for these climate-damaging refrigerants,” said EIA Senior Campaigner Fionnuala Walravens. The report was released at a particularly topical time for F-gases, launched just days after the G20 governments agreed to use the resources of the Montreal Protocol to phasedown HFCs and as the European Union continues to debate new rules to cut HFC emissions as part of its ongoing F-Gas Regulation review, another process in which EIA has been playing a key role.

“Some retailers accept their environmental responsibilities and are investing in HFC-free systems, but others have yet to be convinced and for this reason we have made energy efficiency a focal point of this year’s report,” said Fionnuala. “We know that cheaper electricity bills are certainly something that will get retailers’ attention! “But despite the evident benefits of going HFC-free, the reality is that most retailers across Europe do not have plans to move away from HFCs. This is because the alternative technologies require a shift in mind-set – they can sometime be more challenging for technicians to work on, and upfront costs are still slightly higher even though the long-term energy savings mean running costs are reduced. What’s needed now is a regulatory signal to level the playing field, and there is a chance this could be about to happen …”.

We know that cheaper electricity bills are certainly something that will get retailers’ attention!

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

Climate campaign news Countries’ climate blackmail over greenhouse gas venting IN June, a new EIA report revealed how China and India are expected to release vast amounts of the chemical hydroflourocarbon-23 (HFC-23) into the atmosphere, causing global greenhouse gas emissions to skyrocket. HFC-23 is a by-product of the production of a chemical (HCFC-22) primarily used in air conditioning and refrigeration and is 14,800 times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide (CO2). In the report The Two Billion Tonne Climate Bomb: How to Defuse the HFC-23 Problem, EIA investigators detailed how many Chinese and Indian facilities have the destruction technology readily available but in a blunt climate blackmail are releasing or threatening to emit the by-product unless they receive additional payments to dispose of the chemicals.

Plants producing HCFC-22 in other developing countries could easily follow suit. If this happens, it would cause the release of more than two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e ) into the atmosphere by 2020. “Any venting of HFC-23 is a monumental scandal, given that destroying HFC-23 is about the cheapest climate mitigation available and that these companies have already pocketed billions through the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM),” said EIA Senior Campaigner Clare Perry. “The EU is considering legislation that will mandate the destruction of all HFC-23 by-product and we strongly urge China, India and all other countries with HCFC-22 facilities to do the same and ensure all of these plants bring HFC-23 emissions down to zero.”

MEPs take a robust stand for the climate EIA’s hard-working climate team had grounds for cheer in late June when Members of the European Parliament voted to rid the EU of a major greenhouse gas.

aerosols, foams, solvents and fire protection.

The Environment Committee agreed to ban HFCs in new equipment from 2020 when it voted by an overwhelming 48 votes in favour to 19 against to strengthen the EU’s F-Gas Regulation.

“This is an important result as it comes despite a powerful HFC chemical lobby, one dominated by a handful of multinationals engaged in a relentless campaign to protect their profits at the expense of the environment and smaller European companies,” said Clare.

The Regulation governs the use of climate-changing fluorinated gases, including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in refrigeration and air conditioning,

Another win for the Montreal Protocol THERE was further cause to fete the widely celebrated Montreal Protocol in April with the news that it had struck a deal with China to phaseout hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) production and so prevent eight billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions. With funding of up to US$385m from the Montreal Protocol’s Multilateral Fund, China will eliminate its production of HCFCs, ozone-depleting substances which are also potent greenhouse gases. HCFCs are chemicals used mainly in air conditioning, refrigeration, foam blowing and solvents.

Senior Campaigner Clare Perry welcomed the outcome of the vote as a strong and encouraging step in the fight against climate change which signaled Europe is leading the way to move beyond HFCs.

“The Committee looked at this in great detail,

and the fact that members saw through the scaremongering and misinformation bodes well for future negotiations with European Council. HFC-free alternatives are ready, and this is an opportunity to put European businesses at the forefront of the evergrowing refrigeration and air-conditioning markets while scoring a crucial victory for the climate.” The proposals are next due to go before the Council of the European Union, and EIA will be calling on member states to show the same kind of leadership that Parliament has demonstrated – to stand against climate change while standing up for European businesses.

Nations of the world gear up to take action on HFCs PARTIES to the Montreal Protocol, the agreement that saved the ozone layer, are currently gearing up to take action on HFCs, the successors to the ozonedepleting substances it has been so successful in phasing out. At the recent G20 summit in St Petersburg, world leaders supported using the “expertise and institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of [HFCs]”. This is significant because the G20 membership includes India, China and Brazil, three major powers which have thus far been hostile to the idea that the

Montreal Protocol should take action on HFCs. Very promisingly, the world’s two largest producers of HFCs, China and the US, also announced in June this year, and again in the margins of the G20 summit, that they support action on HFCs under the Montreal Protocol. Shortly thereafter, Presidents Manmohan Singh and Barack Obama agreed to set up a task force to resolve issues surrounding a phase-down of HFCs. It is to be hoped that momentum will continue to build at the upcoming Montreal Protocol meeting (MoP25) in Bangkok in October and at the international climate conference in Warsaw (CoP19) in November. EIA will be attending both events so watch this space for developments!

Wild tigers don’t have the time for China’s conflicting policies EIA attended an international workshop on the conservation of tigers and other wildlife in Kunming, China, this summer. Organised by the State Forestry Administration of China (SFA), it was attended by a large delegation of Government of China representatives and all tiger range countries (except Burma) as well as some NGOs. Wildlife Campaigner Shruti Suresh reported back that EIA and our allies were able to ensure that the workshop focused on improving enforcement and demand-reduction efforts. This was significant because, during the workshop, some economists and other individuals argued that tigers can be saved by legalising trade in their parts and products. In a presentation made by EIA, we were able to make a strong case to refute this argument and show that the grim reality is that there are not enough tigers in the world to satisfy ‘legal’ demand. We were also delighted that the pro-trade advocacy was emphatically shot down by the Government of

India representative, who pointed out how a legal trade would undermine the huge international investments of time and resources to save wild tigers. The final outcome was the adoption of the ‘Kunming Consensus’ to improve the management of transboundary conservation landscapes and to fight illegal trade. EIA was pleased to be able to play an active role in drafting the Consensus, sharing our insights and expertise. In line with EIA’s recommendations to focus on improving intelligence sharing, tiger range countries agreed to strengthen coordination and communication among themselves and other stakeholders as a priority for combating wildlife crime, effectively underlining existing requirements under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and as member states of INTERPOL. However, a major problem in the Kunming Consensus is that it is directed to eliminate “illicit” demand for tiger parts and products, despite EIA pointing out that there is no such thing as “illicit” demand and that what is needed is the elimination of all demand for big cat products.

It’s hardly surprising that this kind of slippery language found its way into the Consensus, considering that host country China sanctions a legal trade in skins from captive-bred tigers for luxury home décor. China believes that trade in the skins and parts of captive-bred tigers, and encouraging businesses and consumers to trade in these products, does not impact on wild tigers. Governments – and, sadly, some NGOs – tip-toe diplomatically and hesitate to broach the issue of the 5,000-6,000 captive-bred tigers throughout China, even though they have absolutely no conservation or education value and are simply being farmed for trade in their parts and products. The reality is that the Government of China needs to immediately stop breeding tigers in captivity, declare and enforce a complete ban on trade in all parts and products from captive tigers, and ensure that all stockpiles of tiger parts and products are destroyed. China’s parallel legal trade in tiger parts drastically undermines conservation efforts – and tigers just don’t have the time and numbers for this sort of selfserving compromise.

Governments – and, sadly, some NGOs – tip-toe diplomatically and hesitate to broach the issue of the 5,000-6,000 captive-bred tigers throughout China.

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

Mercury treaty flags health threats from toxic cetaceans THE world’s first legally binding international treaty to curb the release of mercury into the environment was formally signed on October 9 and EIA promptly urged signatories to identify communities at risk as a result of eating toxic cetaceans. “For far too long, coastal communities around the world have been allowed to consume the mercurycontaminated meat of whales, dolphins and porpoises, many in ignorance of the risks involved,” said EIA Senior Campaigner Clare Perry. “Now communities as far afield as Japan and the Faroe Islands must be alerted to the serious risks to human health that come with eating the meat of toothed cetaceans.” Meat sold for consumption has been found to have methylmercury levels 25 times the limit recommended

by the World Health Organisation. The Minamata Convention on Mercury was adopted at diplomatic events in Minamata and Kumamoto, Japan. The choice of venue is significant as Minamata was the scene of the world’s worst-ever incident of mass mercury poisoning in 1956. Symptoms of mercury poisoning can include loss of muscular coordination, numbness in extremities, damage to hearing and speech, damage to foetal development, paralysis and death. EIA was particularly vocal this summer in spreading awareness of whaling activities in the Faroe Islands where, at the time of going to press, 876 pilot whales and 430 white-sided dolphins have been killed this year. We and a coalition of other groups wrote to the Faroese Prime Minister and Fisheries Minister in August to raise our deep concerns, along with numerous questions about the continuation of the

whaling, the large numbers being killed and the cruelty of the methods used to kill these animals. No responses have yet been received. Faroese Chief Scientist Dr Pál Weihe and Chief Medical Officer Dr Høgni Debes Joensen – world leaders in the study of the human impacts of pollutants, including mercury and organochlorines – have repeatedly advised that no pilot whale should be consumed due to the impact on health of pollutants present in the meat and blubber. Their studies of Faroese people, including children, over more than two decades reveal worrying problems including adverse effects on foetal development of the nervous system, developmental impairment in children, increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, hypertension and arteriosclerosis, immune suppression, type two diabetes and reduced male fertility.

Yahoo! Japan still rakes in the blood money INTERNATIONAL conglomerate SoftBank Corp disappointed in August when it refused to ban advertisements for elephant ivory and whale & dolphin products on Yahoo! Japan, the dominant company in SoftBank’s internet division. EIA and campaigner partner Humane Society International (HSI) previously appealed for SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son to direct Yahoo! Japan to join all other Yahoo! websites worldwide in banning the sale of such products. “SoftBank has a responsibility to millions of US Sprint (telecommunications

company) customers who will be shocked to discover that SoftBank is profiting from the slaughter of elephants, whales and dolphins,” said Senior Campaigner Clare Perry. As well as carrying almost 8,000 ads for elephant ivory at the time, Yahoo! Japan also sells hundreds of whale products, including internationally protected species such as fin whales illegally killed in Iceland, minke whales killed in the Antarctic whale sanctuary as well as Bryde’s, sei and sperm whales killed in the Northwest Pacific. Other ads feature products from whales killed off Taiji, the town made infamous by the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.

Japan firm ditches pet treats made from fin whale meat OUR Cetaceans Campaign enjoyed a decisive win in May after we and several partners exposed the sale in Japan of pet treats made from the dried meat of endangered fin whales. EIA – together with Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and the Iruka & Kujira [Dolphin & Whale] Action Network (IKAN) – initially expressed dismay that Icelandic whaling company Hvalur hf was exporting fin whale meat to Japan where it was being manufactured into dog snacks. Our press release highlighted Japanese pet food company Michinoku Farms, which sold imported Icelandic fin whale ‘jerky’ as pet treats.

But within just hours of the release being distributed, Michinoku Farms responded by removing the products from sale.

an enlightened and prompt manner – it would be great to see all other businesses follow suit and end such sales.

Takuma Konno, President of Michinoku Farms, was reported by international news agency AFP as stating that although the product was legal in Japan he would nevertheless be withdrawing the jerky from sale.

“It’s appalling that Icelandic company Hvalur hf and its director Kristján Loftsson continue to flout two international conventions in order to slaughter endangered fin whales, especially when these magnificent creatures are killed only to end up as dog excrement on the pavement of Japan.”

“Maybe I was ignorant of the debate (about whaling), but it’s not worth selling the product if it risks disturbing some people,” he said. Icelandic fin whale has been sold in Japan for human consumption since 2008, but its use in pet food suggests that new markets are being explored. EIA Senior Campaigner Clare Perry said: “We were overjoyed to see Michinoku Farms respond in such

It’s Australia vs Japan as whaling nation is taken to court

Whale je rky pet treats, as

advertis ed onlin

IN June and July, Australian and Japanese lawyers took turns to present evidence in a landmark legal case brought by Australia against Japan’s programme of ‘scientific whaling’ in the Antarctic.

management, the use of inordinately large sample sizes and the use of lethal methods where alternate (non-lethal) research methods are now widely available. Despite the huge numbers of whales killed, few scientific outcomes have been produced.

Under a programme known as JARPA II, Japan has allocated itself an annual quota to kill 850 minke whales, 50 endangered fin whales and 50 humpback whales for the purposes of scientific research. Through JARPA II, and a similar program in the North Pacific (JARPN), Japan has killed almost 10,000 whales since 1987.

With the whale meat obtained being sold on the Japanese market, Australian lawyers argue that Japan is acting in bad faith and using scientific whaling to “cloak its ongoing commercial whaling in the lab coat of science.”

In international scientific arenas there has been considerable criticism of the value of Japan’s ‘scientific whaling’ given its lack of relevance to population

The case is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. This is the first legal challenge Japan has faced with respect to its scientific whaling practices, and the world is watching.

ÂŠ EIA

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

Greens on the Green serve up a day of fun in the sun! EIA took over London’s Islington Green, just opposite our offices, in July to host our Greens on the Green Summer Fair. The free event was devised as a way to introduce ourselves and our work to the local community and to share EIA’s vision with the curious – and what a day it was! Hundreds of people dropped in to find out more about the work we do, with some chatting to our investigators and also joining us for special screenings of EIA documentaries in our film tent. It was also a fun day out for youngsters, with loads of activities including face-painting, ball-toss and pin the tail on the elephant. We had lovely cake stalls for those with a sweet tooth, and others simply enjoyed the day soaking up the sun and listening to live music generously provided for free by a wide variety of bands and artists! The fair culminated in a raffle draw, with prizes including a champagne dinner for two, spa voucher, theatre and cinema tickets, hampers and much more. The day was a huge success and we made a lot of new friends. We would like to thank everyone who dropped by to support us and find out more about EIA, and to send a word of special thanks to our endlessly dedicated volunteers Ben, Ian, Chris, Cecile, Hannah, Lynne, Ross, Sarah, Christie, Sue Ling, Jyoti, Alex and Paul R’s mum Jenny; also to Steph of Grass Routes Soap, Charlotte of Chocoloty Cupcakes, Shakeyface, John & Steve of Stage Electrics, Mulberry Mongoose, Tenshi, Zosienka and face-painter Elisha; and, finally, a lighter waved in the air to musicians Kasai Masai, Danni Nichols, Alastair James, Joyce the Librarian and the A&E Old Time String Band.

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

Forests campaign news Transparency needed to see through oil palm haze

IN June, fires ripped across parts of Sumatra, Indonesia, generating a vast, smoky haze, driving air pollution in neighbouring Singapore to record levels and provoking headlines across the world. The blame was initially placed at the door of the industrial plantation companies which routinely use fire as a cheap and convenient means of clearing forests and scrubland in their vast concessions.

The companies deny this, of course. After all, using fire to clear land in Indonesia is a criminal offence. Undoubtedly, a significant portion of fires occurred outside their concessions, likely started by poor rural farmers. It’s undeniable, however, that many started – deliberately or otherwise – in plantation concessions. One of the striking factors in the companies’ collective defence against the accusation is that their detractors are using the ‘wrong’ maps to identify where their land holdings are. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, which is

Landmark Indonesia timber agreement is now law AS Asia’s first-ever Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) to combat illegal logging was signed into law on September 30, EIA cautioned that it would also serve as a test of official resolve to stamp out serious corruption in Indonesia’s forest sector. The historic timber trade agreement was formally initialed in 2011 between the European Union (EU) and Government of Indonesia but has only now come into legal effect. The VPA aims to verify the legal export of timber licensed from an Indonesian timber legality assurance system, known as the Sistem Verifikasi Legalitas Kayu (SVLK), and EU Customs authorities will prevent any unlicensed Indonesian products from entering EU markets. In a press statement, EIA warned it will remain a vigilant watchdog of illegal logging and related corruption, and warned the VPA will effectively test the resolve of the Government of Indonesia in tackling corruption, especially with regard to the case of Labora Sitorus (right).

supposed to hold the industry to certain agreed standards, was quick to dismiss evidence against its members on this basis. Which leads to the obvious question: where are the ‘right’ maps? One of the challenges of monitoring the sector is the difficulty in accessing basic data. To put this in context, some of these companies hold areas of land the size of Greater London. But whether you’re a local farmer whose land is being taken by them or, indeed, an international NGO, it’s far from a straightforward process to determine precisely where the boundaries lie. Increasing basic levels of transparency is a key condition to bring the palm oil industry to the place consumers and buyers of their products need it to be. They need to know if they overlap with local community territories and if they overlap with vital orangutan habitats – and if they’re on fire. The good news is that new technologies are being developed to support transparency initiatives, opening up a world of data and information from the ground. A number of exciting initiatives will be launched in the coming months and years to make it increasingly difficult for companies to deny, obfuscate and generally stick their heads in the ground.

Corruption probe into ‘gifts’ of rogue cop IN September, we welcomed a legal probe by Indonesia’s national anti-corruption agency into huge payments by a rogue cop-turnedtimber smuggler to local, regional and national police officials.

Labora

Sitoru

s © me trotvn ews

The announcement follows revelations that mid-ranking Papua police officer Labora Sitorus transferred about US$1 million (10 billion Indonesian rupiah) in multiple payments to police chiefs between January and April 2013. As a key timber smuggling kingpin, Sitorus controlled illegal merbau wood trade in West Papua, Indonesia’s last significant forested region. Sitorus’ representatives claim the transfers are “gratuities”, but the Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) – Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission – has pledged to investigate the payments as clear indications of high-level police corruption.

Corruption probe into ‘gifts’ of rogue cop IN September, we welcomed a legal probe by Indonesia’s national anticorruption agency into huge payments by a rogue cop-turned-timber smuggler to local, regional and national police officials.

Siam rosewood can be saved, but only if key countries take action

As a key timber smuggling kingpin, Sitorus controlled illegal merbau wood trade in West Papua, Indonesia’s last significant forested region.

Sitorus’ representatives claim the transfers EIA Forest campaigners played a arevital “gratuities”, but the Komisi Pemberantasan role earlier this year in securing Korupsi (KPK) – Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication international protection for endangered Commission – has pledged to investigate the Siam rosewood from the Convention payments as clear indications of high-level police on International Trade in Endangered corruption.

Species (CITES) and were delighted to see trade restrictions come into legal effect in June. Forests Campaign head Faith Doherty has warned that the future of the species will rely entirely on range states and key consumer countries actually working to meet their obligations to protect it. “It was a major step forward to secure the Appendix II listing at CITES in March but on its own that’s not going to be enough to save this species,” said Faith. “Rigorous compliance with the listing is what is

On the front line of the rosewood wars IN August, cameraman, photographer and journalist Roger Arnold penned a guest blog for EIA which gave an insight from the front lines into the violence characterising the rosewood wars. “The astronomical prices and minor penalties for lawbreakers have attracted mafia syndicates, controlling many villages with corruption, drugs and sometimes violence. Rangers in some cases now face entire communities that are hostile to their conservation efforts. And some villagers now

required and we will be looking at the key players in this trade to ensure that it is happening.”

wars’ because of its corruption, high financial stakes, violence and killings.

Under CITES Appendix II, species cannot be exported from range state countries without properly issued CITES permits, and range states must also notify the CITES Secretariat in advance about quotas for harvest and trade before any export permits can be issued.

The major driver of rosewood theft is China’s multimillion dollar market in luxury ‘Hongmu’ antiquestyle furniture. Surging demand and the increasing scarcity of Siam rosewood have seen prices hit as much as US$50,000 per cubic meter.

For Siam rosewood, these obligations apply to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam – all of which have experienced rampant illegal exports in recent years.

The Hongmu market is overseen by a so-called Redwood Committee housed within China’s Timber & Wood Products Distribution Association; as recently as May, EIA called on both to ensure their policies and members were not underwriting the destruction of a World Heritage Site in Thailand after the Thai Government claimed huge demand had left it unable to stop numerous armed illegal logging gangs from stealing the precious timber from the Khao Yai-Dong Phayayen Forest Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Importing countries also have a clear responsibility to make sure imports of Siam rosewood are only accepted with permits – an obligation particularly important as regards China since it is the world’s biggest end-user of Siam rosewood. Escalating demand for rosewood has resulted in an illegal international trade dubbed ‘the rosewood

complain the rosewood syndicates want to pay them with dangerous drugs such as methamphetamines instead of cash, which keeps the addicted villagers busy cutting more rosewood. “Increased enforcement has helped, but has led to militarisation of the forests and ongoing violence. Thailand’s largest remaining rosewood tree, near the Cambodian border, is now guarded 24 hours a day by a platoon from the Thai Army. Forest rangers describe a situation where “human caravans” of poor Cambodian’s – some of them armed with assault rifles and grenades – are crossing the border to steal rosewood. The problem has led to dozens of deaths and shootouts along the border, where at least 45 Cambodian’s were killed in 2012.

“With Cambodian rosewood stocks almost exhausted, there is plenty of evidence that Cambodian soldiers and Government officials are involved …” You can read Roger’s report in full on our website at www.eia-international.org/?p=7748.

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

Wildlife crime news It’s time to turn fine words about wildlife crime into effective action THE fight against wildlife crime is getting some long-overdue and extremely highlevel attention these days. In 2013 alone, there have been at least seven occasions at which very welcome resolutions have been adopted, statements made and initiatives launched calling upon all governments to treat wildlife crime more seriously. There are more to come this year with elephant-related events. Since late last year, EIA and our allies have been campaigning for a new resolution from the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) to acknowledge organised wildlife and forest crime as serious crime in itself, to ensure it would be treated more seriously by governments without having to first link it to other forms of serious crime or terrorism. In April, a resolution that did just this, drafted by Peru and the USA, was adopted by the CCPCJ. It also

stressed the wider threats that the illegal trafficking of wildlife (plants and animals) poses to health and safety, security and governance, socio-economic stability and development, as well as the obvious threats to species survival. It was important for this division of the UN to make a strong statement as it reinforced many of the resolutions that have come out of the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). With a growing number of world leaders queuing up to champion the cause, now more than ever there is chance to quite literally change the face of wildlife crime enforcement. Next year, the UK Government will host the London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade from February 12-14, a clear opportunity to build upon the resolution from the CCPCJ and also from President Obama’s Task Force, the Clinton Global Initiative, their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge’s initiatives, the Marrakesh Declaration

from the African Development Bank, and statements made at the UN Security Council and General Assembly. One thing the UK can do is call upon participating governments at this conference to commit to measuring progress against an agreed set of indicators of effective enforcement. Let’s see all these fine words turned into action and illustrated through the application of specialist investigation techniques, the swift and secure sharing of information on the key criminals controlling the trade. Let’s hear of more robust prosecutions, the application of penalties that act as a deterrent to others and the seizure of assets and proceeds of crime. Let’s see an increase in the number of police and customs academies with wildlife crime on the curriculum and the creation of fulltime operational multi-agency enforcement units. Ultimately, let’s see evidence that wildlife crime is being treated more seriously.

Taking to the streets to end the ivory trade ON October 4, EIA joined the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s iWorry campaign International March for Elephants to call for an end to all ivory trade. The event in London was one of 15 official events held worldwide, as well as more than 20 other unofficial marches held in other cities on the same day. After hundreds of enthusiastic protesters rallied at London’s Parliament Square, EIA Executive Director Mary Rice, left, and others addressed them on the urgency and need for a total ban on all ivory trade and markets.

Mary then joined a delegation to 10 Downing Street to present a letter to the Prime Minister calling for the UK Government to take an international lead on the issue. At the close of the day, we turned to social media to urge all our supporters and followers in the UK to lobby their MPs ahead of an October 10 debate at Westminster Hall on the Environmental Audit Committee’s 2012 Wildlife Crime Report.

Meet the Team Name: Fionnuala Walravens

Age: 31

Hometown: I grew up in the Oxfordshire countryside running amok through woodlands, falling out of tree houses and off rickety go-carts thanks to my big brother. When I finished school, the bright lights beckoned and I moved to London to study.

Fionnua Climate la Walravens, Ca mpaign er

Education: A degree in Anthropology and a Masters in Primatology which involved a three-month stint in a Nigerian jungle studying a troop of baboons; magical!

jungle that I realised my calling wasn’t to study monkeys but to help conserve the precious places they inhabit.

Campaign specialism: I’m a geek at heart with a strong interest in science and am lucky enough to work on the Global Environment Campaign, which focuses on halting the use of HFCs, a group of powerful greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air-conditioning.

What is your most memorable experience at EIA?: I had just started work as a campaigner at EIA in 2007 and was sent off to a UN climate meeting in Indonesia to tell the world about the need to phase out HFCs. I was literally one of a small handful of people in a conference of 10,000 or so who even knew what HFCs were so it was a tough ask to say the least! I remember numerous meetings with officials who did not have a clue what I was talking about. But fast forward six years and the world’s two largest HFC producers, China and the US, have announced that they will work together to get a global HFC phase-down. Little did I know back then that the conference was the start of something very big.

What first interested you in environmental issues?: I’ve had a passion for conservation and environmentalism for as long as I can remember. Being lucky enough to grow up in a rural area has given me a sense of respect and admiration for the natural world. After a few years of wanting to be a fast jet pilot – dashed by poor eyesight, amongst other things! – I decided on a career studying monkeys and embarked on my Masters. But it was out in the Nigerian

A crushing blow struck against the illegal ivory trade IN June, EIA staff were witnesses to an unprecedented event – a country with no elephant population destroying its stockpile of illicit ivory. Through this action, the Philippines has shown solidarity with elephant range states battling against escalating ivory poaching. The Philippines’ ivory stockpile of five tonnes was derived from a series of seizures dating back as far as 2005 and originating from Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya and Uganda. The shipments were bound for either consumption within the Philippines or for onward trade to other countries in Asia.

Although previous destruction of ivory stockpiles has occurred in Kenya, Gabon and Zambia, this event marked the first time such a measure has been taken in a consumer country and one outside Africa. The event, entitled “Battle Against the Illegal Ivory Trade”, took place at the headquarters of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Manila. The process of the disposal itself was not without its own challenges. While the original plan had been to burn the ivory, concerns raised about the potential pollution impacts resulted in a change of plan. After several days auditing, recording and documenting every single piece of ivory for DNA sampling (to determine origin), officials chose instead to crush it in a public demonstration and then transport the crushed shards to a nearby cremation

facility run by the Bureau of Animal Industry for incineration, a process which went late into the night. As well as sending a signal that it did not want to profit from elephant poaching, the decision by the Philippines was also a response to the problems of keeping seized ivory secure. On two occasions, substantial amounts of seized ivory have been stolen from Government warehouses. Similar thefts have been reported in Zambia and Mozambique. It appears that following the Philippines action, the momentum is growing to dispose of other ivory stocks around the world. In September the US Government announced it will destroy its six tonne stockpile of seized ivory. EIA hopes other countries will now follow suit.

South Africa’s push for a legal rhino horn trade drives up poaching EIA marked World Rhino Day on September 22 by releasing the alarming news that the poaching of rhinos in South Africa has increased by an average of more than three rhinos a week since Environmental Minister Edna Molewa called for a legal international trade in rhino horn. Molewa announced her country’s plans at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Thailand this March, claiming it was a conservation measure to help protect the species from a huge spike in poaching.

EIA is wholly opposed to any legal trade, pointing out that it will only serve to increase demand and drive poaching. Since Molewa’s announcement, the average rate of rhinos being poached in South Africa rose significantly. “Rhinos are already being slaughtered at an unsustainable rate to feed the demand for an unsubstantiated ‘medicine’ in Vietnam,” said EIA Executive Director Mary Rice. “Powerful commercial interests in South Africa are seeking to cash in on their stockpiled horn at the expense of the conservation and survival of South Africa’s rhinos.”

EIA Investigator Autumn 13

www.eia-international.org

’ s r e b m e M

Z NE

Charlie, our Big Giv e mascot

The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2013

AFTER the success of last year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge, in which we managed to raise over £20,000 in a mere three days to help fund our tiger campaign, EIA is asking for your support once again.

Rebecca & friends raise money for EIA

This year, we will be raising funds for our Cetaceans Campaign, which tackles issues such as commercial whale hunts, reducing market demand for cetacean products and further man-made threats faced by whales, dolphins and porpoises. All you have to do is go to EIA’s project page on the Big Give website at 10am on December 5, 6 or 7, make an online donation and your gift could be matched pound for pound. It really is as simple as that!

Kate, Sian and Rebecca

A HEARTY thank-you to Hertfordshire schoolgirls Sian Devine, Rebecca Newman and Kate Wiemold who raised £33.50 for EIA via donations to the free monthly Seed Swap stall they run at the farmers market of their hometown in Sawbridgeworth.

If you would like to be added to the reminder email list, receive relevant links or would simply like more information about the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2013, please contact Lynne via lynnedavies@eia-international.org or call +44 (0) 20 7354 7969. We’ve also included a ‘Save the Date’ postcard for you as a reminder to donate and help fund EIA’s Cetacean Campaign in 2014!

Charlotte and Justin took on the Brighton Marathon for EIA – and won! FORMER EIA investigator Justin Gosling ran this year’s Brighton Marathon on April 14 and raised £1,342.21 for our Elephants Campaign to help tackle the illegal trade in ivory. stin Charlotte and Ju

long-time friend and colleague of EIA who died in 2012. EIA staff travelled to Brighton to spur the pair on throughout the race and we want to say a massive thank-you to Justin and Charlotte for tackling the punishing 26.2 miles and raising much-needed funds and awareness!

Joining him on the day was our Intelligence Analyst Charlotte Davies, who raised an amazing £2,400 for the family of Indonesian forest activist Hapsoro, a

Supporter profile – Chris Porter WORKING within environmental and animal conservation is the career path I have long strived for. Since leaving university, where I studied Biological Sciences, specialising in Zoology, I have been interested in working with charities and organisations that are involved in conservation, particularly those working on the ‘frontline’. What stood out with EIA is that they really focus on the important issues that may otherwise be ignored but which are at the forefront of global conservation. I have worked for several wildlife organisations but none have been more actively engaged. EIA strive to tackle an issue rather than simply highlighting it.

When I was made aware of the Tiger Tracks event, I simply had to volunteer as not only was this the world’s biggest tiger conservation event, but the Save Wild Tigers initiative benefits EIA and the Born Free Foundation, two organisations that are close to my heart. The event was a huge success and I felt a genuine team-orientated atmosphere. I also found that the team I worked with at EIA are truly dedicated to the success of each project they work on. It really shows how a group of people can make a difference in the world we live in!

part of such an important project.

I have since volunteered for the EIA at their summer fair, which was also a success; I feel privileged to have been

I would like to thank the devoted staff at EIA and would relish the opportunity to work with them again in the near future.

Chris Porte r

Members’

Z NE Raffle And it’s thank-you from us! WORLD Environment Day is celebrated globally on June 5 and is a great way of raising awareness and encouraging positive environmental action. This year, we decided to mark the occasion by thanking you, our valued supporters! We simply couldn’t do what we do without the help of our amazing supporters, so throughout the day our office staff, campaigners and investigators hit the phones and keyboards to thank as many of you as we could reasonably reach in a day to say a heartfelt ‘thank-you’ for continuing to support our work to expose environmental crime.

Would you like the chance to win £1,000? PLEASE help EIA raise vital funds in this year’s Winter Raffle! Buy some tickets yourself or sell them to friends and family, spreading EIA’s message as you go. You could also win one of our two other great prizes – £250 or a beautiful signed Africa: Eye to Eye With the Unknown book. If there are no raffle tickets enclosed with your copy of Investigator but you would like to receive some, please contact Ben via benstallworthy@eia-international.org or call +44 (0) 20 7354 7968. By now our summer raffle winners will have been notified and their prizes will be winging their way to them. Could it be your turn next time?

EIA Challenge Events IF you would like to take part in a personal challenge to help raise funds for EIA’s work, please do get in touch with the fundraising team. We can help with your endeavours and support you throughout your challenge. Whether you’d like to run, walk or cycle, you will be helping us to continue the fight against wildlife and forest crime. We currently have three charity places available for the Brighton Marathon on April 6, 2014, open to anybody who feels up to tackling 26 miles for EIA, so please do get in touch! Email Lynne via lynnedavies@eia-international.org to get involved or for more information.

Janet Fered ay

Paul Redman

EIA bids fond farewell to team members IT was with heavy hearts and appreciation for all their efforts that we had to say goodbye to three members of staff this summer. Paul Redman has been our resident Visuals Specialist for more than a dozen years and was a creative cornerstone of our Communications department. He left in July to devote more time to his own company Hand Crafted Films. After five years of heading up the fundraising team, Janet Fereday left for pastures new in June, while Visual Communications Officer Emma Clark left in August. We wish all three the very best of luck in their new endeavours!

Infographic gives an animated overview of what we do! THE work of EIA is wide and varied, from exposing the transnational trade in the body parts and skins of endangered wildlife to illegal logging and chemicals released into our atmosphere which drive climate change. As such, it can be a real challenge to come up with interesting and accessible ways to present an overall picture of what it is that we do – but it’s important that we try as the true global scale of wildlife and forest crime doesn’t become apparent until viewed as a whole.

Wildlife and forest crime is a serious, transnational crime, alongside human trafficking, money laundering, arms trade and drug dealing. It’s worth at least US$17 billion a year – that’s huge, but it still doesn’t get the same attention as other, more “glamorous” serious transnational crimes, despite being the 4th largest international crime stream in the world. This summer our Communications team set out to produce a short film bringing together all of EIA’s campaigns to demonstrate the scale of wildlife and forest crime, and to explain that it’s not the poachers on the ground who are driving it but the criminal gangs led by very rich and often corrupt businessmen – as is the case with other serious transnational crimes.

With so much information to convey, we decided that an animated infographic would be the best way to go about it to get the message across, reasoning that much of the imagery our investigators bring back from the field can often be very distressing. We worked with South African film production company Earth Touch to put together a short information-packed film about the kind of wildlife and forest crimes we regularly expose and we’re most pleased with the end result – we hope you are too! You can view and share the finished results at www.vimeo.com/72885397.

… the true global scale of wildlife and forest crime doesn’t become apparent until viewed as a whole