Protecting Our Wildlife - Q1 - Feb 2019 by Mediaplanet UK&IE

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IVONNE HIGUERO, CITES SECRETARY-GENERAL “People can and must be the solution.” » p2

UN ENVIRONMENT Global celebrities are championing species to raise awareness. » p6

HON ALEX MAJOR, MP KASUNGU WEST AND MPCC CO-CHAIR The fight against wildlife crime. » p11

Protecting Our Wildlife

GLOBALCAUSE.CO.UK CREDIT: KENSINGTON PALACE

We cannot afford for this fight to be a priority solely for conservationists any more. It is an issue for us all.” - His Royal Highness and The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William

IMAGE: AT THE INVITATION OF THE TANZANIAN GOVERNMENT, THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE VISITED THE COUNTRY’S IVORY STOCKPILE.

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Challenging the illegal wildlife trade around the globe It is a horrifying thought that just during my lifetime – since the start of the 1970s – well over half of all mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds have disappeared from our planet.

abitats have been destroyed through climate change or deforestation, and vulnerable species hunted to the point of extinction by poachers. Losses like this can’t go on. We must tread more lightly on the planet, stop hacking at the roots of the tree of life, and pass on to our children a healthier, more bountiful, natural world. It’s a vital message, and thanks to this ‘Protecting our Wildlife’ campaign, it’s one that many more people will hear in coming months. In the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan we set out our ambitions – which will be reinforced in our forthcoming Environment Bill - to protect and enhance our landscapes and seascapes, and the wildlife that relies upon them for their survival.

Illegal wildlife trade is worth up to £17bn a year The plight of endangered species, and tackling the organised criminals who prey upon them, are a particular priority. In vulnerable communities around the world, poachers zero in on the rarest animals, trees and plants before sending their illegal haul across continents to satisfy global demand. This illegal wildlife trade is both abhorrent and lucrative - thought to be worth up to £17bn a year – and we are in the forefront of international efforts to tackle it. At the London Illegal Wildlife Trade conference in October last year, supported by HRH the Duke of Cambridge, we welcomed over 70 countries and more than 400 charity and conservation groups, and urged them to commit to finding new

Habitats have been destroyed through climate change or deforestation, and vulnerable species hunted to the point of extinction by poachers.”

ways to tackle this moral and environmental scandal. Cutting ivory trade by a third by 2020 For our part, when our domestic ivory ban comes into force later this year, it will be one of the toughest in the world – ensuring a complete end to commercial dealing in elephant ivory with only limited and carefully-defined exemptions. We will use this ban, backed

RT HON MICHAEL GOVE MP Environment Secretary, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

by legislation, as a platform to lobby for further action to protect iconic species. The newly-created international Ivory Alliance 2024, which I have the honour of chairing, aims to cut the poaching of elephants for their ivory by one-third by 2020, and two-thirds by 2024. Through the IWT Challenge Fund, meanwhile, the UK has invested £18.5 million in over 60 projects. Laos commits to total ban on ivory trade The international community is also playing its part. News that Laos had committed to a total ban on ivory was one of the highlights of the London conference. We were also delighted by the announcement that the US will fund projects to counter wildlife trafficking to the tune of over $90 million in the coming year.

British military taskforce to counter poaching International co-operation is vital. Building on successful deployments in Gabon and Malawi, the UK is putting £900,000 of new funding into developing a British military counter-poaching taskforce. Its members will train African park rangers in more effective and safer counter-poaching techniques as they seek to disrupt those who would kill elephants – a magnificent keystone species – simply for their ivory. Some 65 countries signed up to the London declaration – an important symbol of international cooperation, and of our determination to stamp out the illegal wildlife trade. For good. Read more at globalcause.co.uk

Partnerships are crucial to tackling illegal wildlife trade Wildlife trafficking is one of the biggest threats facing many of the world’s species, driven by an insatiable demand for products like ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales and tiger bones.

any of the world’s wildlife species are in crisis. Today, we see extraordinary levels of poaching and trafficking of iconic species such as rhinos, elephants and tigers driven by greed, corruption and demand. The levels of poaching are now posing a serious threat to their survival in the wild. This threat goes far beyond these iconic species and includes many others such as pangolins, plants and reptiles. We will only ever stem this horrific trade, if there is global cooperation and collective ambition from across the private sector, local communities, governments and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). As The Duke of Cambridge has said; “We cannot afford for this fight to be a priority solely for conservationists any more. It is an issue for us all.” 1,000 human deaths due to wildlife trafficking in the last 10 years The impacts of wildlife crime reach far

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wider than just a decline in species. Valued between 5-23 billion USD per year, wildlife trafficking ranks amongst the four most lucrative global crimes and is linked to instability and criminality in both demand and supply countries. This transnational, organised crime is fueled by corruption. It damages economic growth and sustainable development and robs communities of their future. Over a thousand rangers have been killed in the line of duty in the last decade. Through trafficking, thousands of local communities are being deprived of their most valuable natural resources and a route out of poverty. In His Royal Highness’s global efforts to combat many other criminal activities, United for Wildlife has driven the engagement of the private sector, not simply to ask them for funding but to learn from them and to use their knowledge and expertise. Combatting wildlife trafficking should be no different given that

We cannot afford for this fight to be a priority solely for conservationists any more. It is an issue for us all.” the products move through global transport routes and the proceeds touch global financial institutions. Working through partnerships to support change The sheer scale, criminality and impact of wildlife crime is often misunderstood and under estimated. It is often seen as someone else’s problem. After years of incremental progress, small wins and small successes are no longer good enough. We need to be bigger. Only together, globally, through innovative partnerships, will we have the kind of impact so urgently needed. The private sector is crucial in these efforts. Partnerships with

NAOMI DOAK PhD Head of Conservation Programmes The Royal Foundation

businesses that have touch points with illegal wildlife trade chains is key to breaking these chains. We need to disrupt and deter the supply and we need to destroy the flow of illegal money. Through United for Wildlife, The Duke of Cambridge leads two taskforces – in finance and transport - that are driving the action needed to eradicate wildlife crime. With more than 100 transport companies and 30 financial sector stakeholders, collaboration with these partners is crucial if the species and communities impacted by poaching are to be given a future. Too often good work is done in a silo, rather than in a partnership. Two-pronged disruption: trafficking transport routes and illegal incomes The Transport Taskforce is helping disrupt transport routes that move illegal products while the Financial Taskforce is working to root out illegal income. It will enable disruption of

global criminal enterprises that are sophisticated, coordinated, adaptable and professional. Only working together with governments, private sector and civil society, across borders and continents will provide the necessary fully integrated approach needed, and only where we work together, will it work at all. These partnerships mean there is no need to re-invent the wheel. It just means using it better. As The Duke of Cambridge said: “By disrupting the income of the illegal wildlife trade, we can disrupt a global criminal enterprise that brings great harm to communities all around the world. And we will be part of something that protects wildlife for future generations.”

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Over 26,500 species are still threatened with extinction. We must act now Many species around the world are still under severe threat and remain Critically Endangered. According to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, more than 26,500 global species are threatened with extinction. It is our duty and moral responsibility to ensure the survival and conservation of our world’s wonderful species so each can thrive and co-exist today and for future generations to come.

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ll Known as ‘flying ivory’, the helmeted hornbill’s helmet, or ‘casque’, is highly sought-after for carving into jewellery and trinkets. Due to the desirability of the helmeted hornbill’s casque, poaching is often funded by organised crime. This severe poaching pressure and widespread habitat loss in its forest ranges in Asia means the helmeted hornbill is Critically Endangered according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. That’s one step away from extinction in the wild.

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The Sumatran tiger is Critically Endangered with fewer than 500 remaining in the wild. Sumatran tigers are killed for their skin, bones and canines, which are all used in East Asian traditional medicine. Habitat loss is also a threat due to palm oil, coffee and acacia plantations, and smallholder encroachment. Riau and Kerinci Seblat National Park in Aceh, Indonesia, are home to more than 60% of all wild Sumatran tigers, so protection in these areas is critically important to its survival.

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The sandbar shark is found in subtropical and warm temperate waters around the world and is Endangered in the Mediterranean. Adult sandbar sharks measure up to two and a half metres in length and live up to 40 years of age. The species is threatened by fishing practices. Gökova Bay in Turkey is the only known breeding spot for the species in this nearly-landlocked sea. Therefore, adequate protection of the bay is vital for ensuring the survival of the sandbar shark in this part of the world.

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A coral reef in good health is like a busy underwater city, bustling with marine life, filled with colour and offering rich pickings for sea turtles, rays and sharks. It is estimated that 25% of all marine life in the sea depend on these coral reef ecosystems. Sadly, coral reefs are in steep decline. Due to overfishing, development, pollution and climate change, research suggests 50% of the world’s reefs have been eradicated in the last 30 years. Unless we act now, we risk destroying all these beautiful and vital ecosystems.

Pangolins are one of the world’s least known and most poached animals. A prehistoric mammal that has been around for 80 million years, they live in a variety of habitats, can swim long distances and dig 40 metre burrows. Unfortunately, they are a favourite for poachers, with almost all their body parts and flesh sold on the black market. More than one million pangolins are estimated to have been taken from the wild and killed since 2000 and they are now believed to be the most trafficked mammal in the world.

The Antiguan racer snake is endemic to Antigua and Barbuda. Following the introduction of rats and mongooses in the 1800s, the species suffered a drastic decline and by 1995, only around 50 survived on one offshore islet. Work by conservationists to eradicate alien species and reintroduce the Antiguan racer onto other offshore islands has seen the population increase to over 1,100 individuals. Despite this increase, the Antiguan racer is still under severe threat and remains critically endangered.

EDITORIAL SOURCE: Fauna & Flora International IMAGE CREDITS: Helmeted hornbill, Craig Ansibin. Sumatran tiger, Colin Eaton. Sandbar shark, wrangel. Coral Reef, dwphotos. Pangolin, Daniel Haesslich. Antiguan racer snake, Jenny Daltry.

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Organised wildlife crime is driving species’ extinction and celebs are helping to stop it The loss of space, climate change and an insatiable demand for wildlife products, increasingly fed by transnational organised crime, conspire to drive species to the brink of extinction.

he world is dealing with an unprecedented threat to wildlife. The loss of habitat as a result of farming, mining and new development has dramatically shrunk the natural space available to wildlife. Maintaining viable populations of these species is vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems, building prosperity for people in developing countries, and to leaving a legacy of a thriving natural world safeguarded for future generations. The global campaign to end illegal wildlife poaching In 2016, UN Environment launched a global digital campaign in eight languages — with UN partners, governments, businesses, civil

society and key opinion leaders — to build a dynamic force for change. The campaign used the insight that people protect what they love and that, most often, we love what we know. Global news stories about the legal killing of Cecil the lion and the illegal killing of Satao the elephant, highlighted the fact that, though thousands of lions, elephants and myriad other species are poached or illegally trafficked for their parts – or as live animals – often it is only those with names that get our attention. To make wildlife crime relevant to the masses #WildforLife - Wildlife Crime Just Got Personal - was born. Its aim — to mobilise the public to inform governments that these endangered species

AIDAN GALLAGHER

NADYA HUTAGALUNG

his year, World Wildlife Day is more important than ever. In spite of the pressing environmental issues facing Planet Earth, many people choose to focus only on their own lives instead of wildlife or the environment. As humans, we have a choice to take action to improve our surroundings. Animals do not have any choices available to them and are experiencing tragic losses to their habitats and diversity. Many people do not realise that over 60% of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have gone extinct since 1970, due to human activity. We must stop deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade with their devastating consequences to animals and humans. I’m taking a stand for my generation to spread the word — animal ecosystems are intimately entwined with humans as a life support system for us all! For our future, please join me in protecting all wildlife and share this message. Aidan Gallagher is an actor, singermusician and environmental activist starring in Netflix’s highly anticipated series, The Umbrella Academy. Gallagher also starred as “Nicky” in Nickelodeon’s Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn. In 2018, The United Nations Environment Program designated Gallagher as a UN Goodwill Ambassador for North America. At only 14, Gallagher made history as the youngest Goodwill Ambassador ever to be designated in the UN system.

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once had a great phobia of all things under the sea. Once I got up close and personal with the incredible corals, of all shapes and sizes, and the huge array of fish – every spectrum of the rainbow – it was almost impossible to get me out of the water. About a year later, and after the birth of my first child, I went diving in the same location and was shocked to find the corals mostly grey and crumbled. There were limited fish and there was plastic on the beach. I was horrified. As a new mother, it was at that moment I realised that, if my world can change so drastically in one year, how about in the lifetime of my child? It was from that moment on that I began to really intensify my thoughts on our impact on this planet and pledged to do whatever was within my capacity to make a difference. Each and every one of us can make a difference. We protect what we love. Nadya Hutagalung is an eco-activist, television host, former model and mother of three. She is a household name across Asia. As a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador in 2017, Nadya joined Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment and actor Adrian Grenier in launching the global campaign - #cleanseas - and is a face of the UNs global #wildforlife campaign.

have our attention and our protection. We expect them to act to stop the poaching crisis. Its message underscores that greed, fashion, ignorance, indifference, investment, corruption, pseudo- medicinal use and cultural belief should not result in threats to any species. It asks participants to use their own spheres of influence to end the illegal trade, however it touches or impacts them. Celebrities championing species to raise awareness The campaign was designed around a “social first” strategy that deployed its portfolio of celebrity goodwill ambassadors who each championed a species. Their combined reach across social media platforms was over half a billion. Today, there are 16 global celebrities who are the faces of 16 species, including, orangutan, helmeted hornbill, elephant, pangolin, sea

WANG JUNKAI

e youth have the responsibility to protect our environment and secure a future where wild animals still exist, as they are indicators of the health of our planet. This year, for World Wildlife Day, we young people should no longer be onlookers of environmental action but active agents of change that take care of our earth. Our biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, and scientists all over the world agree that we are facing the sixth global extinction crisis. Elephants, giraffe, pangolins, rhino, tigers and many other amazing species used to roam all over our continent. Now, there are tiny populations barely surviving. We don’t need to buy or eat products from these species to be cool! I am proud to work with UN Environment to protect our precious wildlife and raise awareness about their plight, and you can join me by participating in the Wild for Life campaign. When we young people make up our minds to make the world a better place, together, we can achieve extraordinary things! Wang Junkai is a Chinese singer and actor with more than 70 million followers. On his 18th birthday, Wang announced the set-up of his own charity foundation Kindle Blue Fund, which focuses on youth innovation. He has worked to encourage fans to take care of the environment and contribute to charity. He was appointed as UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador in April, 2018.

turtle, rhino, tiger, rosewood, jaguar, sawfish, blue and gold macaw, sunbear, Tibetan antelope, vaquita, snow leopard and lion. Since its launch, #WildforLife has reached 1.5 billion people and mobilised millions to participate in the process of making commitments and taking action to end the illegal trade in wildlife and forest products. Most critically, many of the species in the campaign have maintained or received greater protection from CITES and governments, including pangolins, helmeted hornbills, rosewood, elephants, rhinos and snow leopards; and bans on illegal products, including ivory and rhino horn, are being upheld and expanded across the world.

DIA MIRZA

ildlife today continues to be at greater risk than ever. Habitat destruction, climate change, illegal trade and many other factors make it harder and harder for wild species to coexistent with humanity. But we know that healthy ecosystems are vital for human wellbeing and sustainable development. In this light, protecting nature is an existential issue! This year’s World Wildlife Day is a great opportunity to raise your voice and inspire action to protect our planet’s wildlife. I commit to continue helping create success stories and taking a stand for those who can’t speak for themselves. You have the same power. Join me in raising awareness, educating one another and enabling change to protect our wildlife. Dia Mirza has been the face of many pivotal environmental campaigns across India. As a Goodwill Ambassador, Dia works with the United Nations to further spread the message on priority areas including clean air, clean seas, wildlife protection and climate change.

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Overfishing is a fixable problem. So let’s fix it — now Byline: Tony Greenway

Our oceans are under threat from overfishing. Better enforcement of regulations is needed, and consumers should only buy fish from sustainable sources.

he news from our oceans is grim. Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), puts it in context: “A third of fish stocks are overfished globally and, while progress is being made in the Global North, the situation is worsening in the Global South, where most of the world’s seafood is caught. Add to that climate change, ocean acidification and illegal fishing and we have a real crisis on our hands,” he says. Three-fold increase in overfishing since 1970 Global seafood production has increased five-fold since the 1950s, with an estimated 4.6 million boats now fishing around the planet. This growing demand for fish has contributed to a three-fold increase in overfishing since 1970. Unsustainable

fishing depletes precious fish stocks, harms ecosystems and ultimately means that our oceans will be less abundant and productive for future generations. It's not just our oceans that are affected by overfishing. “Fish is a very low-carbon source of protein,” says Howes. “If we decimate fish stocks, we'll have to clear more land for farming, use more intensive agriculture methods and create more carbon emissions to fulfil the global requirement for protein. So, for humanity's sake, it's absolutely critical we manage our oceans sustainably.” Overfishing is a global issue Addressing the challenge of unsustainable fishing requires global collaboration with global solutions. Despite the enormity of the

challenge, there are grounds for optimism. 193 nations have signed up to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Framework a route map for humanity to protect the planet, eradicate poverty and deliver prosperity for all. SDG 14, ‘Life below water’ has several ambitious targets including ending overfishing and illegal and destructive fishing practices by 2020. While this deadline is ambitious, progress has been, and continues to be, made with organisations like the MSC helping to galvanise change. The time to act is now There are many reasons to be hopeful, says Howes. Fish stocks are incredibly resilient and can bounce back with effective management. He points out that we know exactly what the problem is and what to do about it. Still, to deliver real, lasting change, the time for talking has to stop, and action has to start. Urgently. “There isn't one silver bullet to solve this problem,” explains Howes. “Instead, we need to scale workable solutions. We need governments and, critically, the regional fisheries management organisations to implement and enforce sound fisheries policies and to agree quotas and rules based on scientific advice. And we need international cooperation to eradicate illegal fishing.” Choose sustainable fish with the blue tick Howes notes, “it’s not just governments and institutions that

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RUPERT HOWES Chief Executive, MSC (Marine Stewardship Council)

need to act. The market, retail and food service, and critically – consumers – must demand sustainable and traceable seafood choices. The more the supply chain rewards and demands sustainable fishing, the more incentive there is for fisheries to improve their performance.” A recent 2018 survey found that 72% of seafood consumers believe that in order to save the ocean, we must consume seafood only from sustainable sources. This is a powerful message that needs to be heard at a global level. Certification as a workable solution To that end, credible certification labelling programmes, such as that run by the MSC, are vital. Independently verified sustainable seafood labels enable well-managed fisheries to demonstrate their activities are sustainable to retailers and, ultimately, consumers. The MSC Fisheries Standard is used to assess if a fishery is well-managed and sustainable; while seafood sold with the blue MSC label means it was caught by a responsible fishery in a sustainable way. “There's growing evidence that MSC certification incentivises real and lasting change in the way our oceans are fished,” says Howes. “When major retailers or food service sector companies say to their suppliers: 'We care about the oceans and we're not going to buy your seafood unless you can provide assurances that it's from sustainable and traceable sources,’ that provides

an incredibly powerful incentive for fisheries to improve their performance where needed.” How you can make sure you don’t support overfishing Seafood consumers have a crucial role to play. “They can look for the blue label to reward fisheries that are fishing sustainably, and so incentivise others to improve,” says Howes. “Without that assurance, consumers could be inadvertently supporting overfishing and practices that damage the ocean environment’’. With 16% of wild seafood catch certified or in assessment, the MSC is helping the seafood sector to move in a positive direction – one that will help achieve the ambitious SDG goals that governments have set for themselves. “It’s imperative we put the focus on sustainable fishing. And to be optimistic, with the SDG framework in place, increasing political will, and a global call to action from consumers to retailers, there has never been a better time to fix this fixable problem.”