From guitars to tusk and tail, animals under threat
Print Edition
From guitars to traditional medicines and from tusk to tail, mankind鈥檚 exploitation of the planet鈥檚 fauna and flora is putting some of them at risk of extinction.
Representatives of about 180 nations and regions are meeting in Geneva to agree on protections for vulnerable species, taking up issues including the trade in ivory and the demand for shark fin soup.
The World Wildlife Conference on trade in endangered species, known as CITES, which takes place every three years, aims to make sure that global trade in specimens of wild animals and plants doesn鈥檛 jeopardize their survival.
The conference opened on Saturday and runs through August 28, with key decisions expected to be finalized in the last two days. It had originally been due to take place in Colombo in May and June but was moved to Geneva after a series of terror attacks in the Sri Lankan capital.
Three months ago, the first comprehensive UN report on biodiversity warned that extinction is looming for over 1 million species of plants and animals. There are growing concerns that policymakers aren鈥檛 acting quickly enough to stop it.
鈥淏usiness, as usual, is no longer an option ... The rate of wildlife extinction is accelerating,鈥 said CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero in her opening remarks to the conference.
鈥淭he assessment confirms that nature鈥檚 dangerous decline is unprecedented,鈥 Higuero said.
The meeting also comes just days after the Trump administration announced plans to water down the US Endangered Species Act 鈥 a message that could echo among attendees at the CITES conference, even if the US move is more about domestic policy than international trade.
CITES bans trade in some products entirely, while permitting international trade in other species provided it doesn鈥檛 hurt their numbers in the wild.
China鈥檚 retired basketball all-star Yao Ming, who led China鈥檚 Olympic team three times and became a WildAid in 2006, signed a pledge to give up shark fin soup. He has appeared in scores of ads appealing to his compatriots to do the same.
Demand is diverse for animal and plant products, prized for their medicinal properties or as pets, culinary delicacies, among other uses.
The CITES logo on products is a highly respected seal of approval that they are legitimate.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
