Displaying items by tag: ecology

During COP28, a panel discussed the urgent need to address the vast and damaging illegal wildlife trade. The panel highlighted the severe consequences of this trade, which ranks as the fourth-largest illicit trade globally, valued at over $23 billion annually, mainly controlled by criminal networks. It poses a significant threat to biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate. It disrupts natural balance, impacting global sustainability. This illegal trade is transnational and organised, generating enormous profits; it was pointed out that banks have regulatory obligations to combat financial system abuse by such criminals. DP World, a major global supply chain solutions provider, revealed that a high portion of illegal wildlife trade products is transported by the maritime sector. The panel called for greater cooperation among stakeholders, including the financial sector, transport industry, and law enforcement, to combat this critical issue.

A Japanese ship ran aground on a reef off Mauritius two weeks ago and has been leaking oil into the Indian Ocean. Although the oil spill has stopped, the prime minister said the nation must still prepare for ‘a worst-case scenario’ as at some point the ship will fall apart. The amount of spillage is relatively low compared to global spills in the past, but the damage it will do is huge and long-lasting; it took place near two environmentally protected marine ecosystems and a marine park reserve wetland of international importance. Conservationists are finding dead fish and seabirds covered in oil, despite a massive local clean-up operation. Pressure is mounting on the government to explain why more was not done in the two weeks since the vessel ran aground: see

China's demand for wildlife products for traditional medicine and exotic foods is driving a global trade in endangered species. Markets selling live animals are considered a potential source of diseases that are new to humans. Over 70% of emerging human infections are estimated to have come from animals, particularly wild animals. Campaigners want China to apply a permanent ban on the wildlife trade. Pray that their crusade is successful and this trade becomes illegal. Editorials in China's state-controlled media have denounced the uncontrolled wildlife market. Ecologists say the coronavirus outbreak could provide China with an opportunity to prove that it is serious about protecting biodiversity. In September this year, Beijing will be hosting a major global meeting on natural and biological resources, known as the Convention on Biological Diversity. A report last year by an intergovernmental group found that one million species are at risk of extinction.