The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has called on everyone to go wild for life and take action to help safeguard species under threat for future generations.
The UNEP, Executive Director, Achim Steiner, made this call to mark the World Environment Day which was celebrated on June 5 adding that this year focuses on the illegal trade of wildlife.
“We have chosen this theme because damage from this trade has become so serious and so far reaching that urgent action is needed to reverse it,’’ he said.
Steiner said that the effects of wildlife trade include the destruction of natural capital in which many nations could build healthy tourism industries.
He said that the spread of corruption and the undermining of the rule of law all around the world, and the fattening of purses of the international crime syndicates.
“This must stop and the time to take action is long overdue.”
He called on all individuals to use their spheres of influence to help end the illegal trade in wildlife by engaging in the Go Wild for Life” campaign.
“With the aim of reducing the demand for illegal wildlife products, the campaign stresses that that greed, fashion, ignorance, indifference, investment, corruption, pseudo medicinal use and cultural belief should not be allowed to endanger any species of animal or plant or tree.
“It is giving special attention to eight species in particular: orangutans, sea turtles, pangolins, rosewoods, helmeted hornbills, tigers, elephants and rhinos,” Steiner said.
Noting that Angola is this year’s host country for World Environment Day, the UNEP chief announced that the country is making strong commitments to combat wildlife crime by shutting down its domestic ivory trade and taking action to stop smuggling over its borders.
“We support the actions of countries like Angola to join this fight.
“We must be united in this cause, we must think globally, but also act locally and we must have zero tolerance for poaching and illegal trade in wildlife,” he said.
Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said that criminal networks and poachers have scant regard for biodiversity.
“Every country suffers either as a source, transit or destination for these products.
“UNODC’s World Wildlife Crime Report shows that 7,000 species were found in more than 164,000 seizures affecting 120 countries.”
“The global nature of this crime compels us to stand united and to promote global solutions to halt the catastrophic poaching and trafficking of wildlife.
“Our Wildlife Report is helping by providing a global assessment that will allow the international community to design effective and efficient solutions,’’ he said.
On his part, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, urged governments and citisens everywhere to help end the practice, noting that there was great cause for alarm.
“As elephants are being slaughtered for their ivory, rhinos for their horns, and pangolins for their scales.
“The UN and its many partners have resolved to tackle this illicit trade, including by setting clear targets to put an end to poaching in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted last year by all 193 UN member states,” he said.
UNEP is underlining five quick steps that citisens can take action, including through arts and crafts exhibitions, film festivals, flash mobs and social media activities. (PANA/NAN)