CITES UNDER THREAT SAYS GREENPEACE

CITES UNDER THREAT SAYS GREENPEACE
Amsterdam, 29 May 1997
CITES, one of the key international bodies set up to protect endangered species, is itself under threat.
In a week's time (9 June) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora meets in Zimbabwe. A number of pro-trade groups and some governments have been working behind the scenes to find ways of unravelling the process for preventing trade in certain animals.
The first species to suffer if new manouevres to loosen protection succeed will be whales and elephants. The countries behind these moves are the pro-whaling nations of Norway and Japan, and the pro-ivory trade countries Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
"Unless this behind-the-scenes, undemocratic and unprecedented attack on the integrity of CITES is stopped at this meeting, the future for controlling trade in endangered species looks bleak," said Greenpeace spokesperson Isabel McCrea.
Their first move was to try to have the whole CITES treaty reviewed, with a view to weakening it. This will be discussed at the meeting in June.
In the meantime, there are attempts to undermine the current process by a technically legal but morally devious two stage process. First, the species in question are downlisted from Appendix One (a complete ban on international trade) to Appendix Two (allowing limited trade) with a zero quota.
"The zero quota makes an otherwise unacceptable move acceptable to some nations," says Greenpeace. "But, if agreed, the damage is done: the species is downgraded.
"And this is just the start. The second stage is that the following year the same countries begin proposing quotas and trade is re-established."
The goverments behind these moves have close links to some of the key pro-trade groups operating at CITES. They include the shadowy Conservation Action Network (CAN), which tries to keep its membership secret, but which includes leading pro-whalers and hunting associations.
Greenpeace is also concerned that there will be moves to hold key votes in secret.
"We will be attending the meeting and will oppose the downlisting of whales," said McCrea "We will be watching to see that member countries act in the spirit of the convention and in an open and honest way."

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Isabel McCrea, in Amsterdam ++ 31 20 523 6278,
James Gillies, Press Officer, ++ 31 20 524 9548