Statement on the War in Ukraine

As an international organization committed to sustainable and legal trade in wild species for the benefit of people and the planet, TRAFFIC believes that peaceful cooperation and multilateral partnerships are critical to solving global challenges.

We are therefore deeply concerned to see the growing human, economic, and environmental impacts of the war in Ukraine, with significant loss of life, millions fleeing for safety, and destruction of the country’s physical infrastructure. This conflict is creating massive global spillover effects that affect the lives and livelihoods of communities throughout the world: rising commodity prices and inflation, disruptions of financial markets and supply chains, global food insecurity, and destruction of biodiversity and protected areas of global significance – at a moment when the world is already reeling from the impacts of a global pandemic.

We join other global environmental organizations calling for an end to the violence in Ukraine. As the international community comes together to finalize a new post-2020 global biodiversity framework, we need to embrace peaceful cooperation built on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and commitment to social and environmental sustainability. This conflict is destroying the regional and global trust that underpins multilateral action in all fields, including the development of legal and sustainable supply chains related to forests, fisheries, and other wild species that is the focus of TRAFFIC’s work. The war is also threatening to exacerbate illegal wildlife trade, illicit financial flows, and other environmental crimes that exploit the international turmoil caused by conflicts.

We call on the international community to redouble efforts to restore peace.

Richard Scobey
Executive Director