With global attention on biodiversity CoP, TRAFFIC calls for urgent action around wildlife trade
At a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, TRAFFIC is scaling up evidence, solutions and influence to ensure that trade in wild species is legal and sustainable, for the benefit of people and the planet.
To assist with negotiations at the upcoming CoP in Cali, Colombia, TRAFFIC has produced a short Policy Briefing and stands ready to support governments and partners to accelerate implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
As the world’s biodiversity experts converge on Cali, Colombia, for the 16th Conference of the Parties (CoP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, running from 21 October–1 November, TRAFFIC has set out key priorities to achieve a nature positive future through both tackling illegal wildlife trade, and building sustainable, legal and safe trade in wild species.
Urgent progress needs to be made on the following three priorities, if biodiversity loss is to be halted and reversed:
- Measuring global progress on implementation of the KMGBF, via monitoring and indicators
- Rapid development and roll-out of national-level strategies (NBSAPs) for tackling biodiversity loss
- Sustainable wildlife management to promote sustainable use and conservation
TRAFFIC also considers action is urgently needed in the following areas:
- Adequate data needs to be captured on trade of marine resources to support conservation
- Strengthened focus on interlinkages between biodiversity and human health
- Addressing the ‘hidden harvest’ of wild plants and fungi, used commercially, survival of which is threatened by over-harvesting
More technical detail on the evidence for, and action needed, around each of these priorities is contained in the TRAFFIC Policy Briefing.
We face a sobering reality as we head to Cali. The successful implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework will require stronger actions from governments, deeper collaboration among conservation partners, and increased resource mobilization. At TRAFFIC we will do everything we can to provide evidence-based solutions for real progress towards sustainable and legal trade in wild species, which sits at the heart of heart of a nature-positive future.
Richard Scobey, Executive Director of TRAFFIC
