Photo Credit: nickstrugnell.com©
Caption: Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge greets WCS Vice President, International Policy Sue Lieberman during a visit to London Gateway Port before the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce Buckingham Palace Declaration signing.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Mary Dixon, +1 347-840-1242; mdixon@wcs.org
Chip Weiskotten, +1 518-669-3936; cweiskotten@wcs.org
WCS Signs Buckingham Palace Declaration to Shut Down Wildlife Trafficking Routes
Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge and United for Wildlife invite top transport industry officials and conservation leaders to commit to 11 measures
“The United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce Buckingham Palace Declaration sends a clear message to wildlife criminals: Do not enter—you will be stopped.”
LONDON (15 March, 2016) – WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) was a signatory of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce Buckingham Palace Declaration today, which brings private sector transportation companies and international organizations together to fight wildlife trafficking.
The following statement was released by Dr. Susan Lieberman, WCS Vice President of International Policy and a member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce:
“The world is attuned to the fact that wildlife trafficking has become a global problem. And the ongoing flow of illegal wildlife products to both eastern and western markets is damaging not only vulnerable wildlife populations but the livelihoods of the people that live among them.
“The Royal Foundation and the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce bring together those who can make a real difference at a critical stage of the trafficking chain. The agreement signed today will help industry take steps to remove the deficiencies in transportation and customs capability that are being exploited by criminal traffickers.
“When I signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration on behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Society today, it was an affirmation of 12 months of work and negotiations in good faith by organizations and companies that truly can help stop traffickers and criminal networks from moving illicit products to market, and allow threatened wildlife populations to begin to recover from the scourge of poaching and trafficking in their parts.
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WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)
MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: 347-840-1242.
UNITED FOR WILDLIFE TRANSPORT TASKFORCE
BUCKINGHAM PALACE DECLARATION
PREAMBLE
We, signatories to the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce Buckingham Palace Declaration and the members of the United for Wildlife International Taskforce on the transportation of illegal wildlife products1, recognising the devastating impact of illegal wildlife trade, agree to the Commitments set out below, as they apply to our industry or organisation.
We, as signatories to the Declaration, will not knowingly facilitate or tolerate the carriage of wildlife products, where trade in those products is contrary to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES)2, and as such is illegal under international and national laws.
We agree to implement the Commitments relating to our own industry sector or organisational mandate, as part of our intention to tackle this issue and bring an end to illegal wildlife trade3.
We agree to evaluate the impact of the Commitments regularly, to assess what has worked and identify and address any challenges.
We ask the entire transport industry to follow our lead and help bring an end to the illegal trade in wildlife by signing this Declaration and supporting implementation of the Commitments.
COMMITMENTS
EXPRESSION AND DEMONSTRATION OF AGREEMENT TO TACKLE THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
1. Adopt or encourage the adoption of a zero tolerance policy regarding illegal wildlife trade.
2. Increase passenger, customer, client, and staff awareness about the nature, scale, and consequences of illegal wildlife trade.
3. Promote the Declaration and its Commitments across the entire transport sector and encourage all in the sector to sign up to the Declaration.
INFORMATION SHARING AND DETECTION
4. Develop mechanisms to enable the transport sector to receive timely information about the transport of suspected illegal wildlife and their products, including methods of transportation, key routes, ports and other locations.
5. Enhance data systems, including due diligence and risk assessment, to allow the transport sector and/or enforcement agencies to screen data and/or cargo, to identify potential shipments of suspected illegal wildlife and their products.
6. Identify and promote systems for staff and the public to report suspicions in relation to the transportation of illegal wildlife and their products.
7. Improve the training of staff within the transport sector to enable them to detect, identify and report suspected illegal wildlife trade, and acknowledge staff who champion this cause.
PRACTICAL MEASURES TO STOP THE TRANSPORTATION OF ILLEGAL WILDLIFE PRODUCTS
8. Develop a secure, harmonised system for passing information about suspected illegal wildlife trade from the transport sector to relevant customs and law enforcement authorities, where permitted by law.
9. Notify relevant law enforcement authorities of cargoes suspected of containing illegal wildlife and their products and, where able, refuse to accept or ship such cargoes.
10. Establish a cross-disciplinary team working with local customs and law enforcement authorities to develop a system of best practice for combatting illegal wildlife trade in key ports.
NEW MECHANISMS TACKLING ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
11. Support the development of mechanisms by the World Customs Organization and national customs authorities to aid the detection and prevention of trade in illegal wildlife and their products.
Organisation Name Position
China COSCO Shipping Co. Ltd. Mr Zhang Junhong Senior Manager of Department of Operating Management
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Mr John Scanlon Secretary General
Cruise Lines International Association Mr Andrew Harmer Vice President for European Operations
DHL UK & Ireland Mr Phil Couchman Chief Executive Officer
DLA Piper Mr Linos Choo Partner
Dubai Ports World His Excellency Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem DP World Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Emirates Airline Sir Tim Clark President and CEO
UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Mr James Duddridge Minister for Africa, the Overseas Territories, and Caribbean
International Air Transport Association Mr Tony Tyler President
International Maritime Organization Mr Kitack Lim Secretary General
Kenya Airways Mr Mbuvi Ngunze Group Managing Director and CEO
Maersk Group Mr Anders Würtzen Vice President, Head of Group Public Affairs, A.P. Moller
Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association Ms Si Ping Division Director
United Nations Development Programme – Global Environment Facility Ms Adriana Dinu Executive Coordinator and Director
Wildlife Conservation Society Dr Sue Lieberman Vice President International Policy
World Customs Organisation Mr Sergio Mujica Deputy Secretary General
World Wildlife Fund - UK Dr Glyn Davies Executive Director, Global Programmes
African Airlines Association Mr Elijah Chingosho Secretary General
Air China Cargo Co. Ltd. Mr Yuen (Francis) Chun Sing General Manager Service Standards and Development
Airports Council International Ms Angela Gitten Director General
Baltic and International Maritime Council Mr Angus Frew Secretary General
China Post Group Corporation Mr Wang Dong Deputy Division Director
Danish Shipowners Association Ms Anne H. Steffensen Director General
Etihad Airways Mr James Hogan President & Chief Executive Officer
Hamburg Sud Dr Gast & Dr Verpermann Board Members
International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners Mr David Tongue Secretary General
International Airlines Group Mr Jonathon Counsell Group Head of Sustainability
International Chamber of Shipping Mr Peter Hinchliffe Secretary General
James Fisher Mr Richard Burmeister Managing Director
Japanese Shipowners’ Association Mr Yoshikiyo Ono Director General
Liberian Shipowners’ Council Ltd Mr Joseph Ludwiczak Secretary General
Qantas Mr Tino La Spina Chief Financial Officer
Qatar Airways Mr Ulrich Ogiermann Chief Cargo Officer
South African Airways Mr Musa Zwane Acting CEO
Stena Line UK Mr Hans Noren Chairman
Stolt-Nielsen Ltd. Mr Jan Engelhardtsen Chief Financial Officer
Sustainable Shipping Initiative Mr Alastair Fischbacher Chief Executive
UK Chamber of Shipping Mr David Balston Director of Policy
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