Nature Conservation: Trade

Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government’s policy is on protecting endangered species from trade in relation to the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in June; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner
The UK believes that CITES is one of the most important and influential conservation-focused Multilateral Environmental Agreements. We will continue to support its development to improve its influence and effectiveness in respect of species at threat, or likely to be at threat, from trade; particularly with a view to only supporting such trade where it can be shown that it will have no negative impact on the conservation of the species concerned in the wild.

On species listing proposals, parties consider the conservation status of the species concerned and whether it meets the listing criteria developed by CITES. Parties also take account of the contribution that CITES controls can make towards improvement of the conservation status, while acknowledging the efforts of those countries that have implemented effective conservation measures.

Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will fund a workshop on the internet trade in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species specimens in the event that the proposal on internet trade is agreed at the forthcoming convention on international trade in endangered species meeting in June.

Barry Gardiner
The UK was instrumental in tabling the proposal for a CITES workshop on the internet trade in endangered species. This and other work programme proposals will be considered at the June Conference of Parties, along with funding issues. A costed work programme has been tabled by the CITES Secretariat that will establish how individual projects should be funded. Until the outcome of those discussions are known, parties, including the UK, are not in a position to say which elements of any programme they will support and how. Nevertheless, the UK, having put forward the proposal for the internet workshop, will do what it can to ensure that this takes place.

Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will seek to amend the proposal on livelihoods at the forthcoming meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in June to reflect more closely the positive impact that CITES enforcement has on livelihoods.

Barry Gardiner
We are not currently seeking to amend this proposal. However, if, during the meeting, it becomes clear that the proposal can be improved, made more accurate or clear about the role and impact of CITES trade on livelihoods, then we will look to participate constructively in any discussions.