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CHARITY BLOG
THE INTERNET – FRIEND OR ENEMY?
The role of internet for conservation will be discussed at CITES.
One area of discussion that is likely to come up in a number of different debates during CITES is the impact of Internet and new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on conservation.
Many countries are beginning to recognise that they will face difficulties in controlling wildlife trade under CITES if they lack adequate access to the Internet and other new communication tools.
The internet has potentially significant effects across a whole range of issues, from crime prevention to monitoring and tracking of wildlife to closer management of international trade.
Using the Internet to combat illegal trade in CITES-listed species is an important topic for the ongoing CITES conference, but CITES Chief Enforcement Officer John Sellar explains that authorities should not just focus on preventing criminals from using the internet for illegal activity:
“It is sometimes tempting to see the Internet as the root of all evil”
“Whilst it is undoubtedly being exploited by the criminal fraternity, and CITES has to find ways of responding to that, its considerable advantages must not be ignored, especially since they too can be exploited, but by the law enforcement community.”
But there could also be potential for using new technologies, especially the internet, for other areas of conservation.
Some countries are already using new technologies to optimize trade procedures, facilitate legal trade and harmonize CITES permit and certificate issuance procedures with new international norms and standards.
The Internet has important potential in connecting legitimate traders of wildlife to consumers. The biggest challenge is to find ways to help those consumers to determine whether what they are being offered is legal and traded sustainably.
Equipment used by poachers and complex networks set up by smugglers have been uncovered in police operations over the past few months has demonstrated that those operating outside of the law are embracing the potential of new technologies.
In order to keep legal trade competitive and to safeguard its legitimacy, the countries involved in CITES must begin to put measures in place to ensure they do not fall behind in the technological arms race.
