Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT)

Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT)

About CAWT

• Founded/Initiated in September 2005 by the United States Department of State​

• Launched internationally in February 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya​

• Global voluntary public-private coalition of like-minded governments and organizations sharing the common goal of ending illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products​

• Works to focus public and political attention and resources on ending illegal trade in wildlife​

Rationale for Formation

• Wildlife trafficking is a $10 billion-a-year black market trade, second only to arms and drug smuggling​

• Illegal trade is driving tigers, elephants, rhinos, exotic birds and many other species to the brink of extinction​

• Threats to global biodiversity and emergence of wildlife diseases (e.g., SARS, avian influenza) crossing species lines to humans​

• Problem compounded by global nexus with criminals operating in drugs and weapons​

CAWT Objectives:

• Improve Wildlife Law Enforcement: Expanding enforcement training and information sharing, strengthening regional cooperative networks​

• Reduce Consumer Demand: Raising awareness about impacts of illegal wildlife trade on biodiversity, environment, livelihoods and human health; highlighting links to organized crime; promoting sustainable alternatives​

• Catalyze High-Level Political Will: Broadening support at highest political levels for actions to combat illegal wildlife trade​

Structure and Administration

• Voluntary partnership with no formal entity status and no permanent secretariat​

• Administrative responsibilities assumed by a government partner serving as CAWT Chair on a two-year rotational basis​

• Funded through voluntary contributions from partners; no membership fee or assessed contribution​

• Partners work toward achieving CAWT’s goals and contribute where they can most effectively, including through cooperative efforts with other CAWT partners​

Membership and Partners

Founding Government and NGO Partners (Initial Members – 2005):

• Government Partners: United States (initiator)​

• NGO/Business Partners (Seven major US-based organizations):​

• Conservation International

• Save the Tiger Fund

• Smithsonian Institution

• TRAFFIC (Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce)

• WildAid

• Wildlife Conservation Society

• American Forest and Paper Association

Current/Later Government Partners:​

• Australia

• India

• United Kingdom

• USA

• Seven other governments and Secretariats of two international conservation treaties represented at launch meeting​

Membership Criteria

• Open to any government, NGO or corporation that:​

• Is active in fighting illegal trade in wildlife

• Works internationally

• Willing to affirm commitment to CAWT’s objectives and Mission Statement

• Meets no objection from existing Partners

Activities and Initiatives:

• Building wildlife law enforcement capacity through training and information exchange​

• Support of regional law enforcement organizations​

• Raising awareness of harmful impacts of illegal wildlife trade on biodiversity and environment​

• Educating consumers about alternative, sustainable choices​

• Raising awareness of wildlife laws​

• Highlighting trafficking issues and creating public awareness​

• Harrison Ford Public Service Announcements (2008): Featured actor and wildlife conservationist; shown at U.S. embassies worldwide and given to local TV stations; reached over 500 million consumers​

Regional Focus and Networks

• Initial focus on reducing trade in Asia and reducing demand for wildlife products​

• Support for ASEAN-WEN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Wildlife Enforcement Network):​

• U.S. State Department contributed $1 million

• USAID provided over $3 million in funding for capacity-building efforts

• Focus on countries with large consumer demand for wildlife products

Operational Framework

• Launched proposed operational framework for 2007-2009​

• Works to complement and reinforce existing national, regional and international efforts​

• Complements work of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)​

• Avoids duplicating existing work within CITES framework​

Challenges

• Active reporting on CAWT discontinued after July 2008; little recent public documentation on current activities​

• Assessment of successes and challenges remains limited

Check : ENVIRONMENT NOTES