World Environment Day Focus on Protecting Wildlife

Apia, June 3^rd – Today, June 5^th, marks World Environment Day of the UN Environment Programme. The focus this year is on illegal trade in wildlife, such as the killing of elephants for their ivory.

In the Pacific native species of plants and animals are a precious commodity that must be sustainably managed and protected from commercial exploitation for their medicinal benefits. There indigenous Pacific plants with potential health properties can be explored for their commercial value. As well there are the Pacific marine resources that are being overexploited such as tuna, sea cucumber and live coral specimens. These indigenous genetic resources are a part of the national heritage of the Pacific, and comprise the global international biodiversity.

“Although the extent of the illegal trade in flora and fauna in the Pacific remains largely unknown, the region is increasingly losing its rich terrestrial and marine biodiversity to wildlife trafficking. Growing demand for coral and aquarium fish in China, Europe and the United States is being supplied by source countries in the Pacific. It is encouraging that Pacific island countries are playing a leadership role by pushing for the inclusion of threatened Pacific marine species such as silky sharks and manta rays in the CITES list. We encourage all pacific island countries to become a party to CITES,” said Isabelle Louis, Acting UNEP Regional Director for Asia Pacific.

“Today, as we mark World Environment Day, the United Nations is calling on everyone to stop wildlife trafficking, through the One UN Global Coalition campaign. We urge the people of the Pacific to take part in this global campaign to end the illegal trade in wildlife and to join millions of people around the world to take personal action to end wildlife crime.”

Although trade in wildlife plants and animal is marginally significant to the Pacific region, there are international instruments addressing the conservation and sustainable use of native Pacific plant species, especially their exploitation for commercial gains. To ensure that benefits arising from the use and commercialisation of Pacific native plant species are shared in a fair and equitable way with traditional owners of these resources, the Nagoya Protocol’s Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is the global instrument to addresses international biodiversity.

UNDP Global Environment Facility (GEF) is funding a ABS project in the Cook Islands, which recently had its inception workshop in Rarotonga with the aim to strengthen national regulatory and institutional framework on ABS.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, UNDP Regional Technical Advisor Mr. Doley Tshering said that UNDP is working with governments and stakeholders on accessing financing and to facilitate fair ABS deals between users and providers as well as supporting local and indigenous communities with the development of benefit-sharing mechanisms and bio-cultural community protocols to develop nature-based products.

A similar ABS project is progressing well in Samoa.

The theme for 2016 World Environment Day is closely linked to the sustainable development goals pertaining to biodiversity, oceans and responsible consumption and production.

For further information, please contact:

Emil Adams, UNDP Communications Officer, Emile.Adams@undp.org - Phone: (685) 23670 ext. 60

About the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

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About United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP work encompasses:

Assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends
Developing international and national environmental instruments
Strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment

Mission: To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.