China today shut the door on many of its ivory factories and retail outlets, dramatically improving the survival prospects for elephants across the world.
The move, announced by the State Forestry Administration, represents the first concrete steps in an “almost complete” ban on the domestic trade in ivory, announced last year and expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2017.
“This is an historic step and may well be a turning point in our fight to save elephants from extinction,” said Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment. “We need more countries and territories to follow suit.”
Today’s closures mean the end of business for around one-third of officially sanctioned ivory-carvers and licensed retailers.
Since China is one of the world’s largest markets for the sale of ivory, where elephant tusks are used to make decorative objects and as traditional gifts or displays of wealth, what happens here is of immense importance for elephant conservation.
“The true measure of the success of these new rules will be how well they are enforced,” added Mr Solheim. “We will continue to work closely with the Chinese government to ensure a healthy natural legacy remains for our children and grandchildren.”
With 100,000 elephants killed in the last decade alone and only around 500,000 left worldwide, bans like this cannot happen soon enough.
Campaigners have noted a two-thirds fall in the price of ivory since China signalled its intention to implement a ban last year, and lower prices mean fewer poachers. But it essential for more countries and territories to follow China’s example of saying no to ivory so that loopholes are closed.
Public awareness campaigns also continue to have a key role to play by reducing the demand for ivory products. UN Environment’s own Wild for Life campaign against the illegal trade in endangered wildlife has already reached more than 1 billion people around the world with over 4.5 million social media interactions and was voted one of the most influential campaigns of 2016 on Weibo, a leading Chinese social media platform, in 2016.
Legislation, enforcement and a change in public attitudes will not only protect wildlife but also benefit people who live in the countries where elephants, and other species impacted by illegal trade, are found. Since the illegal trade in ivory is known to facilitate corruption and fund the activities of criminal gangs, what’s good the elephants is good for us, too.
