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THE HAGUE—The Standing
Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES) took initial but tentative steps today to address
Peru’s ongoing failure to comply with the Convention in
protecting mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and ensuring the long-term
viability of the species. The Standing Committee decided not to impose
the strong international sanctions that had been advocated by many
government delegates and nongovernmental observers, and accepted
Peru’s agreement to reduce its annual export quota.
Will Travers, CEO of the Born Free
Foundation and Chairman of the Species Survival Network (SSN), stated,
“This is an issue that affects the well-being of the most
vulnerable people in the Amazon; if CITES Parties really care about the
livelihoods of indigenous people, protecting forests is a vital place
to start.” During the debate on the floor of the Standing
Committee, Alberto Pizango, president of an indigenous
people’s association in Peru (AIDESEP), spoke passionately
about the need to protect indigenous communities from illegal loggers.
Representatives of the SSN Timber
Working Group, a global coalition of wildlife experts participating in
the meeting, agreed that action needed to be taken, but concluded that
the decision did not go far enough. The Group has long hoped
that Peru would exhibit greater political will at the highest levels of
government to verify the legality of all timber exports from the
country.
Kris Genovese, Associate International
Counsel for Defenders of Wildlife and Chair of the Timber Working
Group, was concerned by the decision. “Peru has agreed to
reduce its 2007 export quota by nearly two-thirds, and agreed to allow
sale only from concessions operating legally,” Genovese
noted. “However, the Committee approved a mechanism to
increase mahogany exports if governmental verifications show better
domestic logging management. What will the Standing Committee
do if Peru once again fails to live up to its obligations? We
hope they have not just approved a loophole big enough to drive a
logging truck through.”
Five years after bigleaf mahogany was included in the CITES Appendices,
triggering global trade regulations on mahogany in international
commerce, the volume of mahogany leaving Peru clearly violates the
requirements governing export. For instance, Peru’s
Scientific Authority concluded that no more than 1,200 trees could be
felled sustainably in 2007. In fact, more than five times
that number—between 5,600 and 7,100 trees—would
have to be cut to fulfill Peru’s original export quota.
For
more information contact:
Adam
M. Roberts, Press
Officer,
In The Hague: 06-5213 6798
Globally: 1-202-445-3572
E-mail: press@ssn.org
WORLD FORUM CONVENTION CENTRE
10, Churchillplein NL-2508 THE HAGUE
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