Vote trading, corruption at CITES.

Written by Louise Leakey | 18 March 2010

I admit I have not felt as concerned and saddened in a long time. Watching the “show” of vote trading at CITES in Doha this week has angered me and only confirmed by belief that as a species, Homo sapiens, we stand no chance for long term survival on this planet and in addition we will drive multitudes of others to a rapid extinction. Why waste money looking for other planets to “move to”. Its all here, it was in perfect balance but for the greed and wasteful nature of humans. The large human brain is not big enough or smart enough to get it right. We are the only species that makes conscious choices that are disastrous for our survival. 

Despite the evidence, the facts, the calls from around the world to protect the Blue Fin tuna, the elephant, the polar bear, and a host of other less well known but hugely important species- it is all down to  CORRUPT VOTE TRADING, to “paying nations off” for coming down on the right side. These countries should and will be held accountable, they will be put on the line, they will pay up. You made this happen. South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, you are a large part to blame today for the decline of elephant populations across Africa. Yes, you might get Dominican Republic to vote with you to allow you to sell your ivory, like they did for Japan at the IWC. But what do they care, they don’t know their whales in their waters, few of them have ever seen an elephant.

Ben Webbster and Frank Pope spell this out clearly in their recent article in the TIMESONLINE. "The world votes to continue trading in species on the brink of extinction".

We live on one planet, its our responsibility to protect it as a whole. We can not let the Japanese clean out the fish from the oceans, the Chinese clear the forests of ivory and trees, drill for oil in National Parks in Uganda and eastern Congo. But who is there to watch, to regulate to lay down the law. Not governments, not CITES, not IWC, not ICATT. We can not rely on them to get it right. Time and time again they have failed us.

It is down to the individuals who risk their lives to protect species on the verge of extinction. They are few and far between. Jane Goodals recent book highlights a handful of these remarkable people. There are many others out there. The more people who understand what is really happening and who demand action then there is hope that we can hold it together to enable recovery. Forget these “vote shopping” meetings- they waste money and time and valuable energy. We need another organization, URGENTLY, that will do what is needed, true defenders of species other than our own.