David Cameron to tackle illegal wildlife trade with global summit

Fifty heads of state invited to London summit, which will aim to halt surging demand for elephant and rhino products

David Cameron will host the highest level global summit to date on combating the illegal wildlife trade in London.

The summit next February, to which 50 heads of state have been invited, aims to tackle the $19bn-a-year illegal trade in endangered animals, such as elephants and rhinos, by delivering an unprecedented political commitment along with an action plan and the mobilisation of resources.

The Prince of Wales and his son the Duke of Cambridge, who will both attend the summit, have previously highlighted the strong links between wildlife poaching, international criminal syndicates and terrorism and threats to national security. "We face one of the most serious threats to wildlife ever, and we must treat it as a battle – because it is precisely that," said Prince Charles in May.

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Letter to David Cameron calls for action to restore lost wildlife

MORE than 100 conservationists, business leaders, landowners, celebrities and academics from the south west have signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling on him to make a public commitment to urgently address the decline of wildlife in the region.

The call follows the shocking State of the Nature report published in May, which showed serious declines in a wide range of species.

Tony Richardson, regional director for the RSPB in the Dorset region, said: “We need clear leadership and collective action to restore what has been lost.”

The letter describes three actions that the government can take: accelerating full marine area protection; guaranteeing support for high nature farming; and giving clear guidance to Local Enterprise Partnerships to invest in “natural capital”.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10509267.Letter_to_David_Cameron_calls_for_action_to_restore_lost_wildlife/