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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: EU lawmakers are pushing for wildlife trafficking to be classified as organised crime by 2030, ahead of the UN’s major wildlife trade convention in Uzbekistan
• The European Parliament’s resolution urges stronger enforcement, digital traceability systems, and tougher border controls to halt the escalating trade in endangered species such as elephants, sharks, pangolins, and amphibians
🔭 The context: Despite existing EU regulations and a 2016 action plan, Europe remains a major hub and destination for trafficked wildlife
• Lawmakers cited concerns about China’s pangolin stockpiles and rising online illegal trade
• The EU wants the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to adopt a stricter stance, enhance cross-border enforcement, and create legally binding measures such as an ivory trade ban
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Illegal wildlife trade contributes directly to biodiversity collapse, disrupts ecosystems, and increases the risk of zoonotic diseases
• As a high-value black-market activity often linked to organised crime, its global crackdown is essential to meeting climate and conservation goals
• EU pressure to align enforcement with sustainability underscores the connection between species protection and planetary health
⏭️ What’s next: The UN CITES meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Nov 24 – Dec 5) will be pivotal
• The EU plans to formalise its tougher stance into a negotiating position
• Environmental groups are urging the European Commission to align with Parliament’s resolution, especially on digital traceability and cross-border enforcement cooperation
💬 One quote: “This resolution shows that the European Parliament wants the EU to take real responsibility for its role in the global wildlife trade,” said Ilaria Di Silvestre of IFAW. “It’s a clear message that protecting species must come before profit”
📈 One stat: The EU has regulated wildlife trade since 1983, but it only adopted its first comprehensive anti-trafficking action plan in 2016
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