Governments and agencies need to work with local people for fight against illegal wildlife trade to be successful
"Local communities have been sidelined from the decisions made about how to tackle the illegal wildlife trade for too long.
"The London Conference is an important opportunity to change this. Governments and conservation agencies need to work with the people who live alongside wildlife in the development and implementation of measures to tackle this illegal trade.
"It is vital that local people benefit from protecting wildlife – either culturally, financially or socially. This is key to tackling the illegal wildlife trade."
Contact
For an interview or further information, contact Beth Herzfeld, IIED head of media on +44 (0)7557 658 482 or email beth.herzfeld@iied.org
Notes to editors
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a policy and action research organisation. IIED promotes sustainable development to improve livelihoods and protect the environments on which these livelihoods are built. It specialises in linking local priorities to global challenges. Based in the UK, it works in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific with some of the world’s most vulnerable people. It works with them to strengthen their voice in the decision-making arenas that affect them – from village councils to international conventions.
For more information or to request an interview, contact Simon Cullen:
+44 7503 643332 or simon.cullen@iied.org