Representatives from global technology companies have met with conservationists to discuss technological approaches to tackling the illegal wildlife trade, at an event in the UK.
According to recent estimates, the illegal trade of wildlife is worth up to €19bn per year. Because a high proportion of black-market trading now takes place online, the need for technological approaches to tackling the illegal wildlife trade has become ever more vital. These solutions will accompany stronger regulations which will seek to improve reporting and prevention of the sale of animals online.
Technology stakeholders in attendance at the event included Google, Amazon Web Services and Cisco, while the Zoological Society of London represented conservation actors. Further, the meeting was co-chaired by the UK’s minister for the illegal wildlife trade, Mark Field, and follows the UK’s recent introduction of strong measures against the trade of illegal ivory in order to reinforce conservation efforts.
What approaches were discussed?
The meeting – which is the first in a series leading up to the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference 2018 in London, UK, in October – raised a number of problem areas for discussion to which technology could provide viable solutions.
Topics included approaches which could combat poaching, strengthen and make easier the processes by which illegal wildlife products are identified during import and export, and methods of identifying animals in the field which are threatened by poaching.
For example, Julian David, CEO of industry body TechUK, welcomed the potential that technologies already in use in other areas could have to tackle the international illegal wildlife trade. He said: “Whether it is blockchain to support supply chain transparency and assurance or drones, satellites and the internet of things-enabled solutions to monitor activity in national parks and areas of high scientific interest, new tech is revolutionising conservation across the world.”
Why is conservation a priority for the UK?
The UK’s industrial strategy relies heavily on innovation, and technological approaches to tackling the illegal wildlife trade could potentially be applied in other relevant sectors. Further, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stated that the government’s commitment to conservation reflected its overall pledge to protect the environment.
He added: “I’ve just come back from the Amazon… where both animals and people are suffering at the hands of criminals who are committing horrible wildlife crimes. What I saw has only sharpened my determination to combat the blight of the illegal wildlife trade. I want to make sure we’re using all the great talent we have available to us to fight this problem.”
