Leading conservationists unite in unique summit, ahead of G20, to step up the fight to protect wildlife

The Wildlife Conservation 20 will be the first time the conservation sector has convened to try to agree a single declaration of recommendations to present to the G20

(Roshni Lodhia for Space for Giants)

Leading conservationists will join together today for an online summit, hosted by ESI Media, to work to inform G20 leaders on the urgent actions needed to stop the exploitation of wildlife that threatens both species extinction and our collective health.

The Wildlife Conservation 20 - or WC20 - will be the first time the conservation sector has convened in such large numbers ahead of a G20 meeting to seek to present, with one voice, a single declaration containing key recommendations for G20 leaders, who will meet just two days later.

This year’s G20 - the world’s premier forum for international economic cooperation - is taking place on 21-22 November in Riyadh.  

The WC20 intends to bring together the leaders of 20 prominent wildlife conservation NGOs who are at the forefront of protecting nature, including the world's most iconic and rare wildlife species.

Oliver Poole, Executive Editor of ESI Media, which publishes The Independent, said: “It has never been as important that governments act now to combat the trade in wildlife that is threatening our planet, and that the conservation community speaks with one voice to articulate the steps needed to do so.

“We are delighted to support this as part of our Stop The Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign.”

We are working with conservation charity Space for Giants to protect wildlife at risk from poachers due to the conservation funding crisis caused by Covid-19. Help is desperately needed to support wildlife rangers, local communities and law enforcement personnel to prevent wildlife crime. Donate HERE (The Independent)

Ahead of the event, a draft declaration has been circulated to attendees to gain input on the core themes that G20 governments must address. This includes areas such as law enforcement, demand reduction and local community support.”

At today’s event it is intended that the WC20 will create a final agreed list of recommendations to the G20.

The WC20 Declaration would then become the basis of a sustained advocacy effort in 2021, including at G7, CBD, COP, Expo and Davos.

The impact of Covid-19 means wildlife need help more urgently than ever. The pandemic has thrown into sharp relief the connection between wildlife trade and zoonotic diseases, and is causing a funding crisis in conservation that could empower those exploiting the illegal wildlife trade.

The Independent launched its Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign earlier this year, seeking an international effort to clamp down on poaching and the illegal trade of wild animals.

We are working with international conservation charity Space for Giants - one of the charities taking part in the WC20 - to protect wildlife at risk from poachers due to the conservation funding crisis.

Dr Max Graham, CEO and founder of Space for Giants, said “the multiple, global crises we face - of health, of biodiversity, of climate, of economy, and of civil unrest - are in fact all the same crisis; one that reveals the structural failures of the world we have built.

“A radical rethink of how we look after our planet is needed, and stopping the trade of wildlife threatening extinctions or human health is an essential prerequisite to protecting not just our natural world but also the future of all life on earth, including our own."

Donate to The Independent’s Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign HERE