MCT for IFS Officers- Phase IV An Exposition to India s Commitment to GTF and CITES Dehradun 22 May 2014 Jagdish Kishwan Chief Advisor, Policy Wildlife Trust of India Former Additional Director General (Wildlife), Government of India Former Director General, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
International Policy Advocacy Division Wildlife Trust of India
Why Tiger? Largest among all living cat s Top predator in the forest ecosystem I1900 More than 100000 tigers Presently less than 3500 tigers survive in 13 Tiger Range Countries Originally 8 sub-species (Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), Sumatran tiger (P. t. sumatrae), Amur tiger (P. t. altaica), Indo-China tiger (P. t. corbetti), South China tiger (P. t. amoyensis), Caspian tiger (P. t. virgata), Javan tiger (P. t. sondaica) and Bali tiger (P. t. balica) Caspian, Javan and Bali tiger- Three went extinct
Global Distribution of tiger
Global Tiger Forum-History Decision to form Global Tiger Forum taken in- International Tiger Symposium, 1993, New Delhi, India GTF Formed in March 1994, New Delhi, India Chair: Union Minister for Environment & Forests, Govt. of India (Mr. Kamal Nath) Initial attendees- 11 Tiger Range Countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam)- China, Lao PDR absent
Global Tiger Forum-Goal To Highlight the rationale for tiger preservation and provide leadership and common approach throughout the world in order to safeguard the survival of tiger, its prey-base and its habitat Worldwide preservation and conservation of tiger by implementing a coordinated approach
GOAL Highlight rationale for tiger preservation and provide leadership for safeguarding survival of tiger, its prey-base and habitat Awareness Campaign Biodiversity: Legal Framework ED Local Communities OBJECTIVES Extensive PA Network +Corridors Capacity Building Research on Habitat+Prey
Global Tiger Forum-Members Category A: All Tiger Range Countries, viz Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam. Category B: Non Tiger Range Countries willing to support and/or participate in tiger conservation programmes. Category C: International and Inter-Governmental organizations who have made significant contribution towards tiger conservation. Category D: Honorary individual members. Category E: National NGOs Category F: Associate members. Non-tiger range countries contributing grants or donation of at least double the membership fee fixed for Category B members.
Global Tiger Forum- Structure
Global Tiger Forum- Secretariat Secretariat location- New Delhi Headed by Secretary General (Presently Dr Rajesh Gopal, India) Delegated Secretary General- To attend to daily work of Secretariat (Presently Dr S.P. Yadav, India) Administrative Officer, Communication Officer (WWF) and Technical Officer (WTI) to support Secretariat functioning
Global Tiger Forum- Secretariat GTF Secretariat for: i. Providing coordination and administrative support to GTF ii. Communicating progress on implementation of strategy and other key issues to GTF Standing Committee (SC) on regular basis iii. Assist SC in monitoring implementation
Global Tiger Forum- Secretariat iv. Managing database and website for information sharing on GTF and tiger issues across TRCs v. Acting as the focal point for information flow and communication between different GTF bodies vi. Managing finances and budgets of GTF vii. Coordinating and collating national action plans and other information from national focal points
Global Tiger Forum- National Core Responsibilities: Group Assisting with development, implementation and review of national actions as follow-up of overall GTF strategy Focal point for communicating with the GTF Secretariat Building national awareness and support for tiger conservation
Global Tiger Forum- National Core Group (India) Other roles as relevant to the country GTF s Secretary General chairs Core Group meetings Structure: SG, DSG, Admin Officer, TO and one nominated member each from WTI, WWF, IFAW and Ranthambore Foundation
Global Tiger Forum-General Assembly Composition: Highest policy organ of the Global Tiger Forum Consists of duly accredited delegates of members of Global Tiger Forum
Global Tiger Forum-General Assembly (Composition) Category A: Tiger Range Countries- Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam. Category B: Non Tiger Range Countries- 1) United Kingdom Category C: International and Inter-Governmental organizations 1) International Fund for Animal Welfare, 2) Traffic International, 3) WWF- International Category D: Honorary individual members- Mr Keshav Varma Category E: National NGOs-1) Ranthambhore Foundation, India, 2) Tiger Research and Conservation Trust, India, 3)Wildlife Protection Society of India,4) Wildlife Trust of India, 5) Corbett Foundation, India, 6) National Trust for Nature Conservation, Nepal, 7) Wildlife Conservation Nepal, 8) Centre for Wildlife Studies, India, 9) Wildlife Conservation Society, India Category F: Associate members-the US Fish and Wildlife Service Special Invitee status- IUCN
Global Tiger Forum-General Assembly Functions i. To elect Chairperson of Global Tiger Forum for three years; ii. To set strategic direction and policy of Global Tiger Forum; iii. High-level decision making on critical issues affecting tiger conservation in member countries;
Global Tiger Forum-General Assembly iv.to determine general policy of Global Tiger Forum; v. To determine organisation of its work and procedures including that of Secretariat; vi.to make recommendations to Governments and national and international organisations to meet objectives of Global Tiger Forum; vii.to determine dues of members;
Global Tiger Forum-General Assembly viii.to approve work programme estimates of income and expenditure for next three years and auditors report on accounts of Global Tiger Forum for previous three years; and ix. To perform such other functions as may be conferred on it by these statutes.
Global Tiger Forum-General Assembly General Assembly Year Month Venue 1st 2000 January Dhaka, Bangladesh 2nd 2001 November New Delhi, India 3rd 2004 November Hanoi, Vietnam 4th 2007 April Kathmandu, Nepal 5th 2011 March New Delhi, India
Global Tiger Forum-Standing Committee Earlier Standing Committee (SC) known as Executive Committee, present nomenclature agreed on 17 th May 2012 at New Delhi In total 16 Executive/SC meetings held so far SC headed by Chairman Chairman SC to be a senior tiger expert from Government of country acting as Chairperson of GTF
Global Tiger Forum-Standing Committee Chairman of SC- Currently Dr Rajesh Gopal (India) SC comprises four members of Category-A, two members from Category-B and one member from Category-C. Constitution of SC in last (16 th ) Meeting of SC - Category A: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Myanmar Category B: UK Category C: IFAW
Global Tiger Forum-Standing Committee Representative of each category to be elected by a simple vote of members of that category. SC to be responsible to Global Tiger Forum acting on its behalf for effective implementation of GTF strategy. SC to have its own Secretariat to be located in one tiger range country. SC to be located in New Delhi, India, until such time as Parties decide a different location
Functions i. Term of members to be 3 years (staggered rotation) ii. Total no of members not to exceed 12 iii. Maximum of two members per country iv. Maximum of two members per institution v. Should function electronically as far as possible Global Tiger Forum-Technical Advisory Committee GTF Technical Advisory Committee : National and international experts on tiger biology, landscape ecology, protection, trade, community engagement, infrastructure, information Chairperson and Composition- Yet to be constituted
Global Tiger Forum-Enabling Committee GTF Enabling Committee : National and international NGOs, Donors, GTI, SAWEN, ASEAN-WEN and Corporates Chairperson and Composition- Yet to be constituted Functions i. No specific terms and conditions ii. Should function electronically as far as possible iii. Could have a smaller representative core group to enable actions and report back
Global Tiger Forum- Ongoing Projects Tiger Watch : Annually co-organized Tiger Watch programme in India, brings Field Officers from Russia to visit tiger reserves in India. Monitoring of Global Tiger Recovery Programme Capacity Building : Training of Tiger Range State Officials in Wildlife Management (10 Months and 3 Months course annually in WII)
Global Tiger Forum-Tiger Watch Programme Tiger Watch Programme- Knowledge exchange between Indian and Russian Forest Officials a) Anti poaching activities b) Habitat Management c) Re- Introduction and re-wilding of tiger population d) Trans-boundary landscape management e) Population monitoring
Global Tiger Initiative United to save tiger from extinction
GTI- Vision We aspire to a world where, by 2022, wild tigers across Asia will no longer face the risk of extinction and will live in healthy populations within high conservation value landscapes that are managed sustainably for present and future generations.
What is Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) is a global alliance of governments, international organizations, civil society, conservation and scientific community, and private sector committed to working together toward a common agenda to save wild tigers from extinction.
GTI- History Launched in 2008 Founding partners- World Bank, Global Environment Facility, Smithsonian Institution, Save the Tiger Fund and International Tiger Coalition (representing more than 40 non-government organizations), 13 TRCs also partners of GTI GTI Secretariat- housed in World Bank Headquarters in Washington
GTI- Partners 13 Tiger Range Countries
Global Tiger Forum- Global Tiger Initiative For conservation of tigers worldwide, an aide memoire was signed between Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) In New Delhi on 2 nd November 20I0. This collaboration covers both scientific monitoring of populations and habitats as well as monitoring national processes to create a better environment for conservation of tiger habitat.
Global Tiger Forum- Global Tiger Initiative Objective of GTI programme is to help build national Institutions in Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) as well as offer an Independent basis for high quality monitoring. Both GTF and GTI to work as a single window on tiger conservation and for offering portfolio of services to TRCs; aimed to double the existing tiger population by 2022
Global Tiger Forum- Publication 1) Action tiger National Tiger Action Plans (NTAPs) of all 13 Tiger Range Countries Specific problems of each TRC requiring specific solutions discussed 2) GTF Newsletter Biannual Gives update on activities, issues, problems and solutions on tiger conservation related to GTF member countries
Global Tiger Forum- An Assessment TAC and EC not constituted National Core Group (India) functioning as SC Forum though international in conception, apparently an India centric entity; very little international significance Many important TRCs- China, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea- not yet members Not yet recognized as apex international body in tiger science, management and policy Financially insecure and inadequately staffed GTF Secretariat devoid of international getup and flavour Pursuing only adhoc activities- grossly inadequate with little follow-up
Global Tiger Forum- Making it Effective Give it international flavour by expanding Secretariat and inducting tiger conservationists of TRCs as important functionaries Secretariat to have 2 nd line functionaries (DDGs) representing different tiger regions, like S Asia, SE Asia, China, Russia GTF to lobby hard for entry of China and Russia as members GTF to raise resources from TRCs and international donors GTF hibernation providing space for others entry- GTI
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Dr Jagdish Kishwan Chief Advisor, Wildlife Trust of India
What is CITES? CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) international agreement amongst governments (to sustain balance between trade and conservation)
CITES- History of Constitution 1960 - Need for international agreement for wildlife trade flagged 1963- Text of CITES drafted following adoption of resolution in IUCN meeting 3 March 1973- Text of Convention agreed in meeting of representatives of 80 countries in Washington, USA 1 July 1975- CITES entered into force
India in CITES Ratification - 20 July 1976 Entry into force- 18 October 1976
CITES- How it works? Subjects international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls Prescribes licensing mechanism for import, export, re-export and introduction from sea for species covered by CITES Lists species covered by CITES in three Appendices- Appendix I, II and III
CITES- Appendices Appendix I- Includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species permitted only in exceptional circumstances-tiger, lion, wild buffalo, hangul, elephant, etc. Appendix II- Includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but require trade regulation and control to ensure conservation and survival- elephant (Botswana, Namibia, SA, Zimbabwe), rauvolfia, ginseng Appendix III- Includes species protected at least in one country, which requires other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling its trade- Canis aureus (India), Vulpes spp (India), mongooses (India)
CITES- Structure
CITES- Member (Conference of Party) Government of a State by making a formal declaration of adhering to provisions of CITES in writing to Depositary Government i.e. Government of Switzerland can 'join' the Convention Once Convention enters into force for a State, it becomes a Party to CITES COP- supreme decision-making body of Convention Total Number of Parties- 178 (2009), 181 (2014) Number of Parties to CITES fluctuates because of geopolitical changes (e.g. Unification of States, withdrawal from membership)
CITES- (Conference of Party) Graph showing increase of CITES member over the period Global Distribution of CITES members
CITES- GOALs 1. Ensure compliance with and implementation and enforcement of Convention 2. Secure necessary financial resources and means for implementing Goal 1 above 3. Contribute in significant reduction of rate of biodiversity loss by ensuring synergy between CITES and other multilateral instruments and processes and agreements
CITES- Achievement so far Created Species Database- Appendix I, II, III Created Trade Database- To regulate export quotas of tradable species to ensure conservation and healthy populations CITES Trade Database, managed by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEPWCMC) currently holds 10 million records of trade in wildlife and about 50,000 scientific names of taxa listed by CITES > 24 publications
CITES- Publications More than 24 Publications so far
India- CITES Issues International trade suspension on India imposed in SC 59 in 2010 for not meeting short/long term recommendations of SC in respect of Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan Yew): For want of data on level of artificial propagation, NDF study Pterocarpus santalinus (Red Sanders) For want of meeting SC Short term recommendations: Data sought by CITES: level of artificial propagation, permit process and discrepancies between reported Customs data and CITES data; Long term recommendations: NDF study
India- CITES Issues India raised matter in SC 61 in June 2011 requesting for lifting of international trade suspension by CITES on T. wallichiana and P. santalinus Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan Yew): India argued that export of products or derivatives from species was prohibited, and since no export was contemplated, CITES may consider lifting of ban Pterocarpus santalinus (Red Sanders): Since data sought by CITES on level of artificial propagation, permit process and discrepancies between reported Customs data and CITES data, had been sent, and NDF promised to be completed by November 2011, trade ban should be lifted.
India- CITES Issues Decision of SC 61 in June 2011 on lifting of international trade suspension on India by CITES on T. wallichiana and P. santalinus Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan Yew): SC decided to lift trade ban immediately Pterocarpus santalinus (Red Sanders): SC authorized the CITES Secretariat to lift trade ban once NDF Report and findings were submitted by India in November 2011 India submitted NDF study on P. santalinus in November 2011 seeking permission for export of seized stocks of 11,800 MT (8,000 MT in AP), and 310 MT every year from plantations in AP, TN (20)
India- CITES Issues CITES Secretariat accepted India s NDF study and report on Red Sanders and lifted the suspension on international trade, also allowing export of 11,800 MT of seized stocks and 220 MT of wood from plantations every year Decision of SC 62 in July 2012 on lifting of international trade suspension on India by CITES on P. santalinus Based on India s report on NDF, and seeking one time export of seized stocks of red sanders (11,800 MT- 8,000 MT A.P.), SC confirmed decision of CITES Secretariat to lift trade ban and allow export of seized wood and annual quota of 220 MT from plantations
Important COP 16 Decisions, March 2013, Bangkok, Thailand
India- CITES Issues Revision of Resolution 10.10 on trade in elephant specimens India made Cochair along with Uganda of a Sub-Group to revise Resolution 10.10 and submit draft to SC by 15 September 2013. India submitted revised draft in time after hectic consultations with Parties. Draft adopted in CITES COP 16 in Bangkok
16.55 Decision making mechanism for a process of trade in ivory An outcome of conf. 10.10 Working Group: USA UK Nigeria Cameroon Congo Japan China India Kenya Rwanda Thailand Burkina Faso South Africa Botswana Working group to work inter-sessionally, agree on final proposal at SC 66 and submit at CoP 17
Notification to Parties (No. 2013/055): Elephant ivory stocks: marking, inventories, security The notification to remind Parties that Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP 16) a. Recommendation to mark ivory tusks b. Submit inventories to CITES secretariat by 28 th February 2014 India: MoEF writes to all range States but has not received any information so far
Notification to Parties (No. 2013/062):Tortoises and fresh water turtles (Testudine spp.) Decision 16.113 Parties, particularly Asian countries region, to collect and report annually to Secretariat data on seizures of CITESlisted five tortoises and freshwater turtles, along with the disposal of these specimens. Parties to provide data in conjunction with their annual report submission till 2019 end.
16.41 & 16.42 Pangolins (Manis spp.) All range countries to compile information on illegal trade in Asian pangolins, and efforts to address such trade, and report at SC65 India: Information collected from all range States and shall soon be compiled
16.84 to 16.92 Rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae spp.) Parties to immediately bring every seizure of illegal rhinoceros specimens made within their territories to attention of authorities in countries of origin, transit and destination, Above information also to be placed before attention of CITES Secretariat to enable follow-up investigations ; Notify CITES Secretariat of seizures of rhino horn for which origin cannot be determined SC to review definition of 'hunting trophy' provided in Res. Conf. 12.3 (Rev. CoP16), in relation to rhinoceros horn hunting trophies, and consider whether any revision is needed in order to eliminate possible abuse of definition to facilitate illegal trade in rhinoceros horn
Notification to Parties (No. 2013/054): New Section on sharks and rays on CITES website To facilitate access to information and resources on the manta rays and five shark species listed in Appendix II in CoP 16 To conduct NDF studies to limit annual catch Parties to conduct capacity building activities and inform Secretariat.
CITES Management in India- Issues ADG (WL) CITES MA, India; AD/DDs WCCB CITES AMAs Technical and administrative support in MoEF negligible CITES Cell with representatives from WPSI, WWF-India, WII, DGFT, Ministry of Commerce, etc created and functional in MoEF CITES Cell requires strengthening- staff and technical capability (NDF studies: hammer-head shark, manta ray) CITES AMAs need field and inspection staff to control wildlife trade at major seaports and airports CITES yet to be incorporated in WLPA 1972
WTI and CITES Maintains national level wild elephant mortality database (EMDB) and ivory seizures Assists CITES Management Authority (MA) of India (MoEF) in preparing notes and interventions on agendas of SC and COP; WTI experts also attend Animal Committee, SC and COP meetings of CITES as Advisors Assists MA of India in drafting proposals for downlisting, uplisting or inclusion of species in CITES Appendices
Thank You.