By Billy Kyte | Giulia Roncon

With the aim to support individuals in building resilient communities working to prevent, counter, and limit the damage of environmental crime, this handbook documents the challenges faced by defenders working in the environmental crime field and provides guidance to support their resilience.

The first section of the handbook analyzes definitional understandings of environmental crime and explores the impacts and harms it can perpetuate. The second section assesses the risks and challenges commonly faced by environmental defenders, including an assessment of their needs, and explores emergent regional issues that may play a part in such vulnerabilities. The final section presents a repository of best practices and tools that can help stakeholders to access available resources and to mitigate the potential risks they face.

The handbook draws from consultations involving nearly 100 prominent figures from civil society and media across Africa and Asia. Whilst findings are therefore geographically specific to some extent, our work confirms that the challenges experienced by environmental defenders in these regions were replicated globally as well. Although each country and regional context is different, the handbook outlines strategies that could be broadly implemented to support the community of stakeholders dedicated to tackling environmental crime worldwide.

Geneva, SWIT: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC). 2023.

By TRAFFIC

The research, conducted by a team of experts, focused on Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It began with an in-depth examination of social media platforms, where illegal wild species trade activities often thrive.

While these countries have made efforts to align their legal systems with international conventions and treaties, the study identified noticeable gaps and weaknesses in the enforcement of these laws. Ambiguous definitions, inadequate penalties, and shortcomings in regulating online trade were among the key issues identified.

The current legal frameworks in Central Asia are not effectively addressing the challenges posed by illegal wild species trade. To ensure the long-term success of sustainable trade, it is crucial to address these gaps and strengthen enforcement mechanisms.

The study provides a set of recommendations to address the identified shortcomings. These include clarifying definitions, enhancing penalties for offenders, and improving regulations for online trade. By implementing these recommendations, Central Asian countries can take significant steps towards curbing illegal wild species trade and promoting sustainable economic growth.

The findings of this study must urge policymakers to prioritise the enforcement of laws to stop steep declines of biodiversity in their countries. Sustainable and legal trade can only thrive when supported by robust and effective legal frameworks.

Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2024. 101p.

By Bakytbek Tokubek uulu, Sanjar Kurmanov, Louisa Musing

Law enforcement agencies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan can greatly benefit from systematically collecting, analysing, and sharing data with neighbouring countries on illegal wild species traders, networks, and trade routes. By doing so, these agencies can effectively bring these criminals to justice.

The report comprises four main parts: Guidance on Illegal Wild species Trade Data Collection, Guidance on Illegal Wild species Trade Data Analysis, Guidance on Illegal Wild species Trade Data Sharing, and Training and Capacity Building Resources to Support Law Enforcement Agencies Tackling the Illegal Wild species Trade.

The Guidance also includes examples of best practices from other countries, including European Union Member States. Additionally, the report references existing resources such as the ICCWC Wild species and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit and consolidates various tools and resources from initiatives like CITES, the World Customs Organisation (WCO), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) websites.

The report acts as a guidance tool, urging law enforcement agencies to adopt best practices in combating illegal wild species trade. By understanding the intricacies of this criminal activity and leveraging data-driven approaches, agencies can significantly enhance their effectiveness in tackling this global issue.

Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2024. 36p.

By Bakytbek Tokubek uulu, Louisa Musing, Amy Woolloff, Kanaat Musuraliev, Sanjar Kurmanov, Stephanie von Meibom S

Central Asia boasts a remarkable array of ecosystems, harbouring a diverse range of animals, plants and fungi, from majestic Saker falcons to the slow Steppe Tortoises alongside the unique Saiga antelope and various wild species of Bovidae, including Argali Mountain sheep and Siberian Ibex and plants like liquorice root that is used in herbal remedies and teas globally. While the assessment primarily focuses on the trade in animal and plant species listed in CITES Appendices, it also encompasses information on nationally protected but non-CITES-listed species.

The report, part of a trio of Central Asia publications, identifies several species that frequently appear in country seizure records, indicating the need for regional collaboration to combat illegal trade.

Notably, the Saiga Antelope emerges as the most frequently reported species in seizure records from government agencies in Kazakhstan, with smaller records in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The Saker Falcon also features prominently in seizure records from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, with additional reports of live falcons seized upon import to the UAE from Tajikistan. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have seized several thousand live specimens of the Steppe Tortoise.

Beyond providing a comprehensive overview of wild species trade, the study aims to identify common challenges and propose solutions to assist national agencies in coordinating efforts to combat illegal trade while effectively managing and regulating legal wild species trade.

Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2024. 90p.