Displaying items by tag: Wildlife

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international agreement which entered into force in 1993. The CBD has three primary objectives:

• The conservation of biological diversity
• The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
• The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources

What is it?

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is an opportunity for decision-makers, stakeholders and civil society organizations to convene in Nairobi, Kenya, with the aim of taking policy action for the environment. This year’s UNEA is taking place from 4-6 December under the theme of “Towards a pollution free future.” You can read more about UNEA in our recent blogs.

An Event Not to Have Missed

The first week of October was an eventful one—on Monday I had a knee operation, and thankfully it went well. A planned public transit strike was called off, and so on Thursday, the 5th and Friday, the 6th I attended the Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) Conference on Extinction and Livestock, which was held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London. It was worth the hobble to London, and the indignity of looking aged … leaning on a walking stick!

Recently, World Animal Net was honored to meet Jim Ries, President of One More Generation (OMG). OMG is a unique organization in that it was founded by two kids, Carter and Olivia Ries, who care deeply about animals and the environment that they (and we) rely on for survival. Carter and Olivia are passionate about empowering their peers to realize that their actions can in fact have a profoundly positive impact on the world around them. The work of this organization has inspired us at World Animal Net, and makes us optimistic for the future generations who will inherit the torch of making the world a better place for all its inhabitants. 

OMG's Jim Ries was kind enough to answer our questions about how their organization accomplishes its mission of youth empowerment. Don't forget to check out their Orangutan Letter Writing Campaign!

Legal advancements for animals can often come at a painfully slow pace. But last week, we couldn’t help but notice how many wins and promising animal law-related news items kept coming in. Here are a few of the highlights:

This week we are excited to highlight the European Alliance of Rescue centres and Sanctuaries (EARS). EARS is a collaboration between sanctuary and rescue centres for wildlife across Europe. As the illegal wildlife trade affects more and more animals each year, EARS provides an opportunity for the organizations caring for the individual animals rescued from the trade to connect and learn from each other's experiences. Dave Eastham, EARS' executive director, took the time to answer our questions. 

As many readers are more than well aware, a few weeks ago the death of Cecil the lion sparked outrage across the world. Cecil’s death also put conservation and hunting groups which support trophy hunting as a means to raise funds for conservation on the defensive, with numerous editorials bemoaning the outrage appearing in the days following Cecil’s death.

As 2014 comes to a close, we at WAN recognize that there is much work to do to make the world a better place for animals in 2015 and beyond – see our Twelve Wishes for 2015. At the same time we are thrilled to celebrate tremendous victories for animals in all corners of the globe. Many of these victories came about after the tireless efforts of the animal protection community that we are dedicated to serving. Our top picks are below:

Many of us are aware of the popular saying that a law is only as good as its enforcement. But until recently, the average person had limited real-time options to help animals in peril. Enter savvy smartphone apps to the rescue. From the United States to China, technology is helping protect animals from illegal activities such as prohibited trade in wildlife and abuse and neglect of companion animals. And animal protection organizations around the globe are helping move the ball forward. In this blog post, World Animal Net profiles a few apps that are available to iPhone and Android users.