September 24, 2016
As the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flore (CITES) gathers in Johannesburg for its 17th Conference of the Parties, Global Financial Integrity (GFI) releases new estimates on the link between wildlife trafficking and the global shadow financial system. From a forthcoming report, to be published in November 2016, GFI finds that wildlife trafficking generates an estimated US$5 to $23 billion in revenues each year.
Halting the illicit wildlife trade is an urgent issue, not just for species conservation but for development and security as well. Community-based ecotourism is a powerful tool that can benefit development, yet wildlife trafficking robs local communities of their resources. Furthermore, profits from the wildlife trafficking finance corruption, violence, and instability.