The right tools – using tech to fight environmental crime
Technology doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and its use depends on people with commitment, motivation, context and the means to best protect our intimately-bound habitats and ecosystems
Technology doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and its use depends on people with commitment, motivation, context and the means to best protect our intimately-bound habitats and ecosystems
Last Thursday (October 17) saw a live debate in London organised by EarthWatch Institute as to whether the time was right to consider a legal trade of some endangered wildlife products such as ivory, rhino horn or tiger skins and parts.
The true global scale of wildlife and forest crime doesn’t become apparent until you look at all these environmental abuses as a single whole. Wildlife and forest crime is a serious, transnational crime, alongside human trafficking, money laundering, arms trade and drug dealing. It’s worth at least US$17 billion a year
EIA is very different to many other charities that specialise in wildlife because it is small but has a big influence. It is not afraid to say what is wrong and it does all it can to prevent dangers to the environment
After nearly five years, I have decided to move on to new challenges in a different field but I know that I will never be far away from the EIA family. Working as Head of Fundraising here has been quite a roller coaster, I have been living in interesting times and have no doubt picked up a few grey hairs along the way
The spectacle of magnificent, endangered creatures such as tigers, elephants and rhinos reduced to broken, bleeding carcasses, plundered for illegal trades in home decór, trinkets and fake ‘traditional’ medicines, can be all but impossible to view without provoking distress and fury in equal measure