Tag: whales

Four decades of protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises under the International Whaling Commission. A personal reflection by EIA co-founder Jennifer Lonsdale.

An estimated 2.9 million whales were killed in commercial whaling operations during the 20th century, decimating global populations. Given significant illegal and unreported whaling, even higher levels of depletion are likely.

In September 2024, the 69th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC69) will be held in Lima, Peru. Decisions taken at this meeting will have far-reaching consequences for the conservation of cetacean species, one quarter of which are already threatened with extinction.

The IWC’s critical role in tackling the impacts of plastic on the world’s whales, dolphins and porpoises Global production of virgin (primary) plastics has increased from two million tonnes in 1950 to 460 million tonnes in 2021 – an increase of 22,900 per cent. To date, humans have produced about 10 billion tonnes of plastics […]

For the world’s whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans), 2018 is a critical year. This briefing outlines several issues of concern regarding the global status of whales, dolphins and porpoises, and offers steps that can be taken to address them through the IWC

Japan, Norway and Iceland continue commercial whaling, which flies in the face of international environmental agreements while serving no economic or nutritional purpose. It is time for commercial whaling to end and for the IWC to reaffirm the continuation of the moratorium and promote the conservation of all whales