Ban on ivory trade ‘too little, too late’
Owning it should be seen as shameful, not a status symbol
CHINA’S decision to ban all trade in ivory by the end of the year has been widely hailed as a game changer by environmentalists in China and across the world. Many commentators have pointed out that this new policy is also motivated by self-interest. China has rapidly growing economic and political interests in Africa and hopes to improve its image by responding to pressure from its African allies to reduce demand for ivory among Chinese consumers.
If protecting elephants is in China’s self-interest – and if African leaders care enough about them to put pressure on China to change its policies – that is welcome news.
Nevertheless,we can’t help worrying this will prove a hollow victory: a case of too little, too late. It is already too late for the 150 000 elephants estimated to have been killed by poachers since 2012, when the scale of the crisis was plain to see. No one doubts China was the principal destination for the ivory from this slaughter.
Across Africa, it is no secret that the increasing number of Chinese workers, tourists, trade delegations and diplomats in Africa have provided a lucrative market for local criminals engaged in the ivory trade. For many, a visit to Africa is seen as an opportunity to acquire a suitcase of ivory bangles or a tusk to take home as a nest egg. Others have colluded with corrupt officials to smuggle out much larger amounts of ivory. Until recently, the authorities have vehemently denied any responsibility for the role of China in the elephant slaughter.
Even more seriously, negligence and inaction by Chinese and other world leaders in the past four years have allowed international crime cartels to take control of the ivory trade. The cartels have used this time to set up infrastructure, supply chains to markets in China and neighbouring countries, financial instruments for money laundering, and contacts with corrupt politicians and law enforcement personnel in China and Africa.
These are elements of a system moving ivory from the killings field in Africa to Chinese consumers.
We don’t know in detail what the authorities propose to do, but given the rapid growth of ivory trafficking across Asia, just closing down the existing legal trade in China will not be enough to save elephants. They have it in the power to stigmatise the purchase of ivory among the vast majority of law-abiding consumers – so that owning ivory becomes a source of shame, rather than a status symbol.
This is the chance for China’s leaders to demonstrate they are serious about ending the trade and to make up for the delay in changing a policy which has been so devastating. Amplifying the effect of the ban in this way could not only save elephants, but set a precedent for China’s role in the conservation of endangered species.