Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has called on the Group of Twenty (G20) to implement the recently adopted declaration that advocates for the fight against environmental crime.
Addressing the United for Wildlife Global Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, the Minister urged world leaders to move from words to action, from commitment to consequence.
Last month, the Cape Town Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment was adopted, marking the first time that major economies recognised environmental crime as organised crime.
It calls for stronger global cooperation to combat illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, mining, waste trafficking and other transnational crimes that undermine environmental security, societies and economic integrity.
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For the first time in the history of the G20, South Africa successfully placed crimes that affect the environment on the forum's agenda.
South Africa achieved a significant milestone this week with the adoption of the Rio Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment in Brazil.
It builds directly on the Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment, led by South Africa and adopted by G20 nations, representing more than 85 percent of the global economy, last month.
"When the G20 Environment and Climate Ministers met in Cape Town, we brought that duty [protecting wildlife] to the heart of global decision-making. For the first time, major economies agreed that crimes that affect the environment are not marginal issues. They are organised crimes that threaten our security, our economies, and our people.
"The Cape Town Declaration called for united action and urged all nations to uphold their own laws and stop the trade in resources stolen from nature. That principle unites us: respect, accountability, and shared responsibility.
"We are closing the captive-bred lion industry, the only commercial lion industry in the world. We are recommending that dried abalone be listed under Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)," the Minister said.
He emphasised that South Africa remains firmly opposed to reopening trade in ivory or rhino horn.
"Every animal poached, every forest felled, every coastline stripped has a human cost. When we unite against wildlife crime, we defend more than animals. We defend people. We defend economies," George said.
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