Podcast

MUSIC/ANNOUNCER: This is a Podcast from the U.S. Department of the Interior

Ron Tull: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species known as CITES is meeting in Doha, Qatar. The United States, represented by the Department of the Interior, put forth a proposal to protect the polar bear and strongly supported a proposal from Monaco to manage blue fin tuna in a more sustainable way. Both measures were defeated at today’s Conference of the Parties. Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland will travel to Doha next week for another round of voting.

Assistant Secretary Tom Strickland:  In the history of conservation efforts particularly through CITES, it is not uncommon that the first effort to list a species is not successful and it requires a continued effort over a sustained period of time. When we look at the success that CITES has had, iconic species like the elephants and the big cats, it took a multi-year strategy. So while we’re disappointed with the votes today we’re heartened by the international attention that’s been focused on these two species, and we’re heartened by the support around the world to uplist the polar and the blue fin tuna.

Ron Tull: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Jane Lyder is in Doha now as the acting head of the U.S. Delegation. She says the U.S. has been successful in highlighting the impacts of climate change on species.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Jane Lyder: Our polar bear proposal really put a focus on the issue of how you consider climate change when you’re looking at listing and you’re evaluating stresses on a species and potential decline in a species. And the good news today, which was overshadowed obviously by the fact that the listing was defeated, is that there is a working group that is looking at this issue and we are hopeful that next week CITES will pass a resolution to create a mechanism to look at ‘how do we factor climate change into CITES.’ And that, in the long run, is very important.

Ron Tull: The CITES last met in 2007 in The Hague in the Netherlands. CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. This has been a Podcast from the U.S. Department of the Interior, I'm Ron Tull, Washington.