50 years of the protection of species agreement: environmentalists demand commitment

In view of the dramatic decline in biodiversity, environmentalists are calling for more action on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). According to the CITES secretariat, more financial incentives are needed to encourage residents to protect the species in their area. Above all, companies that benefit from trading in wood, fragrances or leather should be asked to pay more, said CITES Secretary General Ivonne Higuero of the German Press Agency in Geneva. In addition, governments must prevent poaching and smuggling more consistently.