Good evening, everyone. It is a great pleasure to be here in Cape Town this evening. South Africa is a country of immense natural beauty and remarkable biodiversity.
It is also a country that plays a crucial role in the global conservation effort. Unfortunately, the troubling reality that we face is that our planet's natural systems are rapidly approaching an irreversible tipping point, driven by unprecedented nature loss and climate change. Since 1970, we have witnessed a staggering 73% decline in the average size of global wildlife populations.
That figure alone highlights the fragility of our ecosystems and the urgency of our mission. The illegal wildlife trade is a key driver of this decline, putting countless species at risk. It is a far-reaching problem that also undermines security and governance worldwide.
Beyond its impact on nature, it fuels organised crime, and is often entangled with other illicit activities like drug smuggling, arms trafficking, and human exploitation. The growth of these criminal networks fosters environments where violence against law enforcement and conservationists becomes commonplace. And crucially, this crisis is not confined to any one region – the ripple effects are profound for us all.
The overexploitation of nature, catalysed by the illegal wildlife trade, is a major contributor to biodiversity loss. Without nature and healthy ecosystems there is no guarantee of food security, no guarantee of clean water, and no guarantee of prosperou.
