Bushmeat Update

After the African states established NEPAD, the New Partnership for Africa's Development, the G8 states agreed on an Africa Action Plan during the Global Economic Summit in June 2002. The priority target of this Action Plan is the promotion of peace, education and trade. The Congo Basin Forest Partnership was also established on a similar occasion: it was introduced by the USA and South Africa during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The Congo Basin Forest Partnership envisages the regional management of natural, cross-border resources. Yet even in the most recent report on the Africa Action Plan in June 2003, only a small paragraph is dedicated exclusively to conservation; typically, conservation is mentioned only in the context of sustainable use.
AFLEG, African Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade, was established as another declaration of intent and request for financial support by 29 African government representatives, 8 European countries, the European Commission, the USA and Canada, in October 2003. AFLEG refers expressly to the problem of forest destruction and the illegal bushmeat trade, but always in the context of the continuing development of forestry and "sustainable use of natural resources". Obviously, this catchphrase is still very powerful. Many scientific studies, however, and even the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) consider sustainable use, as defined, for example, by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) criteria or as suggested by the Ape Alliance in a code of practice, as not feasible in forestry for various, mostly economic reasons.
Many scientists now have severe doubts as to whether sustainable use is actually possible, for instance regarding hunting in tropical forests (see for example Hunting for Sustainability, edited by J. Robinson and E. Bennett in 2000). The reason for this is not only the gap in knowledge and the fact that the concept cannot be tested over the short-term, but also in the approach itself, which is based on theoretical economics which do not appropriately represent ecological-dynamic processes. These are subject to a suite of variables that cannot reliably be predicted over the long term. There is a need for approaches that not only allow for the typical, "politically correct" development tracks, but will also permit the maintenance of completely protected areas, as the latter are of importance for long-term ecological and economic stability.
The Congo Basin Partnership currently has a budget of Euro 100 million, in addition to on-going projects (e.g. EU projects provide another Euro 150 million). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation annually spends Euro 125 million on projects for the conservation and sustainable use of forests worldwide, according to Uschi Eid (28 October 2003).
James et al. (1999, 2001) cited several studies that calculated environmental goods and services provided by natural biological systems and biodiversity itself up to US$ 33 trillion annually. This study group also estimated that annual costs for maintaining biodiversity cluster around US$ 20 billion. Annual funding shortfalls for conservation of existing protected areas in sub-Saharan Africa are about US$ 253 million with effective conservation costs per km² of US$ 240 on average (see also Balmford et al. 2002, 2003).
Various organisations (the European zoo association EAZA, IFAW, the Zoological Society of London and the company Ciel) united in a European initiative, the bushmeat campaign (through EAZA also supported by Bergorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe), which addresses the bushmeat problem at a global political level, for example with the World Bank and with AFLEG. The EAZA bushmeat campaign, which targets the EU, has actually made some progress: a resolution was drafted which was commented on and supported by the EU committee for development. The resolution, which demands concrete financial support and also addresses the problem area of arms and ammunition, is to be passed by the EU petition committee on 14 January.
As usual, we can only hope that action will follow the written declaration of intent - this is where every single one of us can contribute: as consumers, as donors, as taxpayers and as voters!

Iris Weiche

Iris Weiche started her work with primates, in the wild and in zoos, in 1990. At the moment she works on female gorillas in zoos. Since 1994 she has been active for the Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe, and from 1997 to 2002 she was a member of the Board of Directors.

References
Balmford, A. et al. (2002): Science 297(5583): 950
Balmford, A. & Whitten, T. (2003): Oryx 37: 238-250
James, A. et al. (1999): Nature 401: 323-324
James, A. et al. (2001): BioScience 51(1):
43-44

From 26 to 28 November 2003, UNESCO hosted a GRASP meeting in Paris. As Ian Redmond reported, 17 out of 23 great ape range states had sent representatives, and a further two tried but were unable to attend because visas could not be acquired in time. In addition, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany (GTZ), Japan, UK and USA were represented as well as UNEP, UNESCO, FAO, CITES, CMS, GEF, Europe-aid, IUCN, CARPE and many NGO partners and friends. A GRASP Statement of Intent was prepared and circulated.

Bushmeat overview

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