171國的環境部門官員結束海牙華盛頓公約(CITES)會議,修正超過100項國際動植物貿易規範。本報部分摘錄如下:
鯨魚
華盛頓公約結束3年一度的會議之前,遭受日本和冰島等贊成捕鯨集團的臨去一擊,要求開放鯨魚商品的商業貿易規範。
在熱烈爭辯、甚至一度進入會議凍結危機的情況下,華盛頓公約代表最後採取澳洲版本的結論:只要國際捕鯨禁令未解,華盛頓公約便毋須針對鯨魚修正貿易公約。如此一來,鯨魚也毋須排入華盛頓公約的定期修正議程。
海洋物種
此次會議中深入討論許多海洋物種,歐鰻是其中之一。歐鰻在許多國家向來是盤中珍饈,和其他高價魚種一樣受到華盛頓公約的貿易公約保護,以避免遭人類吃盡。華盛頓公約常務理事Willem Wijnstkekers表示,這趨勢顯示對海洋和漁場加速衰敗崩毀的關注持續受到注意。
未來
預算方面,儘管經過冗長協商和3次投票,都未能達成75%多數通過的表決。會議休息後,代表們最後通過愛爾蘭提出的6%漲幅。卡塔爾將主持下屆會議,該國代表此次也預備介紹國內的影帶播放。會中並討論下次會議的時間和議程,預定2010年在杜哈舉行。
Environmental officials from 171 countries are leaving The Hague today after adopting more than 100 formal decisions that update the regulations governing international wildlife trade.
Whales
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, closed its triennial meeting by once more turning back attempts by Japan, Iceland and their pro-whaling allies to lift restrictions on international commercial trade in whale products.
After a heated debate that threatened to bring the meeting to a standstill, the CITES delegates adopted an Australian resolution that no reviews of whale species should take place as long as the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling continues. This means that no whales will be subject to the CITES periodic review process.
Marine Species
At the CITES conference, extensive discussions on marine species led to the inclusion in CITES of the European eel, a popular food in many countries. The eel joins a growing list of high-value fish and other marine species whose trade is managed through the CITES permit system to ensure that stocks are not depleted.
This trend reflects growing concern about the accelerating decline of the world's oceans and fisheries, said CITES Secretary-General Willem Wijnstekers.
The Future
After lengthy budget negotiations and three votes which failed to achieve the required 75 percent majority, delegates took a short break and returned to approve a proposal by Ireland for a six percent increase in the budget.
Qatar offered to host the next Conference of the Parties and presented a video of his country, and delegates adopted by acclamation the time and venue for next COP to take place in Doha, Qatar, in 2010.
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