Meeting #1: Limited to 70 Delegates and 10 Journalists
Special Session of the General Assembly 3rd Committee (SOCHUM)
AGENDA: The promotion of international cooperation in preventing and combating illicit international trafficking in forest and wildlife resources
Committee A (See Committee Description Below)
Fashion: clothing, shoes, handbags and other accessories
Committee B (See Committee Description Below)
Cosmetics and Fragrance
Committee C (See Committee Description Below)
Medicinal Use, Healthcare, Science and Medical Testing
Committee D (See Committee Description Below)
Pets, Zoos, and Sports
Committee E (See Committee Description Below)
Furniture, Construction, and Decor
Special Session of the General Assembly 3rd Committee (SOCHUM)
AGENDA: The promotion of international cooperation in preventing and combating illicit international trafficking in forest and wildlife resources
Committee A (See Committee Description Below)
Fashion: clothing, shoes, handbags and other accessories
Committee B (See Committee Description Below)
Cosmetics and Fragrance
Committee C (See Committee Description Below)
Medicinal Use, Healthcare, Science and Medical Testing
Committee D (See Committee Description Below)
Pets, Zoos, and Sports
Committee E (See Committee Description Below)
Furniture, Construction, and Decor
Countries in Each of the Five Regional Blocs
- 15 Countries
Colombia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Republic of Ecuador, United States of America, Belize, Brazil
Nicaragua, Canada, Panama, Uruguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Peru - 14 Countries
Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Uganda, Burundi, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Cameroon, Somalia
Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nigeria - 14 Countries
Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Lao DRP, Thailand - 15 Countries
Denmark, Poland, Finland, Kazakhstan, Romania, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Russian Federation, Italy,
France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium - 14 Countries
Cyprus, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Islamic Republic of Iran, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, Lebanon, UAE, Egypt, Turkey
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Specialized Committee Groups and Participating Countries
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- (14 Countries)
Denmark, Poland, Finland, Mali, Guinea , Senegal, Vietnam, Thailand, Colombia, Bolivia,
Republic of Ecuador, Cyprus, Jordan, Iraq
Fashion: clothing, shoes, handbags and other accessories
Animal skins and furs, bird feathers, and fibres have been used to make or decorate clothing for centuries. Their main use today is in the fashion industry where mammal, reptile, bird, and fish products are used to make coats, jackets, pants, footwear, bags, belts, purses, and other accessories.
Many companies have substituted wild-sourced material with material stemming from captive breeding farms or with fake, synthetic fabrics and material. Expensive, high fashion items, however, continue to be produced from wild-sourced animals, especially if captive breeding is not feasible or not cost effective and if consumers willing to pay high prices specifically demand genuine, wild-sourced material. Examples include shahtoosh shawls made from Tibetan antelope, an endangered species, and more widely available products such as snake-skin accessories (Broad et al, 2012).
The use of animal fur in the fashion industry has attracted particular controversy, not least because of the capture and treatment of animals and because of the use of endangered species in the production of fur clothing. Campaigns by animal rights activists succeeded in many countries to reduce demand and sales, and some countries banned farming of animals for the purpose of fur production altogether.
Elsewhere, hunting and other forms of wild-sourcing of pelts and skins remain a source of livelihoods for people in rural areas where the source species are abundant, including areas where hunting is enshrined as a right of indigenous people. Large exports of wild-sourced skins of protected species, including bobcat, river otter, brown fur seal, and peccary skins, as well as many finished garments made of these species, have been reported which reflects continuing high demand (UNODC, 2016).
The use of animals and animal products in industrially made clothing is all the more contentious because of the volatile nature of the fashion industry, which, by its very nature, is subject to trends and changes such that material that is fashionable in one season is out of fashion in the next season. Demand can thus change suddenly and rapidly, which can make farming of animals a risky economic proposition. Wild-sourcing, on the other hand, requires less investment and can thus involve fewer financial risks. When the target species are solitary animals, wild-sourcing is often carried out informally and opportunistically by rural people. When the collectors are not directly employed by the exporters, the vulnerability of supply chains to illegal sourcing is increased (UNODC, 2016).
Content from the E4J website was used for this committee explanation. - (14 Countries)
United States of America, Belize, Brazil, Ugunda, Burundi, India, Japan, Philippines, Kazakhstan
Romania, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait
Cosmetics and Fragrance
Derivatives from wild animals and plants sometimes form the basis of cosmetics and fragrances, though this is less common today than it once was. Musk, a greasy, glandular secretion from animals, and ambergris, a waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, for instance, were once used for perfumes but have since been replaced by synthetic alternatives.
Wild-sourced plants are still used widely in the cosmetics and fragrance industry, especially if cultivation is not practical or not cost-affective. Because wild plant populations are not well documented, it is difficult to determine whether the taking of plants is sustainable or whether it contributes to the extinction of species and the degradation of ecosystems. Increases in demand can lead to rapid overharvesting and when the species in question is slow to recover, as is the case with many tree species, and the impact can be severe (UNODC, 2016).
Content from the E4J website was used for this committee explanation. - (14 Countries)
Costa Rica, Argentina, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Bulgaria
Switzerland, Russian Federation, Islamic Republic of Iran, Qatar, Yemen
Medicinal Use, Healthcare, Science and Medical Testing
The use of animal parts, plants, or compounds extracted from them is commonplace around the world, ranging from herbal remedies to ingredients of industrial pharmaceuticals. Traditional medicines, upon which about 80 per cent of the world population relies for primary healthcare, frequently involve components derived from wild animal or plant species. It is estimated that 95 per cent of traditional medicines are based on plant material (Broad et al, 2012). Animals and animal parts used for medicinal purposes range from medicinal leeches (used to increase blood circulation and break up blood clots) to the gall bladders of pythons (the bile of which is used to treat ailments such as whooping cough, rheumatic pain, high fever, infantile convulsion, hemiplegia, haemorrhoids, gum bleeding, and skin infections) (Broad et al, 2012).
Many tonics and supplements include derivatives from wild animals or plants. Consumption of such products is often based on the belief that they may confer some qualities of the animal or plant from which they come. The use of such products is, however, not limited to persons sharing this belief; the use of wild animals and plants is deeply enshrined in traditional medicine, which makes it all the more challenging to change consumer behaviour, even if endangered species or commodities acquired illegally are involved. Captive breeding or plantation alternatives, if available, are regarded by many consumers as inferior and less efficient than products based on wild-sourced material. Because of their presumed healing effect, the same animal and plant species used in the production of medicine, tonics, and supplements are also often consumed for food (UNODC, 2016).
The use of animals in science and medical testing constitutes a further dimension of the illicit wildlife market (Maldonado & Lafon, 2017). A large part of this market has been attributed to the demand for primates for use in biomedical and pharmaceutical research. In the United States alone, the number of primates used in research and testing rose from 57,000 in 2000 to over 70,000 in 2010 (Miller-Spiegel, 2011). Most of these animals, over 80 percent, reportedly come from captive-breeding facilities, though other research suggests that most were wild-caught in 'tropical countries', especially in Southeast Asia (Eudey, 2008).
Content from the E4J website was used for this committee explanation. - (14 Countries)
Uruguay, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Cameroon, Somalia, Nigeria, Oman, Lebanon, Singapore
Indonesia, Nepal, Italy, France, Turkey
Pets, Zoos, and use in Sports
If living animals are trafficked, this is usually done for the pet trade, or, in some cases, to add them to private collections or zoos. Trafficking in living animals involves captive-bred and wild-sourced animals, some of which are protected species. Dedicated collectors frequently seek to obtain endangered species and are prepared to pay high prices for them, regardless of whether they are traded legally or illegally. The international trade of living wild-sourced animals for use as pets is dominated by reptiles, birds, and ornamental fish. It also includes invertebrate species such as scorpions and spiders, albeit less commonly (Broad et al, 2012; UNODC, 2016). The trade of living animals for use in zoos tends to involve a lower number of larger animals, often selected precisely because they are endangered and have become rare in the wild (UNODC, 2016).
The trade of tropical fish for aquaria and freshwater turtles and tortoises for terraria or other enclosures is believed to involve millions of individual animals each year. Just how much of this trade consists of animals sourced from the wild is not clear. While some consumers are willing to pay premium prices for wild-sourced animals, depending on the species, it can also be cheaper to source animals from the wild which, in turn, can stimulate further demand. Pet breeders may also seek to obtain wild-sourced animals in order to increase genetic diversity of breeding stock (UNODC, 2016).
A particular concern in the context of trafficking in living animals is animal welfare and the conditions under which animals are caught, trapped, transported, and kept. In order to maximize their catch and profits, some perpetrators employ methods that are exceptionally cruel to animals, that cause great stress to them, and that all too frequently kill off a significant share of live animal shipments (UNODC, 2016). Trafficking in living animals also extends to the collection, transportation, and sale of eggs which are often not adequately handled by those involved.
Wild animals traditionally play a significant role in many sports. Historically, this often included the competitive use of animals in activities such as bear baiting, bird batting, eel pulling, monkey fighting, and tortoise racing; 'sports' that have since been abandoned or outlawed, not least because of animal cruelty. Today, the use of wild animals in sports is much more limited than it once was. Falconry, for instance, now mostly involves captive-bred birds.
Much of the focus instead is on trophy hunting, which is the subject of much controversy and fiercely debated by opponents and advocates. Trophy hunting combines gamesmanship, leisure, and the excitement of using acquired skill. Its impact on endangered species is less clear. Supporters point out that trophy hunting is legal in many countries, promotes tourism, provides support for local communities who would otherwise find little value in their wildlife, and can contribute to conservation efforts (Wiersema, 2016; von Essen et al, 2014). Others, however, argue that it is a cruel pastime for wealthy elites and contributes to the demise of endangered species.
Content from the E4J website was used for this committee explanation. - (14 Countries)
Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Lao DPR, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Madagascar,
Nicaragua, Canada, Panama, UAE, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Germany
Furniture, Construction and Decor
Plants and plant material are widely used in the furniture, building, and construction industries. This is not limited to timber, but also includes rattan (made from climbing palms), bamboo, and plant products such as oils, gums, dyes, and latex (Broad et al, 2012).
Tropical hardwood is particularly valued by many consumers, although it may involve endangered tree species or come from tropical rainforests or other areas that are protected and have fragile ecosystems. About two thirds of tropical hardwood comes from Southeast Asia and the Pacific; Africa and Latin America contribute one third to the international trade. Most of the demand for furniture made from tropical hardwood comes from the countries where the timber is sourced; about one third of the tropical hardwood production is traded internationally.
Illegal and excessive logging poses a particular challenge to source countries, especially developing countries with large remote forest areas where logging activities are difficult to control, where forest loss is difficult to monitor, and where it is difficult to stop illegal activities. Some countries have imposed logging restrictions, placed specific species under protection, or imposed export bans on logs. Control and enforcement of such measures is, however, expensive and lacklustre in certain places. Furthermore, in some instances permits and certificates are forged and logs are mislabelled such that illegally sourced timber is laundered through regular, legal channels (UNODC, 2016).
Exotic and rare animals, animal parts, and plants are frequently sold as souvenirs, collectables, and curios and then used for decoration or ornamental purposes. This sometimes involves whole animals that are stuffed or insects or small animals that are encased in plastic to put on display in private homes or collections. Many animal parts such as ivory, turtle and mollusc shells, reptile skins, bird feathers, and coral are frequently used for these purposes; often they are carved or otherwise altered for decorative purposes. The skin of many Asian big cats, including tigers, snow leopards, clouded leopards, leopards, and Asiatic lions are used as throws or for ornamental purposes. Their skins are also sold as rugs for luxury home décor and purchased as prestigious gifts. The rarer the species, the more such items may serve as status symbols. Tourists also frequently purchase souvenirs that are made from local wildlife and may thus, wittingly or unwittingly, acquire objects made from endangered species or from illegally wild-sourced animals or plants (Broad et al, 2012; UNODC, 2016).
Some wildlife products have attained such status and scarcity that their value has become detached from any practical uses they historically had. These materials may be fashioned into jewellery, décor items, or objects of art, with the craftsmanship serving as the vehicle for the precious goods to be conspicuously displayed. The products that lend themselves well to this role tend to combine two key factors: they are traditionally recognized as precious and their supply is inherently limited. In other words, they convey prestige precisely because attaining them legally is difficult (UNODC, 2016).
Content from the E4J website was used for this committee explanation.