Influencing International Policy
International institutions play an important part in shaping conservation worldwide. These organisations include multilateral environmental agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES ) as well as other bodies such as The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with regional organisations such as the European Union.
FFI believes that these institutions should support and strengthen conservation within individual countries. We are active in the international policy arena in a number of ways. We offer technical support to decision-makers through research and policy recommendations. We also work with national agencies to both influence international deliberations and to ensure effective implementation of international policy. In addition, FFI collaborates with partner organisations to develop innovative initiatives where these are needed.
We use our expertise to focus on a number of key issues. FFI supports measures to ensure that the international trade in wildlife, and other forms of wildlife use, are sustainable. Our work within CITES focuses both on the trade in individual species, and on broader policy issues, such as strengthening CITES implementation at the national level through the Wildlife Trade Policy review process.
Consistent with FFI’s commitment to take account of human needs, we work to ensure that international conservation goals are pursued in ways that do not harm the livelihoods of the poor and, wherever possible, make a positive contribution. Currently we are addressing this issue within CITES and the CBD.
Recently we have also been undertaking research on the role of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in contributing to biodiversity conservation. They do so in varied and often innovative ways in a range of different circumstances. FFI believes it is important to encourage decision-makers to adopt policies that will promote the role of SMEs in achieving biodiversity conservation goals.
Policy highlights
- Ensuring livelihoods are taken into account when implementing CITES.
- Developing a national marine turtle conservation strategy for Nicaragua.
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Conservation and human needs are inextricably linked, download our leaflet that describes how we integrate conservation and human needs.