Today’s vote represents a dark and irrevocable stain on the UK’s wildlife conservation record overseas. China is already the world’s largest destination for illegal ivory and this licensing decision will only serve to increase the market for what is essentially a brutal and hugely damaging trade.
So thanks to our Government and the other world leaders who failed to act, we can expect the illegal slaughter of endangered elephants across Africa to continue apace.
If Gordon Brown and his Environment Secretary Hilary Benn had wanted to try and prevent the Chinese from gaining a license to buy ivory and thus drastically reduce the trading opportunities for illegal hunters, they could have done so.
Grumpy From Birth But Vegan Since 1976
Welcome to Grumpy Vegan
- Kim Stallwood is an independent scholar and author on animal rights. His forthcoming book, Animal Dharma, explores what it means to care deeply about animals. Starting in 1976, he has held leadership positions with some of the world’s foremost organisations in the UK and US, including CIWF, BUAV, PETA, The Animals’ Agenda, Animals and Society Institute and Minding Animals International. A vegetarian since 1974 when as a student he worked in a chicken slaughterhouse. A vegan since 1976. His evil twin is the Grumpy Vegan.
