Wildlife protection needed to sustain life on earth

Every year, on March 3, World Wildlife Day (WWD) is observed to celebrate wild animals and plants and to recognise the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet. 

Declared on December 20, 2013, at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the day has become as significant as the day the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in 1973.

The UN World Wildlife Day has now become the global annual event dedicated to wildlife, with the CITES Secretariat facilitating its observance.

The day’s significance lies in its focus on global wildlife conservation and protection. Life in the wild is intertwined with life in our villages, towns and cities, which will be non-existent if we neglect life in the wild.

This year’s celebration of World Wildlife Day, which was marked yesterday, is on the theme: “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet”. It is to whip up conversations on how to finance wildlife conservation more effectively and sustainably to build a resilient future for both people and the planet.

Wild animals and plants sustain ecosystems, regulate natural processes, and support biodiversity, providing essential services that reinforce human livelihoods and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to the UN, forests alone house 60,000 tree species, 80 per cent of amphibian species and 75 per cent of bird species.

They also support over 1.6 billion people with natural capital in the form of food, medicine and income.

It points out that with over one million species of wildlife estimated to be threatened with extinction, innovative finance for wildlife conservation is more urgent than ever.

The global body states that in spite of all the benefits of wildlife, current financial flows are insufficient for governments to meet national biodiversity targets and that the US$ 143 billion invested annually in biodiversity conservation falls short of the estimated US$ 824 billion needed each year.

Although the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has requested an SDG Stimulus of at least US$ 500 billion to help change the narrative, we believe that Ghana also has to come up with innovative ways to raise funds to protect the country’s biodiversity and wildlife, especially those that are of global significance.

For instance, as indicated by the Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, Musonda Mumba, wetlands such as the Sakumo, Keta, Densu and Songhor lagoons, most of which are of global significance, provide food, water, and livelihoods to billions of people worldwide, and by investing in their protection, we are ultimately protecting ourselves.

It takes money, for instance, to ensure that these wetlands are protected and not encroached upon.

The Creator in His infinite wisdom also provides the food chain to ensure all wildlife is kept in check and does not need humans to hunt down animals in the wild or wantonly fell trees in our forests.

Funding is needed to employ and equip forest guards and rangers, and conduct research on how to help breed endangered species or flora and fauna, which are near extinction as well as educate the public on why they should not poach wildlife to sell parts of the animal or just to satisfy our unquenchable desire for bush meat, so that the balance of the ecosystem is maintained.

The CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero, got it right when she stated in her message to mark the day, that “Our planet’s magnificent biodiversity is priceless, but conserving it comes at a cost.

Each year, hundreds of billions of dollars are needed to close the global wildlife conservation finance gap — a gap we must bridge to ensure the survival of species and the ecosystems that sustain us all.  

“Just as digital innovation has transformed the way we conserve wildlife; innovative financing is revolutionising conservation efforts.

Wildlife credits, conservation bonds, debt-for-nature swaps and other solutions show that it’s not just about numbers - it’s about funding conservationists, communities, and species in ways that align with our sustainable development goals, and in peace with nature”.

We couldn’t also agree more with the Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Grethel Aguilar, that “investing in nature is investing in our future.”

Indeed, as he stated, “Financing wildlife conservation is not a cost — it is an investment in a stable, prosperous and resilient future for all.

And it is one we must make together, united for nature.” 

We, therefore, urge the government, businesses, financial institutions, experts and the conservation community to work together to mobilise resources at the scale needed to protect our country’s wildlife and secure our future.