Image copyright AFP Image caption Kenya set alight 105 tonnes of ivory tusks in April to help tackle the illegal trade

China has announced a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017.

Conservation groups hailed the decision as "historic" and a "game-changer" for the future of elephants.

The move follows a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in South Africa in October.

China has the biggest ivory market in the world - some estimates suggest 70% of the world's trade ends up there.

The war on elephants

Why elephants are seeking refuge in Botswana

Ivory can reach $1,100 (£850) per kilogram in China.

'Great leadership'

China's State Council announced the details of the ban on Friday.

The commercial processing and sale of ivory will stop by 31 March, and all registered traders will then be phased out, bringing a full halt to the market by the end of the year.

Conservation group WWF welcomed the latest news, calling it a "historic announcement... signalling an end to the world's primary legal ivory market and a major boost to international efforts to tackle the elephant poaching crisis in Africa".

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Alastair Leithead on the poaching problems in Botswana

Elly Pepper, deputy director of wildlife trade for the Natural Resources Defense Council, praised China for its "great leadership" on the issue.

"Setting such an aggressive timeline to close - once and for all - the largest domestic ivory market in the world is globally significant.

"It's a game changer and could be the pivotal turning point that brings elephants back from the brink of extinction," she said.

While the international market in ivory has been closed since 1989, legal domestic markets have continued in many countries around the world.

A surge in the killing of elephants over the past seven years has seen populations across Africa shrink by a third, according to the recently published Great Elephant Census.

China had backed the Cites resolution in October, surprising participants with the strength of its support for a ban.

Some delegates said Beijing had wanted an even stronger resolution.</s>China will ban all ivory trade and processing by the end of 2017, the government said, in a move hailed by conservationists as a "game changer" for African elephants.

African ivory is highly sought after in China, where it is seen as a status symbol, with prices for a kilo (2.2 pounds) reaching as high as $1,100.

"To better protect elephants and better tackle the illegal trade... China will gradually stop the processing and sale of ivory for commercial purposes" by the end of 2017, the State Council, China's cabinet, said in a statement late Friday.

"Before then, law enforcement agencies will continue to clamp down on illegality associated with elephant tusks," the official Xinhua news agency said, quoting a government official as saying.

A first batch of workshops and retailers would be forced to close by the end of March.

The move comes after Beijing said in March it would widen a ban on imports of all ivory and ivory products acquired before 1975, after pressure to restrict a trade that sees thousands of elephants slaughtered every year.

Xinhua said the complete ban would affect "34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with dozens to be closed by the end of March 2017".

"This is great news that will shut down the world's largest market for elephant ivory," Aili Kang, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Asia, said in a statement.

"I am very proud of my country for showing this leadership that will help ensure that elephants have a fighting chance to beat extinction. This is a game changer for Africa's elephants."

- 20,000 elephants killed each year -Conservationists estimate that more than 20,000 elephants were killed for their ivory last year, with similar tolls in previous years. The WWF campaign group says 415,000 of the animals remain.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took effect in 1975, banned the ivory trade in 1989.

China permits the resale of ivory bought before the 1989 ban -- and also has a stockpile purchased with CITES approval in 2008, which it releases for sale with certification.

Beijing would continue to allow auctions of ivory antiques deemed to have come from legitimate sources, under strict supervision, the government added.

WWF also praised China's move to a complete ban but called on the Chinese territory of Hong Kong to bring forward a plan to end its ivory trade by 2021.

WWF said legal research published by the conservation group shows an ivory ban could be imposed "much sooner under current Hong Kong law".

"With China’s market closed, Hong Kong can become a preferred market for traffickers to launder illegal ivory under cover of the legal ivory trade," said Cheryl Lo, senior wildlife crime officer at WWF.

Between 800 and 900 cases of ivory smuggling are uncovered in mainland China each year, according to customs figures. And more than half of legitimate ivory businesses are implicated in the illegal trade.

The United States -- the world's second-largest consumer of illegal ivory after China -- announced in June a near-total ban on the trade of African elephant ivory but with notable exemptions including antiques.

Ivory carving is an ancient art in China and finely worked pieces, whether elaborate depictions of traditional Buddhist scenes or more simple seals and chopsticks, are considered highly collectible.</s>China has announced it will ban the trading and processing of ivory by the end of 2017. The move has been hailed by conservationists as a "game changer" for elephants....
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• China announces ban on ivory trade by end of 2017</s>China to ban ivory trade by end of 2017

China will ban all domestic ivory trade and processing by the end of 2017, state media reported Friday, in a move hailed by activists as a “game changer” for African elephants.

African ivory is highly sought after in China where it is seen as a status symbol and prices for a kilo (2.2 pounds) can reach as much as $1,100.

“China will gradually stop the processing and sales of ivories for commercial purposes by the end of 2017,” the official Xinhua news agency said, citing a government statement.

The announcement follows Beijing’s move in March to widen a ban on imports of all ivory and ivory products acquired before 1975 after pressure to restrict a trade that sees thousands of elephants slaughtered every year.

Xinhua said the complete ban would affect “34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with dozens to be closed by the end of March 2017”.

“This is great news that will shut down the world’s largest market for elephant ivory,” Aili Kang, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Asia, said in a statement.

“I am very proud of my country for showing this leadership that will help ensure that elephants have a fighting chance to beat extinction. This is a game changer for Africa’s elephants.”

Conservationists estimate that more than 20,000 elephants were killed for their ivory last year, with similar tolls in previous years. The WWF campaign group says 415,000 of the animals remain.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took effect in 1975, banned the ivory trade in 1989.

Like other countries, China permits the resale of ivory bought before the 1989 ban — and also has a stockpile purchased with CITES approval in 2008, which it releases for sale with certification.

WWF also praised China’s move to a complete ban but called on the Chinese territory of Hong Kong to bring forward a plan to end its ivory trade by 2021.

“With China’s market closed, Hong Kong can become a preferred market for traffickers to launder illegal ivory under cover of the legal ivory trade,” said Cheryl Lo, senior wildlife crime officer at WWF.

The post China to ban ivory trade by end of 2017 appeared first on The Independent Uganda:.

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>China to Shut Down Ivory Trade by End of 2017

China says it will end its ivory trade and shut down its ivory processing by the end of next year. The State Council, China’s cabinet, said in a statement Friday, “To better protect elephants and better tackle the illegal trade ... China will gradually stop the processing and sale of ivory for commercial purposes,” by the end of 2017. China has been under mounting international pressure to end its consumption of ivory products. In March, Beijing said it would widen a ban on imports of all ivory and ivory products...
• In the last 1 day
• China announces ban on ivory trade by end of 2017 BBC News Africa (Yesterday) - China announces a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of...
• China to Shut Down Ivory Trade by End of 2017
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• China to Shut Down Ivory Trade by End of 2017
• China announces ban on ivory trade by end of 2017
• Afcon 2017: Mali fail in bid to include Boro's Adama Traore in squad</s>The elephant population in Africa can hopefully look forward to a safer 2017. China has announced it will phase out domestic ivory trade by the end of 2017, a move that conservationists are hoping will also put an end to the large-scale elephant poaching in Africa.

In what is being called a "game-changer", China's State Council announced the details of the ban on 30 December. According to the plan, commercial processing and sale of ivory will come to a halt by 31 March, and there will be a phasing out of all registered traders.

The country has been under international pressure to stymie the legal sale of products made from elephants' tusks and while it decided to end ivory trade in 2015, the timeline is a step forward in making it a reality.

"China's announcement is a game changer for elephant conservation," Carter Roberts, the president and chief executive of the World Wildlife Fund, said in a statement. "With the United States also ending its domestic ivory trade earlier this year, two of the largest ivory markets have taken action that will reverberate around the world."

Lo Sze Ping, CEO of WWF-China, added: "WWF applauds China's decision to ban its domestic ivory trade so swiftly, underlining the government's determination and strong leadership to reduce demand for ivory and help save Africa's elephants.

"Closing the world's largest legal ivory market will deter people in China and beyond from buying ivory and make it harder for ivory traffickers to sell their illegal stocks."

Ivory trade was banned internationally in 1989, but a loophole allowed southern African countries to hold occasional legal sales of their ivory stockpiles. In 2008, China was given permission by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to buy ivory legally from several southern African countries. Despite measures to restrict the sale to stockpiles, the black market for tusks rocketed.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 elephants have been killed in Africa alone over the past 10 years and one tusker is killed every 26 minutes on an average.

Elly Pepper, deputy director of wildlife trade for the Natural Resources Defense Council celebrated the global significance of the announcement.

"Setting such an aggressive timeline to close — once and for all — the largest domestic ivory market in the world is globally significant.

"It's a game changer and could be the pivotal turning point that brings elephants back from the brink of extinction," she said.</s>China to ban all ivory trade by end of 2017

China has planned to phase out all ivory processing and trade by the end of 2017, state media reported on Saturday. “Dozens of the country’s 34 processing companies and 143 trading venues will be closed by the end of March 2017,’’ the media report said. According to conservation organisations, China have overtaken Japan in 2011 […]

The post China to ban all ivory trade by end of 2017 appeared first on Nigerian Pilot: Nigerian Newspaper.

This post was syndicated from Nigerian Pilot: Nigerian Newspaper. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook</s>China to ban all ivory trade by end of 2017

China has planned to phase out all ivory processing and trade by the end of 2017, state media reported on Saturday. “Dozens of the country’s 34 processing companies and 143 trading venues will be closed by the end of March 2017,’’ the media report said. According to conservation organisations, China have overtaken Japan in 2011…

The post China to ban all ivory trade by end of 2017 appeared first on The Herald Nigeria – 24/7 News updates from Nigeria.

This post was syndicated from The Herald Nigeria – 24/7 News updates from Nigeria. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook</s>China announces ban on ivory trade by end of 2017

China announces a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017....
• In the last 3 days
• Afcon 2017: Ex-England winger Wilfried Zaha named in Ivory Coast squad BBC News Africa (2 days ago) - Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha is named in Ivory Coast's provisional 24-man squad for the...
• China announces ban on ivory trade by end of 2017
• Afcon 2017: Mali fail in bid to include Boro's Adama Traore in squad</s>China, the biggest ivory market in the world, will ban trade and processing of all domestic ivory by the end of 2017 in a bid to save the fast dwindling tusker population, a move hailed by activists as "historic" and a "game changer" for African elephants.

The decision came after China had imposed a three-year ban on ivory imports in March this year, in an escalated fight against illegal trading of wild animals and plants.

"China will gradually stop the processing and sales of ivories for commercial purposes by the end of 2017," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a statement released by the government.

The move will impact China's 34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with dozens to be closed by the end of March 2017, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying.

Before that deadline, law enforcement agencies will continue to clamp down on illegalities associated with the elephant's tusk, an official told the agency.

China's move, if implemented, strictly could a "game changer", specially the African elephant conservation as hundreds killed every year by poachers to feed into the burgeoning markets in China and Hong Kong.

As a result the numbers of Africa s savannah elephants dropped to 3.5 lakh thousand in 2014.

China's move to ban ivory trade followed a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in South Africa in October.

China has the biggest ivory market in the world - some estimates suggest 70 per cent of the world's trade ends up there. Ivory's price can reach USD 1,100 per kg in China.

Conservation group WWF welcomed the latest news, calling it a "historic announcement", signalling an end to the world's primary legal ivory market and a major boost to international efforts to "tackle the elephant poaching crisis in Africa", BBC reported.

Elly Pepper, deputy director of wildlife trade for the Natural Resources Defence Council, praised China for its "great leadership" on the issue.

"Setting such an aggressive timeline to close - once and for all - the largest domestic ivory market in the world is globally significant, Pepper said.

"It's a game changer and could be the pivotal turning point that brings elephants back from the brink of extinction," she said.

While the international market in ivory has been closed since 1989, legal domestic markets have continued in many countries around the world.

A surge in the killing of elephants over the past seven years has seen populations across Africa shrink by a third, according to the recently published Great Elephant Census.
China's State Council announces details of its intention to ban all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017.