In Brief
CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON ENDANGERED SPECIES TRADE TO COMBAT SARS
The Chinese government has begun to crack down on trade in endangered species as part of its battle to halt the global spread of the SARS virus, which some experts believe might have originated from wild game consumed in China although the link has yet to be proven. As part of the campaign, Chinese authorities raided tens of thousands of markets, restaurants and kitchens, confiscating hundreds of thousands endangered animals and arresting almost 1,500 suspects. In the past, China has been strongly criticised by animal protection groups for its lax dealing with illegal wildlife trade, which constitutes a lucrative business in the country.
"SARS virus hits China trade in endangered animals," REUTERS, 1 May 2003.
US ATTACKS EU OVER TUNA FISHING
In a letter to EU officials dated 25 April, US Commerce Secretary Don Evans warned the EU that its continued "overfishing" of Atlantic tuna stocks could lead to new trade frictions between the US and EU, raising the possibility of trade sanctions if the EU did not reduce its harvest. "I am concerned that overfishing by EU member states is reducing stocks of ICCAT [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna] species below sustainable levels," Evans noted. He also expressed disappointment with ICCAT’s decision to raise quotas for Atlantic bluefin to a level that exceeded recommendations of the groups’ scientific advisers. The letter marks a victory for the Recreational Fishing Alliance, which has long been campaigning for the US administration to take action. The fishing group’s spokesman Herb Moore noted that EU member states had long dominated the ICCAT, enabling them to set quotas that contravened US interests. He also accused Spain and Portugal of routinely exceeding annual allocations.
"US warns EU tuna fishing could hit trade relations," REUTERS, 30 April 2003.
G-8 ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS SET PRIORITIES FOR UPCOMING SUMMIT
The Environment Ministers of the G-8, the eight major industrialised countries plus the EU, met in Paris on the weekend to discuss environmental priorities for the upcoming G-8 Summit to be held in Evian, France, on 1-3 June. As the "priority fields for action", Ministers identified access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, access to energy, reducing air and water pollution, combating climate change through mitigation and adaptation, desertification and deforestation, as well as biodiversity conservation. Ministers "strongly" supported the successful completion of the current trade round at the WTO, noting specific opportunities in the negotiations on environmental goods and services. However, France failed to garner support for its proposal to set up a World Environment Organization as a balance to the WTO.
"G8 environment heads focus on water, energy, Africa," ENS, 29 April 2003.