Geneva\/New York \u2013 For thousands of years, people and wildlife have lived side by side, connected through the ecosystems they share. Wild species sustain critical ecosystem functions, from seed dispersal to pollination, and support livelihoods, food systems, cultural identities, tourism and economies around the world. Today, this relationship is being reshaped by infrastructure and agricultural expansion, invasive species, unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade, and the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. At the same time, conservation successes are enabling some wildlife populations to recover and expand into former ranges, increasing interactions between people and wildlife and creating both challenges associated with conflict and opportunities for coexistence across landscapes and seascapes.<\/p>\n
While many human-wildlife interactions generate ecological, social and economic benefits, others may lead to costs and risks for both people and wildlife. Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) arises when the presence or behaviour of wildlife poses actual or perceived threats to people’s interests, livelihoods or well-being, often resulting in negative impacts for people and wildlife alike. Human-wildlife coexistence, is a dynamic state in which people and wildlife share landscapes and the needs and interests of both are generally met through tolerance, adaptation and effective, locally appropriate management. For the more than 41,000 animal and plant species whose trade is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), conservation depends not only on effective trade regulation, but also on people’s willingness and capacity to live alongside wildlife.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Managing conflict, while ensuring that communities derive tangible benefits from wildlife, including through legal and sustainable trade, can strengthen support for conservation and create enabling conditions for the effective implementation of CITES. Successful approaches to promoting human-wildlife coexistence include wildlife-friendly land-use planning, community-based conservation, improved livestock and crop protection, compensation and insurance schemes and revenue-sharing mechanisms. The most effective solutions are interdisciplinary, locally led and developed jointly by Indigenous Peoples and local and rural communities, governments and scientists. They address not only the impacts of wildlife on people, but also the root causes of conflict and the factors that facilitate long-term coexistence.<\/p>\n
In 2027, World Wildlife Day (WWD2027) will be commemorated under the theme: \u201cHuman-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence: Shared Spaces, Shared Solutions<\/a>.\u201d This theme sits at the heart of the global wildlife conservation and sustainable development agenda, directly affecting people’s safety, livelihoods and species survival. WWD2027 aims to raise awareness and build momentum around a challenge that is increasingly recognized in global biodiversity commitments, while showcasing practical solutions that enable people and wildlife to coexist wherever possible.<\/p>\n CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero said: \u201cBuilding coexistence between people and wildlife is essential to achieving the CITES Strategic Vision 2021-2030, advancing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. By supporting effective management of human-wildlife interactions and sustainable livelihoods for Indigenous Peoples and local and rural communities, and all those who live near or alongside wild species, including CITES-listed species, we can help secure a future that benefits both people and wildlife for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n Organized by the CITES Secretariat in collaboration with the\u00a0United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)<\/a>, the\u00a0International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)<\/a>,\u00a0Jackson Wild<\/a>, the\u00a0International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s Species Survival Commission\u2019s Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group (IUCN SSC HWCCSG)<\/a>, the\u00a0Geneva Environment Network<\/a> and other partners, WWD2027 activities will aim to:<\/p>\n Celebrate Conservation Efforts\u00a0\u2013 Showcase examples of efforts to foster human-wildlife coexistence sustainably, through high-level dialogue, local activities and creative media such as youth artwork, photography, and film.Strengthen Knowledge and Awareness\u00a0\u2013 Provide policymakers, educators, and conservationists, youth, and the general public with data and insights on the complex dimensions of human-wildlife conflict and innovative approaches to reducing conflict.Encourage Research, Innovation and Partnerships\u00a0\u2013 Connect government agencies, conservation organizations, researchers, and rural community leaders to exchange lessons learned and strategies for reducing human-wildlife conflict and moving towards long-term coexistence that benefits both people and wildlife.<\/p>\n Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP\u2019s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, said: \u201cCommunities closest to wildlife bear the brunt of human-wildlife conflict\u2014and must help shape the solutions. Through UNDP\u2019s work on nature, we support countries and communities to protect biodiversity and advance human well-being together. This World Wildlife Day, the message is clear: shared spaces demand shared responsibility. When people and wildlife thrive together, so does our planet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPeople should not have to choose between protecting their livelihoods or protecting wildlife. From migratory elephant corridors in Africa to connected tiger habitats in India to marine shipping lanes shared with whales, IFAW is working with communities and partners to ensure coexistence is possible. Wildlife needs room to move freely, people need to feel secure, and both deserve a shared and hopeful future. This World Wildlife Day is an opportunity to demonstrate that coexistence is not simply an aspiration, but something we can all collectively build together,\u201d said Azzedine Downes, CEO & President of IFAW.<\/p>\n \u201cLiving alongside wildlife is one of the defining challenges and opportunities of our time,\u201d said Christie Quinn, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. \u201cBuilding on the mission of World Wildlife Day, the Film Showcase allows us to spotlight the stories and solutions showing that coexistence is not just possible, but already happening. Film uniquely helps us see these shared spaces through the eyes of the people who live in them, building understanding, empathy and hope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuman-wildlife conflict is one of the most pressing conservation challenges of our time, affecting people and wildlife in every country. These situations are usually complex and rooted in long histories of relationships between people, and solutions depend on bringing together a range of expertise and insights. The forthcoming 2nd International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence will be a key global event for convening dialogue among governments, scientists, practitioners, and communities – creating space for shared learning for coexistence,\u201d said Alexandra Zimmermann, Chair of the IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group.\u00a0<\/p>\n The main high-level event for WWD2027 will be held on Wednesday, 3 March 2027 at the\u00a02nd International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence,<\/a> organized by the IUCN SSC HWCCSG, in Bangkok, Thailand, which was the original proponent of the\u00a0UN General Assembly Resolution on World Wildlife Day<\/a>. Online activities will include the annual\u00a0Jackson Wild Film Showcase<\/a> and\u00a0IFAW Youth Art Contest<\/a>. More details will be announced soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n In line with the\u00a0UN General Assembly Resolution<\/a>\u00a0proclaiming World Wildlife Day, the CITES Secretariat calls on all Member States and organizations of the United Nations system and other global, regional and sub-regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and all interested individuals, to:<\/p>\n observe and raise awareness of the theme for World Wildlife Day 2027;\u00a0organize local World Wildlife Day celebrations on the theme of\u00a0Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence: Shared Spaces, Shared Solutions;\u00a0involve Indigenous Peoples, local communities and youth with experience and knowledge in wildlife conservation and trade in World Wildlife Day 2027 events and celebrations;\u00a0make use of the World Wildlife Day\u202flogos\u202fand 2027 outreach material (coming soon) as widely as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n Updates and information about the celebrations will be ongoing and communicated via the\u00a0World Wildlife Day website<\/a> and social media channels.<\/p>\n Learn more about the #WWD2027 theme\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n _______________<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Notes:<\/p>\n For enquiries, please contact\u00a0wildlifeday@un.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n About the United Nations World Wildlife Day<\/p>\n On 20 December 2013, the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world\u2019s wild fauna and flora. The date is the day of the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. World Wildlife Day has become the most prominent global annual event dedicated to wildlife.<\/p>\n For more information, follow World Wildlife Day on:<\/p>\n Find out more:\u00a0htt<\/a>ps:\/\/wildlifeday.org\/en<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n About UNDP:\u00a0UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org<\/a> or follow at @UNDP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Geneva\/New York \u2013 For thousands of years, people and wildlife have lived side by side, connected through the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":819240,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[268810,268809,268808,90,56,54,55,4407],"class_list":["post-819239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wildlife","tag-ecosystems-and-biodiversity","tag-goal-14-life-below-water","tag-goal-15-life-on-land","tag-science","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-wildlife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/819239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=819239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/819239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/819240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=819239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=819239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=819239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}