Hong Kong steps up battle against illegal ivory trade: government to push for import and export ban, set timeline for end of ‘legal’ sales
Administration to review maximum penalties for illegal trading in endangered species, seek a ban on elephant hunting trophies passing through Hong Kong and expand prohibition to pre-1989 stocks of ivory
The government aims to submit a bill to kick-start efforts to outlaw the local ivory trade this year, and insisted it was not stalling, contrary to concerns voiced by lawmakers and wildlife campaigners.
At a Legislative Council environmental panel hearing on Monday, wildlife campaigner and pro-Beijing lawmaker Elizabeth Quat pushed the government for concrete details.
Environment undersecretary Christine Loh Kung-wai told the panel: “I don’t want to give you the impression that we are stalling, but at the present stage it is difficult for us to make an estimate.”
“But within this year we can submit this bill, and the council can pass the bill into law,” she said.
READ MORE: Hong Kong moves centre stage in seeking to beat the illegal ivory trade
Loh later outlined the framework to amend the law. She said: “To amend the law, we need to consult the stakeholders, not just those engaging in the trade, but some sectors in the community and members of the public. I cannot give a definite answer.” But her response raised concerns the administration was dragging its feet.
Following Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s announcement that he aimed to tackle the SAR’s role in the global ivory trade, concerns have been raised that the administration’s commitment was waning.
READ MORE: Lawmakers back motion calling for crackdown on city’s ivory trade
Alex Hofford, wildlife campaigner at WildAid Hong Kong, said the government appeared “serious” about its plans, but said “we would like to see them set a concrete timeline with actual dates,” adding that ivory could fall off the agenda during Legco elections later this year and the chief executive election in 2017.
According to the latest timetable, Hong Kong will push for a ban on the import and export of ivory, including legal pre-ban stock before moving to phase out the local trade.
A global ban on the international ivory trade came into force in 1989. It is still legal to trade in ivory which was on the market before then.
