As 2024 ends, we feature some recent highlights of the advocacy and achievements of JGI Global and our partners.
2024 has been a pivotal year for the Jane Goodall Institute’s global advocacy. As the year draws to a close, we’re shining a light on just a few of our recent activities and achievements, with a special focus on our ForeverWild campaign against illegal wildlife trade.
We:
- Were official observers with a JGI delegation at the UN Biodiversity summit CoP16 in Cali, Colombia. We issued a statement and joined a collaborative call for parties to take immediate action to accelerate the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Dr Lilian Pintea also presented on TACARE.
- Actively participated in the working sessions and subsequent working groups following the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) 3rd Council Meeting in December 2023 on issues including GRASP’s strategic priorities, illegal wildlife trade and the Secretariat’s workplan.
- Issued a policy statement on climate change for the 29th Conference of the Parties (CoP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan (November 2024)
- Signed and supported an Open Letter to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body responsible for drafting and negotiating a World Health Organization instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
- Participated in the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) annual workshop (Johannesburg, South Africa; October 2024)
- Launched a Wildlife Tourism Policy
We:
- Renewed our core Anti-wildlife Trafficking Policy
- Sent our first ever delegation and made submissions to the Constructive Dialogues for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)
- Contributed to the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice’s Civil Society Declaration for more effective implementation of the UNTOC
- Co-hosted events with colleagues including our Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime (EWC) network including a side event at UNTOC CoP12
- Welcomed a groundbreaking resolution from UNTOC CoP12 titled ‘Enhancing measures to prevent and combat crimes that affect the environment falling within scope of the UNTOC’
- Marked the first International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime on November 15th and
- Launched a global Roots & Shoots campaign #GenWild in December 2024 to educate young people and protect wildlife.
We are grateful for your support. Our work is targeted, to really make a difference.
Together we will have even more impact in 2025.
“2024 was a significant year for JGI Global and our colleagues around the world in our shared fight against transnational organized crime.
We continue to strengthen our anti-wildlife trafficking approach and now see young people taking a more active role through Roots & Shoots, whether through the newly launched global GenWild campaign, focused on the need for wildlife to stay wild, or targeted local grassroots youth-led action including Roots & Shoots South Africa’s campaigning for stronger #rhinolaws.
We have more on the horizon for 2025, so watch this space to see how you can get involved to end wildlife crime. As Dr Goodall reminds us, the only way to stop a crime that knows no borders is to work together.”
Dr Zara Bending (Jane Goodall Institute Global resident expert on wildlife crime and international law)
Photo credits: Taronga Zoo (top), JGI (above right)
