Nations and environmental groups have agreed to shut down the domestic ivory trade, despite the resolution nearly being derailed by objections from countries including Japan and South Africa. Push for ban on domestic ivory trade spurs feud at international summit Read moreFollowing three days of political maneuvering, disagreements and walkouts, delegates at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) congress in Hawaii agreed on a text that calls on countries to close the internal trade of ivory “as a matter of urgency”. The international trade in ivory has been banned since 1989 but in many countries, including the US, UK and China, domestic trade is still allowed for antiques. However, representatives from countries including Uganda, Cameroon and Kenya spoke forcefully in favor of a ban. Gangs can get $1,100 per kilogram for ivory in China, which announced last year it would shut down its own domestic market.

Source: The Guardian September 11, 2016 17:10 UTC