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Banner Photography:
© BreathtakingWhales.com |
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Environmental Threats
Photography: (top to bottom)
© Ezra Clark/EIA, © Antonio Di
Natale,
© Marine Photobank image provided by
Palm Beach
Reef Rescue In
many ways, the environment presents the greatest challenge
for whale conservation today and non-governmental organisations
(NGO) have for many years been advocating the evolution of
the IWC into a global conservation body for all whales, dolphins
and porpoises (cetaceans).
The impact of human activities on the environment is increasingly central to
our way of life, and climate change is now a front page economic and political
issue. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that demonstrates the continual
degradation of marine ecosystems. Whales are now threatened with global climate
change, pollution, over-fishing, accidental catches and ship strikes, in
addition to continued threats from hunting.
For some time now the IWC has recognised that cetaceans face numerous direct
and indirect threats as a result of human
activities. The IWC has adopted
at least 16 resolutions expressing concern regarding the conservation of whales
and their environment.
Since 1997, the IWC’s Scientific Committee has included
a Standing Working Group on Environmental Concerns, tackling
issues such as noise pollution, habitat degradation and disease.
The IWC’s Conservation Committee, which was established
in 2003, is currently assessing the impact of ship strikes
on whales as well as other conservation issues. Although open
to all members of the IWC, the Conservation Committee has so
far been boycotted by Japan, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica,
Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and
the Grenadines.
The Scientific Committee at the Santiago meeting of the IWC in June 2008 agreed to coordinate a second workshop on the effects of climate change on cetaceans, the first of which was held in 1996. This important workshop was held in Siena in early 2009.
Material from this workshop provided the basis for the Commission’s first consensus statement on climate change at the 61st annual Commission meeting in June 2009, and is particularly timely given the upcoming meeting on climate in Copenhagen later this year. The Resolution can be seen here. |
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