{"id":126,"date":"2020-07-09T15:51:11","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T15:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mikanodemosites.com\/wems\/?p=126"},"modified":"2026-03-20T06:29:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T06:29:55","slug":"the-reports-help-us-understand-the-ecological-situation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikanodemosites.com\/wems\/the-reports-help-us-understand-the-ecological-situation\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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WEMS is an\u00a0environmental governance<\/a>\u00a0project and its objective is to assist monitoring trafficking and illegal wildlife crime through a joint effort carried out by\u00a0United Nations<\/a>\u00a0bodies, national governments, private industries, civil society and research institutions. WEMS brings together national enforcement institutions to a common data collection and reporting mechanism through the WEMS 2.0 information system.\u00a0 The compiled data will be then analyzed and selected non-nominal information will be made available online through the WEMS initiative website. WEMS will also help in providing analysed information electronically to all partnering national enforcement agencies and international policy makers including\u00a0Interpol<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0CITES<\/a>\u00a0Secretariat. Selected information will be shared with the public for bringing awareness about wildlife crime.<\/p>\n

Research and analysis of the crime data will be carried out through a designated\u00a0 research institution which will also carry out policy analysis identifying the trends and reasons for non-compliance ( which is also in accordance\u00a0to\u00a0CITES Resolution 10.3<\/a>\u00a0)<\/p>\n

History<\/strong><\/p>\n

The need of WEMS was realised during a time when poaching and illegal trade was rampant around the world and information gap on the amount of illegal trade taking place.\u00a0 Research on illegal wildlife trade issues were limited as scientists didn\u2019t have enough information to quantify the threat to biodiversity. During this time, the United Nations, through its Economic and Social Council, urged member states to adopt preventive measures, as well as to review their criminal legislation with a view to monitor offences relating to trafficking in protected species of wild flora and fauna. The\u00a0UN General Assembly resolution, document A\/CONF.203\/PM.1, highlighted the need of\u00a0comprehensive approach in combating wildlife trade including measures that builds on areas of success, remedies deficiencies and weakness in laws and enforcement efforts.\u00a0 The absence of measurable data on the violations of wildlife trade regulations lead to less penalisation, rare application of appropriate sanctions and penalties mostly remained relatively low.<\/p>\n

The challenges in combating wildlife crime was also highlighted during the conference of parties of the CITES convention and the lack of information and failures of information system were noted.<\/p>\n

Understanding the significance and importance of research into the issue of illegal trade, in October 2005, United Nations University joined hands with Asian Conservation alliance to develop a system that will for the first time quantify illegal trade in the Asian region through the Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System Initiative. The primary objective of the collaboration was to immediately address 3 important issues;<\/p>\n