The international wildlife law enforcement community will be gathering the week of November 4th, 2013, in Nairobi, Kenya, for the first meeting of the newly formed Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee.
Hosted by INTERPOL and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the conference will also host meetings of the INTERPOL working groups on wildlife, pollution and fisheries crimes. Although the target audience for this conference is law enforcement officers and government officials, representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have also been invited to attend and participate.
“Wildlife crime, such as poaching, the traffic in illegal ivory or illegal logging, can lead to the extinction of a species, the loss of biodiversity, and serious damage to the ecosystems that support our very existence. The problems are not limited to individual nations as plants and animals are trafficked across borders, and the overall effects of wildlife crime contribute to global warming and climate change.”
Annamiticus will be at the Meeting of the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee, represented by Sal Amato (that’s me). As a former member of the INTERPOL wildlife crimes working group, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with international colleagues. I’m also eager to learn about new developments and future initiatives being contemplated by the working groups, as well as the role NGOs — such as Annamiticus — can take in assisting the international community in taking on the growing problem of wildlife poaching and trafficking.
Visit INTERPOL’s Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee page for more information.
Sal Amato
Salvatore Amato is a recognized expert with over twenty-four years experience in the field of wildlife law enforcement. Mr. Amato served as the Special Agent in Charge of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Region where he directed the enforcement efforts of special agents and wildlife inspectors in thirteen states. Previously, he served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Branch of Special Operations where he directed complex long-term covert operations and the intelligence functions of the Service. Currently, Mr. Amato works as a consultant providing advice and expertise to NGO’s, governmental agencies and businesses related to combating the exploitation and global trafficking of wildlife.