Concerns aired over illegal wildlife trade

The astonishing scale, nature and consequences of illegal wildlife trade across the globe mean that it should be put on the agenda of the climate club, as well as biodiversity, heard a panel at COP28 on Saturday.

The panel, titled "Wildlife Crime, Biodiversity and Climate Change", was held at the Climate Finance Stage at the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties in Dubai. The event was organized by Emirates NBD, one of the UAE's top banks.

Participants discussed challenges brought about by illegal wildlife trade, its connections to organized crime, the socioeconomic effects on local communities, and the implications for global sustainability.