SAN FRANCISCO – Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will participate in Vanity Fair’s 2016 New Establishment Summit to highlight the federal government’s work to end wildlife trafficking. Secretary Jewell will join Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav to discuss collaborative efforts by the public and private sectors to slow the growing worldwide scourge that is threatening to wipe out entire species and push others to the brink of extinction.
As part of the effort to stop the illegal trade of wildlife products in the United States, Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service earlier this year instituted a near-total ban on the domestic commercial trade of African elephant ivory. The action, which fulfills expectations outlined under President Obama’s 2013 Executive Order on Combating Wildlife Trafficking , substantially limits imports, exports and sales of African elephant ivory across state lines.
This ivory rule is the latest in a suite of actions the Administration has taken to combat wildlife trafficking, including securing corporate commitments to stem trafficking through the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance. The Alliance brings together major companies, foundations and non-profit organizations to work with the U.S. government in efforts to reduce U.S. demand for illegal elephant ivory, rhino horn and other wildlife products.
Wildlife trafficking reduces the economic, social and environmental benefits of wildlife while generating billions of dollars for organized criminal enterprises, contributing to an illegal economy, fueling instability and undermining security. During a recent three-year period, an estimated 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory – an average of approximately one every 15 minutes – and poaching continues at an alarming rate.
Established in 2014, the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit brings together leaders in technology, politics, business, media and the arts for inspiring conversations on a variety of issues and inventions shaping the future.
The panel discussion will be webcast live.
Who:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
David Zaslav, CEO, Discovery Communications
Henry Porter, London editor, Vanity Fair – moderator
What:
“Public, Private, Protected: A Path to Wildlife Conservation” panel discussion at Vanity Fair’s 2016 New Establishment Summit
When:
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at 12:15 pm PDT
Where:
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
701 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Source: Department of Interior
