Ivory or elephants banned: rewind or fast forward?
The Chinese State Council announced an ivory trade ban more than one year ago. The People’s Republic
is the world’s largest importer and end-user of elephant ivory. The governing body has launched a
ground-breaking decision but the African elephant is apparently not out of the woods yet. This paper
will explain why. The final outcome of this political decision will be dependent upon the ability to enforce
this new policy and to tackle illegal markets in Africa and Asia. The illegal ivory trade might hamper
or even undermine the final outcome of this political decision. Ivory markets have proven in the past
that they are quite resilient and adapt themselves quickly to changing circumstances. International
cooperation and monitoring will be of key importance in the near future.