The alarming scenes of hazardous waste dumped in developing countries, endangered wildlife products traded on black markets, unauthorized genetically modified organisms entering ecosystems, banned chemical weapons threatening international security, and ozone-depleting substances accelerating climate change all point to one grim reality: illegal environmental commodity trade has become a major threat to global environmental security.
To address this challenge, the World Customs Organization (WCO) Environment Program recently released the "Essential Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Guide for Customs Frontline Officers" (hereinafter referred to as "the Guide"), aiming to enhance customs officers' capabilities in combating illegal environmental commodity trade and safeguarding global environmental security.
Strategic Significance and Core Content of the Guide
The Guide serves as an important component of the WCO Environment Program, complementing the "Green Customs Guide to Multilateral Environmental Agreements." It provides frontline customs officers with concise information about key MEAs, focusing on the following core agreements:
- The Basel Convention: Controls transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes, particularly to developing countries, to protect human health and the environment.
- CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species): Regulates and monitors international trade in wildlife through international cooperation to protect endangered species.
- The Cartagena Protocol: Ensures adequate protection of biodiversity regarding the safe transfer, handling, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs), while considering risks to human health.
- The Chemical Weapons Convention: Completely prohibits the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons to maintain international peace and security.
- The Montreal Protocol: Aims to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) to protect the ozone layer and mitigate climate change.
The primary objective of the Guide is to assist frontline customs officers in identifying and preventing trade in illegal environmentally sensitive commodities. By providing concise information, the Guide aims to enhance officers' understanding of these agreements and improve their ability to effectively enforce them at border checkpoints.
Customs' Crucial Role in MEA Implementation
As a key force in national border management, customs plays a vital role in implementing MEAs. Its strategic position enables it to:
- Prevent illegal trade: Through effective border control measures, customs can stop cross-border flows of illegal environmentally sensitive commodities, thereby protecting the environment and human health.
- Facilitate legal trade: By streamlining processes for compliant trade, customs can promote commerce in environmentally friendly goods and technologies, supporting sustainable development.
- Collect data and intelligence: Information gathered at borders is crucial for identifying illegal trade patterns and trends, helping develop more targeted enforcement strategies.
- Enhance international cooperation: Customs can collaborate with other nations and international organizations to share information and best practices in combating illegal environmental trade.
Development and Support for the Guide
The successful publication of the Guide was made possible through technical support and financial assistance from multiple international organizations, including:
- Secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (providing expertise on hazardous wastes, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants)
- The Cartagena Protocol Secretariat (providing expertise on living modified organisms)
- The Chemical Weapons Convention/Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (providing expertise on chemical weapons)
- The CITES Secretariat (providing expertise on wildlife trade)
- OzonAction (providing expertise on ozone-depleting substances)
Additional financial support came from the World Bank, the Government of Japan, and the Government of the United Kingdom through the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) project.
Practical Application and Future Prospects
The release of the Guide marks a significant step by the WCO in supporting its members' commitments to MEAs. By providing practical guidance to frontline customs officers, the Guide will help strengthen border controls, reduce illegal environmental trade, and protect the global environment.
To maximize the Guide's effectiveness, the WCO recommends that members take the following measures:
- Distribute the Guide widely to all frontline customs officers
- Conduct training programs to help officers understand the Guide's content and develop skills to identify and prevent illegal environmental trade
- Enhance cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, international organizations, and the private sector
- Update the Guide regularly to reflect new scientific knowledge, technological developments, and international trade trends
Looking ahead, the WCO remains committed to strengthening customs' role in MEA implementation. Through new tools and resources, training and technical assistance, and international cooperation, the WCO will help members build stronger, more effective customs systems to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.