Environmental Investigation Agency

Dave Currey, Allan Thornton, Jennifer Lonsdale

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA ) is a charitable non-profit organization. The EIA was established in 1984 by the three environmental activists Dave Currey, Jennifer Lonsdale and Allan Thornton in England. Since 1989 there is a second location in Washington, DC The organization acts to protect endangered species and the preservation of the global climate. This distinguished modern methods and intelligently implement this non-profit organization of other environmental organizations. With 20 years of experience determined by EIA undercover operations to crime in the area of ​​environment and climate uncover. In these investigations EIAs strongest weapon is the hidden camera. Due to the collectivization of a medial Archives EIA has a range of evidence from which videos are to represent various types of campaigns. The aim of this campaign is to attract the attention of government, politics and the public are new laws to protect animals important to formulate their habitats and global ecosystems.

Campaigns

Currently, the EIA team is working on the following projects:

  • Preventing illegal trade of ozone- depleting substances
  • Setting and reduction of the use of climate -changing gases and harmful chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs ).
  • Completion of the destruction of the rainforest by illegal logging.
  • Closure of markets for illegally traded ivory
  • Preservation of the ban on whale hunting and the trade of those products
  • Decommissioning of illegal handles of Asian big cats ( skins, bones, etc. )

Forest for the World

The aim of this campaign is to delay the declining forest cover of the rain forest and to promote the maintenance of the existing habitats of humans and animals. The EIA attempts to prevail on the government level that international trade of illegally originally abgeholztem wood is finished. Here, EIA focuses on the largest timber-producing countries: Asia, Africa and Latin America and the largest consumer markets for wood: USA and Europe and Japan. Producing countries are, for example, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan or Honduras. The campaign for the regulation of these markets primarily intended to support the fight against climate change. After the deforestation of rain forests has the consequence that carbon dioxide is released, which now accounts for one-fifth of annual greenhouse gas emissions. For example, could the EIA team to make a building up timber trade in South -East Asia find out where garden furniture industrially manufactured are produced and traded. The undercover agents of the EIA team posing as timber traders who are interested in the wood products. Then EIA could prove with the help of meaningful evidence the illegal trade of timber companies. 2008, this evidence has been published, especially for the attention and the environmental awareness of the population to focus on the illegal and cross- border trade in timber. The success of a similar investigation could reduce the illegal export of timber from Indonesia and thereby protecting the habitat of some endangered species. In November 2007, an Indonesian non-governmental environmental organization released a series of films which documented how the existence of a community in Papua ( Indonesia) by deforestation and the destruction of their oil - palm plantations, is increasingly at risk. EIA and the Indonesian partner Telapark then started a project in which they are the local environmental organizations dealing with film equipment and film processing taught so can assemble this in the future independently useful footage. This proved to be successful, particularly for the benefit of communities that could set international attention. In Tanzania a three-year project took place in 2008, it took part 102 activists from 72 organizations from all parts of Tanzania.

Species in Peril

Covert investigations are often risky, but pay off. So also for the worldwide protection of endangered species. The following paragraphs describe EIAs animal welfare campaigns, which include current tigers, whales (dolphins, porpoises, etc.), elephants and orangutans. In the past, very successful campaigns EIA was able to protect birds, rhinos, turtles, bears and other animals contribute. EIA in 1989 for the prevention of internationally traded ivory (which the stocks of elephants are protected) effectively influences the adoption of the law. And through which the last habitats of orangutans and many other species could be saved from the destruction of the ban on the import of illegally deforested products ( May 2008). Could exert pressure through the EIA in past investigations by the publication of footage on traders and companies, the trade was reduced with products such as the organs of tigers. In addition, presented thousands of supermarkets in Japan to sell whale meat.

Asian big cats

Tigers are hunted mainly in Asia, which has the immediate reduction of those stocks. The demand for tiger skin is the world's large and takes on the black market satisfaction. In addition, various organs of the Tigers still play in medicine in the eastern and southern Asia, unfortunately a major role. In particular, in traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM ), in which about 750 species are used. Especially popular are organs ( of mammals ) such as bear bile and tiger bone. Today, the world is less than 5000 tigers live in the wild. Since 1996, EIA undercover investigations in Asia, Europe and USA and has been able to discover numerous shops with tiger skins and bones on the black markets of the world. EIA works with a network of organizations to the international ban on the illegal trade in tigers and tiger products maintain. Often EIA was able to uncover, such as in China, that government members have connections to the trading of products of tigers and give this permission. Organizations such as the " International Tiger Coalition " cooperate with the governments by EIA to resolve these grievances.

Whales, dolphins, porpoises

EIA is working with the International Whaling Commission (IWC ) to ensure that the ban is maintained by commercial whaling. Countries operate the most Whaling - Here, EIA focuses mainly on Japan and Norway. This prohibition is one of the most successful achievements among the measures that have ever been implemented in the field of nature conservation. The reduced by whaling whale stock can only very slowly regenerate. In Japan, various kinds of whales are hunted illegally for example, under the guise of research. EIA reported that in Japan every year more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed from the surrounding coastal waters. To reduce this catch tried EIA enhances the consumer demand of the consumers for whale products - especially whale meat ( including dolphin meat) to reduce by their campaigns. In Japan, EIA was able to ensure in countless supermarkets whale meat under another name, the DNA was compared to that of whale meat cells with those in the products. By this demonstration had caused enormous pressure on the image of the company, had over 2,500 supermarkets selling these products set. The holdings of porpoises and dolphins has been reduced in the last 10 years from 18,000 in 9000.

Elephants

Within just 10 years ( 1979-1989 ) the number of elephants living in the world of 1.3 million fell to only 600,000. The extremely high demand for ivory makes the hunting of elephants for poachers profitable and has this enormous reduction in elephant stocks. 1987 saw the first EIA groundbreaking investigation in ivory trade. For this, the investigators traveled through parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia. What makes 1989 an international law for banning ivory trade was adopted. The two founding members of the organization Dave Currey and Allan Thornton received after this successful campaign the Albert Schweitzer Award from The Animal Welfare Institute ( AWI). Since then, EIA determined to continue to further illegal processes in this industry reveal.

Global Climate and Environment

The temperature rise of only two degrees Celsius of global climate may have the extinction of 30% of all animal species result. A major contribution to contribute to the greenhouse gases chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs ) and other hydrofluorocarbons ( HFCs) as well HCKs that break down ozone. These are used as refrigerant favored in the industry. EIA detected successfully within the last 15 years against the underground trade in CFCs and HFCs. In the campaign " Chilling Facts" all English supermarket chains are listed, try the sustainable use coolant. Aim of further campaigns is to regulate all ozone depleting and PCB-containing substances such as hazardous waste.

Awards

  • Best-of- the-Best Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award, 2007 ( Awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. )
  • Montreal Protocol Partners Award, 2007 ( Awarded by the Environment Programme of the United Nations ( United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP) in recognition of the ten-year undercover investigation into the illegal trade in ozone- hazardous chemicals. )
  • BBC TV 's Lifetime Achievement Award, 2003 ( Awarded to the President of the EIA for his election protection activities. )
  • Global 500 Roll of Honor, 2001 ( Awarded by the Environment Programme of the United Nations for "outstanding Contributions to the protection of the environment ", " outstanding contributions to protecting the environment .")
  • Albert Schweitzer Award, 1991 ( Awarded by the later U.S. Senator John Heinz of the two founders of the EIA for the uncovering of the trade in elephant ivory gewildertem. )

TV documentaries and videos

Bears ( 01/06/1995 ), whales ( 05/25/1995 ), parrots ( 05/18/1995 ), walruses ( 11/05/1995 ), rhinos ( 04/05/1995 ), turtles (30/ 03 / 1995), monkeys ( 23/02/1995 ). The series has won the " Media Natura Award" for the best film, the " Brigitte Bardot International Genesis Award" (Los Angeles ) and the " Gold Plaque " ( the " Chicago Documentary Film Festival ").

  • On September 6, 2011, on National Geographic Wild the three-part documentary about the deforestation of the rain forests, whale hunting and the ivory trade in Africa, first aired.
  • On November 13, 2011 " Crimes against Nature" was aired on the German channel WDR.
  • Also in November 2011, the documentary " the story: Undercover against the timber mafia " (WDR), which shows how illegal logging for furniture and instruments is revealed as Gibson guitars in Madagascar.
  • On the German website of National Geographic Wild, you can download videos
  • " Inside NG: EIA fur Jagern on the trail " was shown on November 3, 2011 at 6:30 clock on National Geographic HD.

Quotes

" EIA 's track record of investigative work, scientific documentation, and representation at international conventions Has earned EIA a reputation for highly effective and successful campaigning. EIA Continues to share synthesis skills with local groups and Government Officials to help empower them in the fight against environmental crime. "

"Based on the track record of EIA in determining work, scientific documentation and representation in international conventions, the EIA has won reputation for highly effective and successful campaigns. EIA is sharing these skills with local groups and government officials continue to help and to strengthen the fight against environmental crime this. "

" EIA is a highly- respected, hard-hitting, dirt- digging organization. "

" The EIA is a highly respected, impactful and dreckaufwühlende organization. "

"The reason for Their success is not just the information Gathered, it is the way They use it as a political lobbying tool. One of Britain 's most effective conservation groups. "

" The background of their success are not simply the information collected, it is the way they use this as a political lobbying tool."

" I am proud to support EIA. Thanks to Their brave and pioneering methods of undercover work to expose crimes against wildlife and the environment, theyhave made ​​a great difference to the world in Which We all live. "

"I am proud to support the EIA. Thanks to demonstrate their bold and pioneering methods of undercover work to crimes against wildlife and the environment, they mean a lot to the world in which we all live. "

" EIA performs at extremely important role in Investigating various abuses of the natural world. I believe it deserves support from anyone Concerned about the future of the living world. "

" The EIA play an extremely important role in the determination of various abuses of the natural world. I think she deserves support from anyone who is worried about the future of our living world. "

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