Revisiting Green Data species lists

Abstract

The management and active enforcement of the increasing number of conservation-related instruments (e.g. the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red Data Lists and pending invasive species regulations), and the number of listed plant and animal taxa that they are likely to incorporate, are already straining national regulatory, enforcement and border control agencies. Against the backdrop of increasing capacity constraints (financial and logistic) and uncertainty faced by these authorities, we support calls for a radical shift in the traditional approach to the management of threatened species (either Red Data List or CITES listed) and the maintenance of the integrity of biological systems (viz. the control of potentially invasive species). This entails the establishment of National Green Data Species Lists (proposed by Imboden (1989) in World Birdwatch 9:2). The Green List would be a reciprocal list of species that are not threatened (not Red Data listed), not affected by trade (not CITES listed) or pose little threat of invasion according to importing authorities. This reciprocal list does not require negotiation of new international treaties and will simply piggy-back on existing treaties. In addition, it will shift the 'burden of proof', including the financial investment required for species Green Data listing, the verification of origins, taxonomic and conservation status determination, from regulating authorities to traders.