The challenge
China’s legal ivory market gave cover to illegal ivory and fuelled elephant poaching in Africa.
The case
After a 2015 commitment with the United States, China announced in December 2016 that it would end the commercial processing and sale of ivory. Some 67 carving factories and shops closed by March 2017 and the other 105 by 31 December 2017, when the ban took full effect; antique ivory is exempt. WWF and GlobeScan surveys found that the share of consumers intending to buy ivory fell from 43% in 2017 to 19% in 2020, or from 18% to 8% when people were first reminded of the ban. But buying while travelling abroad rose from 18% of travellers in 2018 to 27% in 2019, and illegal sales continued online and in nearby countries.
Why the results were mixed
Closing the world’s largest legal market cut stated demand, but some buyers moved to neighbouring countries and online, so bans need regional enforcement and demand-reduction to follow.
Sources
- WWF (2020). Demand for elephant ivory in China drops to lowest level since national ban.
- GlobeScan (2019). Chinese consumer demand for ivory remains down two years after ban.
- National Geographic (2017). China’s ivory ban goes into effect.
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