This talk is by Mr Bryan Christy, a lawyer, author, and Fulbright Scholar. He is the author of a new book, The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers, which tells the true story of America's biggest reptile smuggler, Mike Van Nostrand, and the federal agent who risks his career to stop him.
Illegal trade in critically endangered and protected species threatens their viability around the world. In the United States and East Asia this trade has been treated largely as an environmental issue, and not a criminal issue. As a result, penalties are insufficient to deter wildlife traffickers, and national budgets to finance and manage anti-trafficking efforts are inadequate. What is needed is a new legal framework for addressing wildlife crime, one that places less emphasis on 'environment' and more emphasis on 'crime.'
This Seminar examines some major wildlife smuggling cases, drawing from the history of one of the world's most unusual laws, the American Lacey Act, and adding in modern concepts of organized crime and how to combat it. It suggests a new paradigm, in which the word "wildlife" is removed from the issue of wildlife trade, and the word "criminal" is added.
The talk is hosted by the Faculty of Law, Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, the National University of Singapore.
All are welcome.
To register, email lawmaksy@nus.edu.sg. There is no registration fee for this seminar but seats are limited.
More details on the eco-tax mailing list.
Time: 2pm
Venue: Lee Sheridan Conference Room, Eu Tong Sen Building
Directions to the NUS Law School
Contact: Ms Shirley Mak 6516 6246 or lawmaksy@nus.edu.sg.
