Letter to BirdLife International
24th September 2020
BirdLife International
The David Attenborough Building,
Pembroke Street, Cambridge,
CB2 3QZ, UNITED KINGDOM
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are Green Sense, a registered charitable green group in Hong Kong. Our work ranges from highlighting non-environmental friendly practices in society through research and monitoring, to enhancing the environmental consciousness of individuals through education and publicity.
We are disappointed to know that the BirdLife International has removed the Chinese Wild Bird Federation (CWBF), a Taiwan bird conservation group, from its partnership.
According to the official statement of CWBF, it was told that its legally registered Chinese name posed a risk to the BirdLife International. CWBF is required to change its Chinese name, as well as to sign a document formally committing to not promote or advocate the legitimacy of the Republic of China. As a non-political conservation organization, CWBF decided not to sign the document, but is willing to discuss changing its Chinese name at the General Assembly on 7th September 2020. Yet, the BirdLife International has removed CWBF from the partnership before the Assembly, stating that the latter has not addressed the “risks”.
We see CWBF as a devoted member in wild bird conservation. We hope that the BirdLife International could provide a clear justification on its decision to remove CWBF from the partnership, as well as not giving the chance for CWBF to discuss at the General Assembly on 7th September 2020.
Taiwan is an important stopover site for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, allowing them to refuel, roost and rest. Bird conservation groups in Taiwan can record and study the patterns and habits of migratory birds. With the help of CWBF, such useful ecological data can be circulated to other studying parties of the world.
We believe that the removal of CWBF from the BirdLife International, without justified ground, is a loss to global wild bird conservation. This case, as a demonstration of political factors hindering nature conservation efforts, may also weaken the authority and legitimacy of the BirdLife International.
We hope that the BirdLife International may reconsider and rectify its decision to remove CWBF from the partnership, for the sake of global bird conservation.
Yours faithfully,
Green Sense
Comments
