Environmental Investigation Agency

Eia's forest campaign protects the world's forests, and the people, wildlife and global climate that depend on them, by exposing illegal timber operations and illegal deforestation for production of commodities through undercover investigations; extensive research, data analysis, scientific analysis, campaigning and advocacy for domestic laws that ban imports of products made from illegally cut timber or commodities resulting from illicit deforestation; engaging with businesses and trade associations to make supply chains more traceable and transparent worldwide to reinforce legality and promote sustainability; advocating for forest protection and governance safeguards in trade policies; and strengthening forest governance and community inclusion, which in turn helps communities to thrive and forests to remain standing. Eia conducts investigative field work, desktop detailed research and analysis, and engages extensively with indigenous and local communities, enforcement officials, scientific and policy experts to support advances in technology, policy change in international fora, national, regional and local governments and with local stakeholders to protect forests and the global climate. To combat illegalities in the extractives sector and strengthen the position of indigenous peoples and local communities to defend their territories against destructive invasions for natural resource extraction.

Elephants, rhinos and other species campaign: eia has continued to undertake detailed research and analysis into the negative impacts of commercial trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn and documenting widespread illegalities occurring in such trade causing intensive damage to elephant populations as well as rhinos. By undertaking detailed research and analysis combined with investigations, eia's evidence provides detailed information to support bans on such trade in order to protect endangered elephants and rhinos. Eia research work provides detailed analyses to decision makers to secure strong protection measures to prevent continued large-scale killings both of elephants and rhinos. Eia's campaign work has demonstrated that ivory and rhino horn trade result in the rapid and often far reaching depletion of these species. Research into japan's ivory trade shows there is no effective measures or laws to counter illegal ivory trade and that the government of japan requires no proof of legality of origin of ivory tusks being legalized onto the japanese market. This alos includes increased direct protection for orangutans.

Global climate campaign: eia is leading the international effort for a global phase-out of hydroflurocarbons (hfcs)--a class of potent chlorinated chemicals that are responsible for the antarctic and arctic ozone holes as well as one sixth of all global warming. Eia provides a wide array of information, through primary research and data analysis, to various industrial sectors to facilitate immediate conversions from ozone depleting substances and hfcs to low-gwp climate friendly alternatives. Through comprehensive analysis of scientific knowledge, including atmospheric and chemical sciences, gas chromatography, cutting-edge refrigeration and air-conditioning technology and activities within the montreal protocol, eia works with research organizations, scientists, governments, industry and ngos as well as the technology and economic assessment panel (teap) that was established as the technology and economics advisory body to the montreal protocol parties, to provide technical information related to the alternative technologies that have been investigated and employed to make it possible to virtually eliminate use of ozone depleting substances (such as cfcs and halons), that harm the ozone layer. Eia also presents in various u.n. and industry events on latest technology developments to promote climate-friendly technology that use non-fluorinated non-synthetic refrigerants currently widely used in refrigerants and air conditioning.

Cetaceans campaign: eia is undertaking extensive research into the numerous threats to great whales as well as small whales, such as belugas and narwhals. Our campaign work has detailed the impacts of small cetaceans worldwide. These smaller species are not protected by the international ban on commercial whaling and are hunted for food, for use as shark bait or killed in nets of fishing operations. Eia research has also documented overhunting of unprotected species of dolphins and porpoise. Currently we are seeking to increase protection for the world's beluga and narwhals through research and documentation of the threats to the 150,000 belugas living in the wild in northern waters. Research also confirms they are imperiled by the increasingly industrial human presence in the arctic and near arctic. Eia is the only organization in the world with continuing research into the threats facing belugas and a campaign dedicated to gaining lasting protections for all 29 populations of beluga whales across their global range. Through collaboration, research, and advocacy, we are working to ensure that the arctic marine environment is protected from the impacts of human industrial activity for the benefit of its rich wildlife and with respect for the needs, traditions and cultures of local communities. Our campaign work occurs at both the population and ecosystem levels and, thus, we are pursuing measures that will benefit the arctic as a whole as well as targeted measures to protect specific populations of beluga whales.