The Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) is a web-based information system that collects and analyzes data on wildlife crimes. It provides a platform for national enforcement agencies and regional networks to share information in real time. WEMS was developed to address challenges in collecting, compiling, and sharing wildlife law enforcement data. It provides tools like automatic reporting, mapping of crime locations, and capacity development training. The system aims to strengthen monitoring of wildlife crimes and enhance enforcement mechanisms through an evidence-based information collection process.
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WHAT IS WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT
MONITORING SYSTEM (WEMS)?
WEMS is a web-based information system
with GIS functionality which is able to
identify trading routes and provide location
analysis. The data entered is stored in the
format of Interpol eco-message providing
real time query based on computer analysis
by relevant enforcement authorities; thereby
providing a common information sharing
platform between national enforcement
agencies attending to wildlife crime within
the country and with regional networks.
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WHAT IS THE WEMS INITIATIVE ?
WEMS initiative was developed by United Nations University (UNU)
in 2005 to address the challenges in wildlife law enforcement
information collection, compilation, and sharing process. WEMS
initiative features the following:
WEMS (geo-spatial information system) – acts as a common
information sharing platform for enforcement agencies at a
national and regional level.
WEMS (mapping platform) – provides information on the
location and timing of the wildlife crime in a map and indicates
the trading routes.
WEMS (reporting tools) – includes an automatic eco-
messaging tool which supports enforcement officials to send
eco-messages electronically to INTERPOL and Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES).
WEMS (capacity development component) – provides
training for national enforcement agencies in enforcement
information compilation and in analyzing of the WEMS data.
WEMS (research and outreach component) – undertakes
researches and analyses to inform the policymakers, decision-
makers and public regarding the trends.
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VISION
WEMS is a collaborative initiative to actively support the
enforcement, implementation, and monitoring simultaneously
of CITES, other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs),
and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 14, 15, and 16 (Life
below water, Life on land, and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)
for the protection of wildlife, prevention of illicit trafficking and
poaching of wild fauna and flora, and destruction of ecosystems
and disruption of their services globally.
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OBJECTIVES
• Strengthen monitoring of forest and wildlife crimes through
promotion of WEMS as a national monitoring system and facilitator
of enforcement information-sharing between regional networks
and global enforcement agencies.
• Enhance the national legislative and enforcement mechanism
through an evidence-based and structured information collection
process.
• Act as a multipurpose tool to support the requirements of United
Nations Conventions, United Nations bodies and international
agencies by bringing in grass-roots level enforcement information
(spatial and non-spatial) from Asia and Africa to discussions at a
global level.
• Support national governments to develop indicators for meeting
SDG’s, especially SDG’s 14, 15, and 16.
• Provide information base for researches on environmental policy
and governance, geo-spatial sciences, environmental security and
other related areas of concern for global biodiversity and human
security, in collaboration with academic and research institutions.
• Reinforce environmental governance at local, national, regional
and global levels through capacity development and community
of practice for knowledge transference in collaboration with
governments, development partners, MEA Secretariats and other
stakeholder organizations.
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HOW THE WEMS PLATFORM WORKS?
The web-based WEMS geo-spatial platform compiles, analyses vital
information and data amongst member states enabling them to
monitor and evaluate the progress of their environmental legislations
andidentifytrends,patternsandanyloopholesintheimplementation
method. Countries enter verified data on wildlife crimes and offenses,
which will be analyzed and presented in the forms of reports and
maps as information that authorities can utilize to make informed
policies and develop legislations on managing wildlife crime.
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HOW IT SUPPORTS MEMBER STATES
Through WEMS, member countries have the autonomy over the
sensitive data relevant to wildlife crimes and its perpetrators.
Members can choose the information to share with other national
agencies and policymakers, providing a customized resource that
can act as a national, regional and global database. It facilitates in the
following key ways:
• Provides evidence of the national efforts of individual member states
in meeting their international commitments as well as national
targets
• Support the establishment of a customized regional framework on
combatting wildlife crimes, environmental governance
• Capacity building and training for policymakers, national agencies
by acting as a regional platform
• Generates timely reports through assessing data in its system for
policymaking and recommendations
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WEMS SECRETARIAT
WEMS Secretariat was recently
established at AIT Solutions under
Asian Institute of Technology
(AIT), Thailand with the objective
of replicating the initiative
in Asia while scaling it up in
Africa. The Secretariat will act
as the primary contact point for
collaborations on implementation
of WEMS, designing of capacity
development programmes and
undertaking researches.
GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE
WEMS initiative was successfully launched in East Africa in
2011 through the Lusaka Agreement Task Force on Cooperative
EnforcementOperationsDirectedatIllegalTradeinWildFaunaand
Flora (LATF). The African countries currently implementing WEMS
include Kenya, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, and
Zambia.
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Support for Implementation of WEMS
WEMS is the mainstay of the WEMS Initiative. Funds
contributed towards implementation of WEMS will help
expand the network in Asia and Africa by supporting
governments in adopting and customizing the system to
addressinlinewiththeirrespectivepolicies.Thecontributions
will also enable the establishment of a community of practice
for knowledge-sharing purpose.
PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
There are several ways to contribute to the WEMS Initiative and
support the enforcement efforts in compliance with national
legislations, CITES and other relevant MEAs:
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The information-sharing protocol under WEMS will be as depicted
in the diagram below. For WEMS Africa, the LATF will facilitate
the information exchange; while the role for WEMS Asia will be
managed through the WEMS Secretariat at AIT.
NPMO: National Project Management Office | SPO: Sub-Project Office
WEMS Secretariat
COUNTRY
B
COUNTRY
Y
COUNTRY
A
COUNTRY
X
LATF
SPO SPOSPO SPO
NPMO NPMO NPMO NPMO
CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE CUSTOMS FOREST POLICE DEFENSE
WEMS AsiaWEMS Africa
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Support for Researches and Knowledge
Generation
Information is most valuable when used in an appropriate
way. This type of support will fuel knowledge to generate
researches, analyses to disseminate to policymakers.
decisionmakers, practitioners and public to inform the key
policies, decisions, actions and awareness.
The Secretariat welcomes collaboration with academic and
researchinstitutions,bilateralandmultilateraldevelopment
partners, INGOs, NGOs, private sector and other stakeholder
organisations.
Support for Capacity Development
Capacity development is critical to optimize the value of
WEMS. Contributions toward capacity development will
help design programmes to equip the data collectors,
compilers and analysers with the skills needed to ensure
data quality and consistency; while for policymakers,
decision-makersandpractitionerstohelpdeveloppertinent
policies, informed decisions and appropriate enforcement
actions. The support will also boost the engagement of
stakeholders in the community of practice.
To enhance the impact, the Secretariat is open for
collaboration with governments, biltateral and multilateral
development partners, INGOs, NGOs, private sector and
other stakeholder organisations.
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Support for Infrastructure Development
Lack of infrastructure generally impedes successful
realization of the value of tools like WEMS in developing
countries. Funding earmarked for infrastructure
development will be utilized to put into place the essential
infrastructure needed to effectively deploy WEMS Initiative.
TheSecretariatisopentosupportfromprivatecorporations,
bilateral and multilateral development partners and
stakeholder organisations.
12. For further information, please contact:
Tel: +66-2-524 6653
Email: manesh@ait.asia
Mr. Manesh Lacoul
Deputy Director
WEMS Secretariat,
AIT Solutions
Asian Institute of Technology
P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120
Thailand
Technology Engineering Environment Development Management
