Major technology, telecom, aviation and crypto-related firms have pledged to strengthen cooperation to tackle the illegal wildlife trade according to statements made at a business forum convened by United for Wildlife during London Climate Action Week.
The initiative, led by United for Wildlife (a programme of the Royal Foundation established by Britain’s Prince William) brings together companies across the technology, transport and financial sectors to address trafficking networks operating through digital platforms and payment systems.
Companies including Google, Meta, TikTok and Alibaba have said they are working on measures to reduce illegal wildlife listings and related content on their platforms, including the use of automated detection systems and content moderation tools.
The firms collectively represent major parts of the global digital ecosystem.
Google, Meta, TikTok and Alibaba have also previously participated in industry-led efforts to curb online wildlife trafficking in coordination with conservation groups and enforcement agencies.
Telecom and mobile money operators, including Vodafone, Vodacom and Safaricom, have also outlined plans to strengthen monitoring systems aimed at detecting suspicious transactions linked to illegal wildlife trade, including through anti-money laundering tools used in mobile payment networks such as M-Pesa.
Crypto and blockchain analytics companies, including Chainalysis and TRM Labs, said they would continue developing tools to trace and identify illicit financial flows associated with environmental crime.
Airline and aviation stakeholders, including British Airways and Heathrow Airport, said they would support awareness campaigns aimed at reducing demand for trafficked wildlife products and improving detection along international travel routes.
Transport hubs are widely regarded as key transit points in global wildlife trafficking networks, according to conservation organisations and law enforcement agencies.
United for Wildlife and partner organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme, have previously estimated that illegal wildlife trade generates up to $23 billion annually.
Biodiversity assessments indicate that around one million species face extinction risks driven by multiple factors, including habitat loss and trafficking.
The Royal Foundation established United for Wildlife in 2013 to convene governments, NGOs and private sector actors to address wildlife trafficking through cross-border cooperation and intelligence sharing.
The commitments are part of a broader pattern of voluntary industry collaboration rather than a binding regulatory agreement, with companies participating in taskforces and partnerships coordinated through United for Wildlife and related initiatives.
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