International Extent of Sustainability Summary of a Videotape Address The Honorable Richard Pombo Member of Congress (USA) (in absentia) Member of House of Representatives Resources Committee Member of House of Representatives Agriculture Committee

A past member of the United States Delegation to CITES' 10^th Conference of the Parties (COP 10), Rep. Pombo reminded the symposium delegates of the origin of CITES as a means and as an "important tool" to resolve the conflicts and problems surrounding efforts to conserve the world's natural resources. He stressed that CITES' mission was not "to tell other countries how to manage their resources" but to "help" nations in that effort. Sustainable use, he said, is the most effective management system in place to accomplish that task.

Rep. Pombo reflected on the "sustainable use" success stones coming out of Africa most particularly in the recovery of the African elephant. His visit to Zimbabwe's community-based conservation program during CITES COP 10 exposed him to the importance of the sovereignty of each nation and their people sharing in "ownership of wildlife" and the role rationale use plays in the recovery of elephant herds.

In contrast to his African experience, Rep. Pombo pointed to his own nation. "Many times, in my opinion, we do the wrong thing. We have a 'government-knows-best' and 'top-down' approach" to resource management with the result that resources "have no value to the people who live in those communities" affected by resource management decisions.

For the new millennium, Rep. Pombo expressed hope that the United States will adopt a "new management regime" and a "new way of looking at and protecting wildlife." Sustainable use is that new regime, according to Rep. Pombo.

Rep. Pombo emphasized that CITES COP 11 must not be an experience where a "coalition of countries are telling other countries how to manage resources", but rather it must be a "gathering allowing neighbours to get together and come up with management systems that are best suited to their particular situations" and for the good of fish, wildlife, plants and habitat.

In preparation of COP 11, Rep. Pombo has been talking with parliamentarians around the world and has become Chairman of a new organization, The Sustainable Use Parliamentarians Organization (SUPO). SUPO's purpose is to spread word about sustainable use throughout the world. To that end he is looking for fellow parliamentarians who can ''work in a cooperative fashion to share ideas and talk about what has worked and what has not worked in the conservation of natural resources in their nations".

Sharing ideas in his opinion is the best way for countries and organizations to help wildlife and habitat globally. He may be contacted at: U. S. House of Representatives, 2411 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515 or by telephone at: (202) 226-1947. �

IWMC World Conservation Trust