Voluntary consensus based geospatial data standards for the global illegal trade in wild fauna and flora

We have more data about wildlife trafficking than ever before, but it remains underutilized for decision-making. Central to effective wildlife trafficking interventions is collection, aggregation, and analysis of data across a range of source, transit, and destination geographies. Many data are geospatial, but these data cannot be effectively accessed or aggregated without appropriate geospatial data standards. Our goal was to create geospatial data standards to help advance efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. We achieved our goal using voluntary, participatory, and engagement-based workshops with diverse and multisectoral stakeholders, online portals, and electronic communication with more than 100 participants on three continents. The standards support data-to-decision efforts in the field, for example indictments of key figures within wildlife trafficking, and disruption of their networks. Geospatial data standards help enable broader utilization of wildlife trafficking data across disciplines and sectors, accelerate aggregation and analysis of data across space and time, advance evidence-based decision making, and reduce wildlife trafficking.

Automated summary

We have more data on wildlife trafficking than ever before, but its potential for decision-making is not fully utilized. Generating accurate geospatial data standards is crucial for effective interventions against wildlife trafficking. Through workshops, online portals, and engagement with stakeholders, we successfully created geospatial data standards that facilitate data-driven decisions, indictments of key figures, network disruption, and reducing wildlife trafficking.