The latest CITES conference has not been successful in putting a ban on hunting polar bears. Several countries including Canada and Greenland still allow limited hunting, including trophy hunting for rich foreign hunters. As can be expected, this is met with substantial criticism by environmental organisations. During the latest CITES conference in Bangkok, Denmark was amongst the countries that expressed worries about a complete ban on hunting. Denmark is speaking for Greenland internationally. According to the CITES treaty, each EU country has a vote on its own in the conference. There is, however, an agreement that the EU countries agree on their vote or do not vote at all. As a result, important votes for a global ban on polar bear hunting were missing and an agreement was consequently not reached.
CITES is the legally binding Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
It is widely accepted that climate change is generally the most serious global threat for polar bears, followed by pollution with environmental toxins. But regionally, pressure from hunting can be significant, or at least its consequences for regional populations are not understood.
In Spitsbergen, where Norwegian law is valid, polar bears are and remain fully protected.
Result of a successful hunt on polar bears in east Greenland.