Today Hong Kong has taken a major step forward in phasing out its ivory trade. The government submitted its proposed plan to the Legislative Council, which began debating the details. This is a key step in a long process to shut down both the Hong Kong and global ivory markets.

Hong Kong is a major ivory retail market and a key transit point, especially into mainland China. Tens of thousands of ivory items are displayed for sale in high-rent tourist areas while seizures of huge quantities of ivory by customs authorities confirm its place as an ivory smuggling hub.

After the international trade in ivory was banned in 1989, the city-state instituted a license system for existing legally