SC/69B/O/01  

Document Number

SC/69B/O/01

Full Title

Extinction Alert: Summary Evaluation

Author

M. Simmonds, M. Stachowitsch, K. Wilson

Authors Summary

No dedicated resources were allocated to this initiative, and help to maximise outreach/impact was sought from members of the Scientific Committee and their employing organisations.
One week before the publication date, SC members received an outreach pack containing the Evaluation Alert, a set of key messages, a suggested tweet with social media hashtags, a press release and high-resolution images/video. Some of the material was available in French, Spanish and Chinese (subject to availability of volunteer translators). Operating under an embargo until 07 August, SC members were asked to share it with their networks, colleagues and any other relevant contacts.
In addition, the press release and selected supporting material was sent by the Secretariat to a targeted media distribution list, including mainstream news media and science and conservation specialists in key stakeholder regions (Mexico, China and the US). A ?VIP? media list was also called directly to ?sell the story.?All the outreach material was also available on a new, dedicated page of the IWC website. The social media efforts of the Secretariat were focused on the IWC Twitter/X platform, with LinkedIn used in Asia.
The Scientific Committee needs to take a view on whether the EA was adequately successful and, if it believes it was, whether it wishes to repeat the exercise for other species/populations.

Publisher

IWC

Keywords

Publication Year

2024

Abstract

A new mechanism enabling the Scientific Committee to alert the media and public to specific extinction risks was endorsed by the Commission in 2022. The first IWC Scientific Committee Extinction Alert was published on 07 August 2023.