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• Rosewood is the most trafficked endangered plant species globally. • Despite several bans, illegal extraction and export of the African rosewood persist. • We draw theoretical insights from political ecology to examine the underlying drivers. • Transnational capital flows, hierarchical corruption and poverty are key drivers. • We illustrate how macro forces interact with local processes to shape illegal resource extraction. Rosewood is currently the most trafficked endangered plant species globally, with much of this illegal trade originating from Africa. To regulate rosewood extraction, many African countries have adopted centralized forest governance approaches. Following several partial bans, the government of Ghana placed a comprehensive ban on rosewood extraction in March 2019. Despite these bans, illegal extraction and export of rosewood continue to persist. Drawing theoretical insights from political ecology and based on empirical research in northern Ghana, we explore the drivers of the persistent illegal extraction of rosewood. Our findings reveal a complex mix of multiscalar processes including the rapid deployment of transnational capital into local agrarian communities by transnational rosewood dealers; selective enforcement of statutory bans; hierarchical corruption; and ecological and socioeconomic vulnerabilities as key drivers. These drivers are embedded in intricate processes of down-scaling and up-scaling among diverse actors. This study contributes to the literature on scale jumping in political ecology and demonstrates how global forces interact with local processes to shape environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The syndemic of opioid addiction, HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, imprisonment, and overdose in Russia has been worsened by the illegality of opioid substitution therapy. As part of on-going serial studies, we sought to explore the influence of opioid availability on aspects of the syndemic as it has affected the city of St. Petersburg.Methods: We employed a sequential approach in which quantitative data collection and statistical analysis were followed by a qualitative phase. Quantitative data were obtained in 2013-2014 from a respondent-driven sample (RDS) of people who inject drugs (PWID). Individuals recruited by RDS were tested for antibodies to HIV and interviewed about drug use and injection practices, sociodemographics, health status, and access to medical care. Subsequently, we collected in-depth qualitative data on methadone use, knowledge, and market availability from PWID recruited at nine different locations within St. Petersburg.Results: Analysis of interview data from the sample revealed the percentage of PWID injecting methadone in the 30 days prior to interview increased from 3.6% in 2010 to 53.3% in 2012-2013. Injection of only methadone, as compared to injecting only heroin or both drugs, was associated with less frequent injection and reduced HIV-related injected risk, especially a lower rate of injecting with a previously used syringe. In-depth questioning of methadone injectors corroborated the finding from serial quantitative surveys of PWID that methadone's black market availability is a recent phenomenon. Spatial analysis revealed widespread methadone availability but no concentration in any specific districts of the city.Conclusion: Despite the prohibition of substitution therapy and demonization of methadone, the drug has emerged to rival heroin as the most commonly available opioid in St. Petersburg. Ironically, its use is associated with reduced injection-related HIV risk even when its use is illegal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Multilocus phylogenetic study of Southeast Asian sailfin lizards. [•] Conservation genetic study of the genus Hydrosaurus. [•] Forensic analysis of Philippine black market pet trade. [•] The results reveal cryptic diversity and insufficient protected habitat. [•] We evaluate conservation threats and illegal pet trade in light of results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We provide a phylogenetic and population genetic evaluation of the illegal pet and bush meat trade of monitor lizards in the Philippines. We use a molecular dataset assembled from vouchered samples with known localities throughout the country, as a reference for statistical phylogenetic, population genetic, and DNA barcoding analyses of genetic material obtained during a three year survey of the Manila pet trade. Our results provide the first genetic evaluation of a major Southeast Asian city’s illegal trade in monitors and allow us to establish several important conclusions regarding actual, versus reported, origins of Manila’s black market Varanus. Monitor lizards are clearly transported throughout the archipelago for trade; we identified genotypes from areas surrounding Manila, the distinct Bicol faunal subregion of Luzon, Mindanao Island, the Visayan islands, islands of the Romblon Province, the Babuyan islands, and Mindoro Island. Numerous species are involved, including multiple endemic Philippine taxa, the threatened Gray’s monitor (Varanus olivaceus), and the presumably non-Philippine rough-neck monitor (Varanus rudicollis). Our results suggest that traders frequently and deliberately misrepresent the provenance of traded animals, in an apparent effort to increase their perceived market value. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper studies an economy with high- and low-productivity households. Household services are produced either by households themselves or are purchased in a white or black market. Black market work is inefficient (efficient) when it otherwise would have been done in the white market (within the household). With low (high) tax wedges, the black market reduces (increases) welfare by competing with white-market production (own-household production). With intermediate tax wedges, the welfare effect of a black market is ambiguous: welfare is improved (reduced) when black services are demanded by low- (high-) productivity households. An increase in the tax wedge may then reduce the benefits from a black service market. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]