Ethiopian mountain vipers, Galapagos iguanas and Brazil’s Pernambuco – prized by violin bow makers – are just three of more than 30 species that could be listed. special protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
“As trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, efforts to regulate it require international cooperation to protect certain species from overexploitation. » » said CITES in a press release.
Today, the Convention covers trade in more than 40,000 species of wild animals and plants. CITES States Parties may add other species by submitting proposals which are reviewed at meetings held every three years.
“The proposals that will be discussed highlight how scientists continue to approach the conservation and sustainable use of species that are not only biologically unique, but also culturally, economically and ecologically important,” said Thea Carroll, head of the CITES Secretariat’s scientific unit, speaking in Geneva.
The final proposals expected to be discussed in the Uzbek city of Samarkand include a range of perennially endangered wildlife such as elephants and rhinos, as well as what must surely be the final candidate for CITES, the golden-bellied mangabey monkey.
Alongside these natural charmers, demands for additional protection include arguably less obvious candidates, including the giant Galli wasp – measuring 32 centimeters – moths, frogs, sea cucumbers, abalone and other commercially exploited aquatic species.
It has been 50 years since the CITES convention came into force, although it was conceived ten years earlier at a meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The Convention is just one of many international agreements aimed at protecting the planet’s biodiversity. It specifically addresses the regulation of the international wildlife trade, estimated to be worth billions of dollars and comprising hundreds of millions of plant and animal specimens.
A young Nile crocodile rests on the bank of the Kazinga Channel in Uganda.
Success Stories
The Convention is responsible for conservation successes, including that of the South American vicuña – a small camel – and the Nile crocodile.
Their survival was ensured when CITES supported national efforts to transform their wool and skins respectively into valuable, sustainably managed products that benefit local communities.
Overexploitation for international trade poses a major threat to wildlife, but other risk factors include disease, pollution, habitat loss or fragmentation.
Who protects the protectors
The fundamental role of protecting biodiversity played by CITES has not protected it from a serious funding crisis for multilateral work around the world, warned the organization’s Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero.
“We are all in trouble,” she told reporters in Geneva. “All UN entities are currently struggling with budgetary problems. There is a drop in contributions from member states, from our parties, and it is becoming very difficult for us to be able to function.”
Ms. Higuero added: “We have not received the expected contributions from the parties which were assessed according to the UN scale and, of course, we have arrears and payments. So that is one of the things that we will also discuss.”
Explanation: What is CITES?
- CITES is a UN-backed treaty that regulates global wildlife trade to ensure the sustainability of species and their prevention from extinction. CITES is the abbreviation of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- The international agreement brings together 185 state parties and is one of the most powerful conservation tools in the world. It celebrates its 50th anniversary this year at its 20th meeting (COP20) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, starting November 24.
CITES Key Facts:
- Scope: The treaty protects more than 40,000 species of animals and plants.
- Aim: Make wildlife trade legal, sustainable and traceable.
- How it works: Species are listed in “Appendices” I and II, depending on the level of threat they face.
- Meetings: The parties meet every three years to vote on new rules and inclusions in the annexes. Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction and whose trade is generally prohibited; Appendix II covers species that are not yet threatened but are at risk of becoming so without regulation.
- Success story:Conservation work: The Guadalupe fur seal, once reduced to just 200 animals, now numbers more than 34,000.
- Global Reach:CITES works in collaboration with other United Nations bodies and treatiesadvancing biodiversity goals, sustainable livelihoods and implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework Kunming-Montreal. Discover more here:
