CITES Purpose and Policy
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CITES aims to ensure international trade in wildlife does not threaten species' survival. This requires appropriate national policies. The document discusses how CITES' purpose is linked to global initiatives and the importance of policy. It outlines policy measures countries take under CITES and the politics around wildlife policy. A review process helps countries evaluate their policies's impacts and improve their effectiveness in supporting both conservation and livelihoods.
CITES Purpose and Policy
- 1. 1 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora www.CITES.org The purpose of CITES and links to national policy
- 2. 2 Overview • The purpose of CITES • The link to national policy • Policy measures under CITES • Sources of policy • Politics of wildlife policy • Policy approaches • Types of policy • The CITES policy review
- 3. 3 The purpose of CITES • In the decades since CITES came into force, the human population has more than doubled and the gross global product has increased more than tenfold, putting far more pressure on natural resources
- 4. 4 The purpose of CITES • What has changed in the world in 30+ years: – acceptance of the environment as an essential element of sustainable development – environmental economics – ecosystem approaches – importance of biodiversity to human livelihoods – the growing power of the developing world and their ability to raise their biodiversity concerns
- 5. 5 The purpose of CITES • Growth in international law – 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands – 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage – 1979 Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals – 1980 Canberra Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources – 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea – The post-1992 ‘Rio Conventions’ (Convention on Biological Diversity, Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention to Combat Desertification)
- 6. 6 The purpose of CITES • What CITES has introduced in 30+ years – recognition that peoples and States are and should be the best protectors of their own wild fauna and flora – recognition that a modern Government needs to have a scientific basis for determining the status of its own species, and addressing the implications of trade in them – establishment of national authorities to implement treaties – active participation of civil society in conservation decision-making processes, and a rallying point for non-governmental conservation organizations
- 7. 7 The purpose of CITES • The new mission -- vision aims to contribute to the achievement of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010
- 8. 8 The purpose of CITES • At CoP 14 (The Hague, 2007) the Parties adopted Resolution Conf. 14.2, Strategic Vision 2008-2013, which outlines the Convention’s direction and takes into account issues such as: – the UN Millennium Development Goals relevant to CITES – the WSSD target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 – conservation of wildlife as an integral part of the global ecosystem on which all life depends – the cultural, social and economic factors at play in producer and consumer countries – transparency and wider involvement of civil society in the development of conservation policies and practices; and – a coherent and internationally agreed approach based on scientific evidence is taken to address any species of wild fauna and flora subject to unsustainable international trade.
- 9. 9 The purpose of CITES Vision Statement “Conserve biodiversity and contribute to its sustainable use by ensuring that no species of wild fauna or flora becomes or remains subject to unsustainable exploitation through international trade, thereby contributing to the significant reduction of the rate of biodiversity loss”
- 10. 10 The purpose of CITES • The twofold aim of the Strategic Vision is: – to improve the working of the Convention, so that international trade in wild fauna and flora is conducted at sustainable levels; and – to ensure that CITES policy developments are mutually supportive of international environmental priorities and take into account new international initiatives, consistent with the terms of the Convention
- 11. 11 The link to policy • Turning the purpose of CITES into action requires adopting appropriate Government policy
- 12. 12 Why policy matters • Nonexistent or incoherent policy frameworks are linked to a lack of political will • A weak policy framework results in ineffective implementation of the Convention • Ineffective implementation results in low compliance levels, overexploitation and illegal trade problems (impacts) • Poor communities are the most negatively affected by policy failures
- 13. 13 ‘Good’ vs ‘bad’ policy • Policies should be thoughtful, balanced, coherent (internal/external), complete, easy to implement, cost efficient and effective • They should be reviewed from time to time under a rational, structured and participatory process – and then adjusted, if necessary, to make them more effective
- 14. 14 Policy measures • Wildlife use rights (determining access and tenure) • Quota system (providing a degree of caution) • Promotion of captive breeding and artificial propagation (supporting ex situ production and in situ conservation) • Trade moratorium or ban (short or long-term)
- 15. 15 Sources of policy • Policy can be at the international, regional, sub-regional, national or sub-national level – Policy documents, strategies, programmes, action plans – Legal instruments – Historical and current actions/practice – Public statements or positions
- 16. 16 The politics of wildlife policy • Wildlife’s significance makes it a political commodity • Wildlife fascinates people of industrialized countries • There are competing pressures from local actors seeking greater access to wildlife vs international NGOs intent on limiting such access • Some countries/organizations/individuals want their policy to be your policy – this can be achieved through negotiated agreement and/or pressure through lobbying or media
- 17. 17 Policy approaches • Positive – preventive • Changes behavior in creative ways (education and incentives) • Makes local and private sectors self-regulating • Addresses the root causes • Provides flexibility and alternatives • Focuses on avoiding problems in the first place or fixing them • Equitable (compensation, property rights for poor) • Negative – punitive • Bans, prison and fines (command and control) • Expects the worst of people and limits their rights • Addresses the symptoms • Provides no flexibility or alternatives, no incentive to change, no means to fix the problem • Focuses on punishment of violations already committed • Unfair (powerful people don’t get judged)
- 18. 18 Types of policies • Trade under reservations to CITES-listed species • Trade as authorized by the Convention • Trade in some but not all CITES-listed species (e.g. exotic but not domestic, plants but not animals, dead but not live) • Trade in produced but not wild-taken specimens • Trade for non-commercial but not commercial purposes • No exports of certain species • No imports of certain species • No trade in potentially invasive species • No use of CITES exemptions • No trade in charismatic or intelligent or cute or culturally important species • No wildlife trade whatsoever
- 19. 19 Goal – poverty reduction/livelihoods • For trade to be carried out in a responsible manner and based on sustainable use, social and economic incentives are needed to bring local communities and local authorities into partnership with government first CITES Strategic Vision)
- 20. 20 Resolution Conf. 8.3 (Rev. CoP13) • The CoP recognizes that: – commercial trade may be beneficial to the conservation of species and ecosystems and/or to development of local people when carried out at levels that are not detrimental to the survival of the species in question – implementation of CITES listing decisions should take into account potential impacts on the livelihoods of the poor
- 21. 21 Decisions 14.3 and 14.4 • The Standing Committee shall, subject to external funding, initiate and supervise a process to develop by CoP15 – Tools for voluntary use by the Parties for the rapid assessment at the national level of the positive and negative impacts of implementing CITES listing decisions on the livelihoods of the poor – Draft voluntary guidelines for Parties to address these impacts, particularly in developing countries
- 22. 22 How is the CITES policy review process structured? • Review preparations (pre-Review) • Review – Step 1 – Describe the context, the policy content and its implementation – Step 2 – Identify the policy’s impacts – Step 3 – Analyze the policy and its impacts • Conclusions, recommendations and follow-up (post-Review)
- 23. 23 Summary • The purpose of CITES, included in its Strategic Vision, is linked to ongoing international conservation and development initiatives • Achieving this purpose requires appropriate national policy • A CITES process is underway to develop guidance for Parties on reviewing their national policy