50 Years of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

July 2, 2025

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) marks 50 years since it entered into force.

About

Genesis: CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is a pioneering global agreement originally conceived in 1963 at a meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Aim and Scope: CITES is a voluntary international agreement between governments, aiming to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
- It operates through a licensing system that regulates all import, export, and re-export of listed species and their parts or derivatives.
Administration and Structure: The CITES Secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Geneva, Switzerland.
- As of 2024, there are 185 Parties (countries or regional organizations) to CITES; India ratified the Convention in 1976.
- While CITES is legally binding on its Parties, it does not replace national laws. Instead, each Party must implement CITES through its own domestic legislation.

Significance

CITES was the first global agreement to address wildlife trade at an international level, providing a framework for cooperation to prevent over-exploitation and extinction due to trade.
It remains a cornerstone of international efforts to protect biodiversity, with its effectiveness relying on the commitment and enforcement by its member Parties.

Key Initiatives

Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme: Adopted at the 10th CoP Harare (1997), this site-based system monitors trends in the illegal killing of elephants across Africa and Asia.
International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC): Launched in 2010, ICCWC is a partnership between CITES and other organizations to support national law enforcement agencies in combating wildlife and forest crime.
Strategic Vision 2021–2030: This framework guides CITES’ efforts to ensure wildlife trade supports global biodiversity goals, sustainable development, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
CITES Tree Species Programme: Launched in 2024, focuses on improving the management and sustainable use of tree species listed under CITES.