The international community has also
recognized the problem of endangered species. In 1973, 21 countries gathered
together to address this issue. The meeting culminated in the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), effective July
1, 1975. This international agreement instituted a trade ban approach to curtail
international trade of species on the endangered list. Today, approximately 145
countries are party to the CITES agreement. The Department of the State estimates
that illegal trafficking in endangered species market can run into the billions of
dollars, second only to the narcotics industry.
CITES protects both plants and animals that
face extinction as a result of over-exploitation through the international trade market.
The policy instrument used in CITES is the traditional command-and-control method,
using import and export permits to regulate the trade activity. The United
Nations Environment Program administers CITES; however, the member countries must enforce
the treaty provisions locally. In the United States, the Office of Management
Authority administers CITES, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides technical
support.
The following international NGOs also support
the CITES agreement:
- Fauna and Flora International (FFI)
- The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
- Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in
Commerce (TRAFFIC)
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
- World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Key features of CITES
- When countries agree that a species faces
extinction as a result of international trade, the members may list the species (similar
to the ESA listing). For CITES, three categories distinguish the degree of
endangerment:
- Appendix I
status: This listing provides the greatest amount of protection for a
species. This status seeks to eliminate all trade in the endangered species
themselves, and also in products made from the species.
Species that have an Appendix I status include apes,
many moneys, elephants, tigers, whales, parrots, sea turtles, the rhinoceros, the giant
panda, and others.
- Appendix II
status: This listing allows trade to continue, but the member countries must
continuously monitor the trade activity to ensure that the species remains viable.
This listing status provides for a permitting system to regulate the trade in these
species.
- Appendix III
status: This listing provides the least protection; species are listed in this
category if one of the member countries seeks assistance from other member countries in
controlling or monitoring trade for the species.
- Member countries meet once every two years to
review the listed species, and determine whether new listing statuses are necessary to
protect certain plants and animals. This meeting is called the "Conference of
the Parties" (COP).
- Non-governmental organizations representing
conservation, animal welfare, trade, zoological, and scientific interests, may attend the
biennial COPs, as well. The NGOs are not allowed to vote during the meeting, but
they are allowed to voice their positions.
Does CITES protect
endangered species?
Like the ESA, CITES enjoys success for some
species. For instance, the trade in African elephant parts diminished quickly during
the late 1980's, after CITES gave the elephant an Appendix I status. However, this
success was in large part due to the public awareness campaign that accompanied this
listing. The demand for elephant products in Europe and in the United States dropped
to such a low point that illegal trafficking was no longer lucrative. On the other
hand, trade in tiger parts continues to threaten the species. Although the tiger
also received an Appendix I listing, and a public awareness campaign, this species faces
the continued threat of illegal trade. Because tiger parts find themselves in
medicines and other such products, it is more difficult to catch the flow of these
products through countries.
For more information, please see visit the
CITES homepage at:
http://www.wcmc.org.uk:80/CITES/english/index.html |
