Cooperation and partnerships
The CITES Strategic Vision: 2008 – 2013 outlines the Convention’s direction in the new millennium and takes into account, within the context of its mandate, issues such as:
- contributing to the UN Millennium Development Goals relevant to CITES;
- contributing to the WSSD target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010;
- contributing to the conservation of wildlife as an integral part of the global ecosystem on which all life depends;
- cultural, social and economic factors at play in producer and consumer countries;
- promoting transparency and wider involvement of civil society in the development of conservation policies and practices;
- ensuring that 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.
Goal 3 of the CITES Strategic Vision: 2008 – 2013 is to “contribute to significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by ensuring that CITES and other multilateral instruments and processes are coherent and mutually supportive”. Such coherence and mutual supportiveness are needed at both the
national and international levels.
The strategic positioning of the Convention with other organizations, instruments and processes is critical to the successful implementation of the Convention, as reflected in Goal 3. Cooperation efforts undertaken to implement Goal 3 fall into several clusters, namely:
- biodiversity-related and other conventions;
- international environment organizations;
- international organizations and agreements dealing with natural resources;
- international trade and development organizations;
- international organizations dealing with law enforcement; and
- international financial mechanisms and other related institutions.
(See document SC61 Doc. 15.1: Cooperation with other organizations)
Specific efforts include the adoption of relevant resolutions and decision by the Conference of the Parties, the establishment memoranda of understanding with above mentioned organizations and agreements, participation in cooperative groups. etc. More detailed information can be found below.
For more information, see also: CITES’ Contribution to the New Strategic Biodiversity Plan 2011-2020 and Aichi Biodiversity Targets
Relevant Resolutions and Decisions
Resolutions
Resolution Conf. 14.4 – Cooperation between CITES and ITTO regarding trade in tropical timber
Resolution Conf. 14.2 – CITES Strategic Vision: 2008-2013
Resolution Conf. 13.11 – Bushmeat
Resolution Conf. 13.10 (Rev. CoP14) – Trade in alien invasive species
Resolution Conf. 13.4 – Conservation of and trade in great apes
Resolution Conf. 13.2 (Rev. CoP14) – Sustainable use of biodiversity: Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines
Resolution Conf. 11.3 (Rev. CoP15) – Compliance and enforcement
Resolution Conf. 10.21 (Rev. CoP14) – Transport of live specimens
Decisions
Decisions 15.91-15.93 – Working Group on the Bigleaf Mahogany and Other Neotropical Timber Species
Decision 15.60 – Transport of live specimens
Decision 15.54-15.56 – Electronic permitting
Decision 15.38-15.41 – National laws for implementation of the Convention
Decision 15.20 – Funding for projects related to species conservation and management
Decision 15.19 – Global Strategy for Plant Conservation of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Decision 15.18 – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Decision 15.15-15.17 – Climate change
Decision 15.11 – Biodiversity Indicators Partnership
Decision 15.10 – Post-2010 biodiversity targets
Decision 14.11 – Regional cooperation and coordination
Decision 14.10 – Support to Master’s programmes
Memoranda of Understanding
Memorandum of Understanding between the Standing Committee of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme concerning Secretariat Services to and Support of the Convention (see also the Delegation of Authority on Administrative and Financial Matters)In an effort to realize Goal 3 of the CITES Strategic Vision: 2008-2013 – as well as the Strategic Vision adopted in 2000 and earlier strategic aims (e.g. cooperation with CBD after its adoption), the Secretariat has entered into a number of general cooperation agreements with other organizations. These Memoranda of Understanding are as follows:
Multi-lateral environmental agreements (MEAs)
- Memorandum
of Understanding among the Secretariat of the Basel Convention
on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and Their Disposal (SBC) and the Secretariat of the Vienna Convention
for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocal
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (the Ozone Secretariat)
and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
- Memorandum
of Cooperation between the Secretariat of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (Washington, D.C., 1973) and the Secretariat of the Convention
on Biological Diversity (Nairobi, 1992) (see also the amendment)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES Secretariat) and the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS Secretariat) (see also the new annex)
International governmental organizations
- Memorandum of Understanding between
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) and the CITES Secretariat
- Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the CITES Secretariat
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the General Secretariat of ICPO-INTERPOL
and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
- Memorandum of Understanding between
the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the CITES Secretariat
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the Task Force for Co-operative Enforcement
Operations directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora
(Lusaka Agreement Task Force) and the Secretariat of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the Secretariat of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora and IUCN - the World Conservation Union, July 1999
Governments
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the Department for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the United Kingdom (UK) and the
Secretariat to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Office of Law Enforcement/Clark R. Bavin National Fish &
Wildlife Forensic Laboratory and the Secretariat of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora
Non-governmental organizations
- Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) concluded between TRAFFIC International,
on behalf of the TRAFFIC Network and the Secretariat of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (the CITES Secretariat)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and WAZA - the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Universities, research centers and others
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía
and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
- Memorandum
of Understanding between the Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, United Kingdom the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora
- Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Kent and the
Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Biodiversity Liaison Group
The Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions was established in 2002 pursuant to CBD Decision VII/26. It currently comprises the heads of the secretariats of the six biodiversity-related conventions (CBD, CITES, CMS, ITPGR, Ramsar and WHC). The Group’s aims are to explore opportunities for collaboration and increased coordination, and to exchange information.
On the occasion of the second high-level retreat of the members of the Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions (BLG), held in Bogis-Bossey, Switzerland, on 4 September 2011, the members of the BLG adopted and signed the Modus Operandi which will be sent to the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the respective members.
Documents
- Report of the Special Meeting of the Biodiversity-related Conventions (Geneva, 13 April 2011)
- Report of the First Retreat of Biodiversity-related Conventions (Bogis-Bossey, 1 September 2010)
- Report of the seventh meeting (Paris, 9 April 2009)
- Report of the sixth meeting (Bonn, 31 May 2008)
- Report of the fifth meeting (Gland, 14 September 2006)
- Report of the fourth meeting (Bonn, 4 October 2005)
- Report of the third meeting (Gland, 10 May 2005)
- Report of the second meeting (Geneva, 16 August 2004)
- Report of the first meeting (Paris, 3 June 2004)
More information on the BLG is available here.
Environment Management Group
The Environment Management Group (EMG) is a United Nations (UN) System-wide coordination body. Its Membership consists of the specialized agencies, programmes and organs of the United Nations including the secretariats of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements. It is chaired by the Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by a secretariat provided by UNEP.
The EMG furthers inter-agency cooperation in support of the implementation of the international environmental and human settlement agenda. It identifies issues on the agenda that warrant joint efforts, and finds ways of engaging its collective capacity in coherent management responses to those issues. The current issues under consideration by the group include:
- IMG on Biodiversity
- IMG on Green Economy
- IMG on Sustainability Management
- IMG on Land
- EMG Consultative Process on Environmental and Social Safeguards
- Inputs for International and Environment Governance (IEG)
More information is available at: http://www.unemg.org/
Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
IPBES stands for ‘Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’. IPBES will be an interface between the scientific community and policy makers that aims to build capacity for and strengthen the use of science in policy making.
Documents
- Report of the third ad hoc intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder meeting on an intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem (Busan outcome)
- UNEP Governing Council Decision 25/10
- Due recognition of CITES promoted at IPBES plenary
- Joint statement of the biodiversity-related Conventions at the first session of the plenary meeting on IPBES (3-7 October 2011 in Nairobi, Kenya )
- Recommendations of the 61st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee on an Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC)
ICCWC is the collaborative effort by five inter-governmental organizations working to bring coordinated support to the national wildlife law enforcement agencies and to the sub-regional and regional networks that, on a daily basis, act in defence of natural resources. ICCWC is comprised of the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank and the World Customs Organization (WCO). The CITES Secretariat chairs the alliance.
Click here for more information on ICCWC.
Click here for the Letter of Understanding between ICCWC and the CITES Secretariat.
Documents and reports
Expert Workshop Promoting CITES-CBD Cooperation And Synergy, International Academy for Nature Conservation, Isle of Vilm, Germany, 20-24 April 2004 (Workshop Report)
Document of the 61st meeting of the Standing Committee on cooperation with other organizations (SC61 Doc. 15.1)
Knowledge Management
The MEA Information and Knowledge Management Initiative
The Multilateral Environment Agreement Information and Knowledge Management (MEA IKM) initiative seeks to develop harmonized and interoperable information systems in support of knowledge management activities among MEAs for the benefit of Parties and the environment community at large.
The first project initiated with the MEAs was the development of information exchange formats, protocols and standards to facilitate the development of much eeded knowledge tools, an MEA-wide Resolution and Decision search mechanism being a case in point. Other achievements include the development of a controlled vocabulary to facilitate the searching, locating and retrieving of information and a web-portal to host knowledge tools and resources (InforMEA)
Meetings
Initial Meeting on Knowledge Management in the context of MEAs and Conventions, 22-24 September 2009, Chexbres, Switzerland
First MEA IKM Working Group Meeting, 3-4 February 2010, Geneva, Switzerland
First MEA IKM Steering Committee Meeting, 22-24 June 2010, Glion, Switzerland