Geneva, 16 December 2024 – Two intensive weeks of biodiversity negotiations and discussions concluded in Cali, Colombia, where the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) took place from 21 October-1 November 2024. Bringing together over 18,000 biodiversity stakeholders from governments, academia, indigenous communities, private sector, and civil society, the meeting brought to light challenges ahead and opportunities for working together to achieve the shared vision of peace with nature.
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) took part in plenary session discussions, associated events and meetings, aiming to reinforce partnerships for conservation and sustainable use of wildlife and help Parties and stakeholders gain further insights into the contribution of CITES to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
The Secretariat was actively involved in several thematic days during CBD COP16, demonstrating the interlinkages of CITES to different aspects of biodiversity conservation, including:
Oceans Day: CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero’s message emphasized the importance of aquatic species for international trade and of CITES implementation and enforcement as a core part of global efforts to conserve and restore critical marine and coastal ecosystems.
Forest and Water Day: The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) launched The Forest Factor, a new report illustrating the role of protection, restoration and sustainable management of forests for the implementation of the KMGBF. In CITES Secretary-General and CPF Vice-Chair Higuero’s remarks, she reaffirmed the collective commitment of the CPF to support countries in meeting their national and global forest-related objectives and to unite diverse organizations around the common goal of ensuring the sustainable management of the world’s forests.
Trade Day: During her keynote address for the 5th session of the event organized by UN Trade and Development, Secretary-General Higuero highlighted the contributions of sustainable trade to biodiversity conservation, citing examples of developments concerning Candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) and African cherry (Prunus africana).
Biodiversity Law and Governance Day: During the event organized by the International Law Association, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Universidad de Costa Rica and the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, Secretary-General Higuero shared her five key messages on how international treaty regimes foster the achievement of the KMGBF goals and targets. During the closing ceremony, Secretary-General Higuero was awarded a Global Biodiversity Law & Governance Leadership Award.
Throughout the meeting, the Secretariat also engaged in the initiatives, events and discussions led by the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Management of Wildlife (CPW) on human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and the sustainable use and trade of wild species.
For the first of two CPW-led side events, CITES Secretary-General and CPW Chair Higuero’s remarked the importance of using strong indicators to assess the effectiveness of HWC policy and management decisions and the contributions of the CPW to developing the methodology for Sustainable Use of Wild Species Indicators for Target 5 of the Framework. In the second CPW side event on Collaborative action for Sustainable Wildlife Management, Secretary-General Higuero joined fellow CPW member leaders in showcasing the progress made on selected joint initiatives within the CPW 2023-2025 Workplan, including testing CITES Guidance on Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs) and enhancing benefits to indigenous peoples and local communities.
As part of Biodiversity and Health Day, the Secretary-General moderated a discussion on "Sustainable Wildlife Management and Health" that highlighted the collaborative efforts of the CPW’s 13 member organizations, including the development of a One Health brief, shared progress on key joint initiatives and explored the significance of the One Health approach in tackling global health challenges tied to wildlife management.
During the plenary discussions, as Chair of the CPW, the Secretary-General introduced the gap analysis undertaken by the CPW at the request of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). This analysis identified areas that were not adequately covered by existing guidance developed under relevant multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and by competent intergovernmental organizations. It was conducted within CPW’s mandate covering terrestrial wildlife across all biomes and utilizing internal financial resources, taking into consideration the seven key elements of effective policy for the sustainable use of wild species identified in the IPBES Thematic Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species.
The Decision CBD/COP/16/L.2 on Sustainable wildlife management was successfully adopted during the meeting, setting the stage for enhanced synergies in the field of sustainable use of wildlife with the CITES Secretariat, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the secretariats of other relevant MEAs. The Decision also calls for the CBD Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the CPW, to prepare draft global guidance on the sustainable management of wildlife focusing on inclusive and participatory decision-making, the inclusion of multiple systems of knowledge and the recognition of rights, and the equitable distribution of costs and benefits.
At the high-level segment on 29 October, the CITES Secretariat worked closely with the other members of the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, also known as the Biodiversity Liaison Group (BLG), to make a joint intervention regarding the cooperation among the biodiversity-related MEAs in the implementation of the KMGBF.
On the same day, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the CITES Secretariat signed the host country agreement, officially designating Uzbekistan as host of the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CITES CoP20) in Samarkand in 2025. The agreement was formalized by H.E. Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Aziz Abdukhakimov, CITES Secretary-General Higuero and H.E. Minister of Environment of Panama Juan Carlos Navarro. Hosting CITES CoP20 in Samarkand, during the 50th anniversary year of the Convention, demonstrates Uzbekistan’s commitment to international cooperation, effective CITES implementation and the future of wild fauna and flora species.
CITES also hosted a dedicated booth in the exhibition area, where many participants stopped by to obtain information about the Convention, ask questions, and hold bilateral meetings with the Secretariat.
As the meeting drew to a close, the CITES Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to working in collaboration with the CBD and other global stakeholders to ensure the survival of CITES-listed species in the wild and to achieve the shared vision of a sustainable future. The upcoming CITES CoP20 next year will further this momentum in contributing to the achievement of the KMGBF, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the CITES Strategic Vision 2030, so that all international trade in CITES-listed species is conducted in a sustainable, legal and traceable manner.
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About CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975. With 184 Parties (183 countries + the European Union), it remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade in over 40,900 species of wild animals and plants. CITES-listed species are used by people around the world in their daily lives for food, health care, furniture, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion. CITES seeks to ensure that international trade in such species is sustainable, legal and traceable and contributes to both the livelihoods of the communities that live closest to them and to national economies for a healthy planet and the prosperity of the people in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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