The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to have infected more than half a billion people - claiming millions of lives and significantly affecting the global economy. Scientists debated on the SARS-CoV-2’s possible origins in wild animals - adding to a growing list of emerging diseases that are zoonoses – i.e. a result of a spillover of pathogens from wildlife to humans.
It has led the CITES community to review the nexus between international wildlife trade and zoonotic diseases, and to discuss the role of the Convention in reducing the risk of future zoonotic disease emergence associated with CITES trade.
Decisions
Decision 19.15 to 19.19
Role of CITES in reducing risk of future zoonotic disease emergence associated with international wildlife trade.
Intersessional Working Groups
Standing Committee WG: established at SC76 (2022).
>>> membership and mandate
Animals Committee WG: established at AC32 (2023). Considers effective and practical solutions for reducing pathogen spillover in wildlife supply chains and opportunities for practical collaboration.
>>> membership and mandate
Responses received from Parties
Notification to the Parties No. 2023/028
19 responses were received from: Australia, Canada, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, European Union, Germany, Honduras, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Mexico, Malaysia (State of Sabah), Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United States of America and Zimbabwe.
Kunming-Montreal GBF
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Target 5: Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal, preventing overexploitation, minimizing impacts on non-target species and ecosystems, and reducing the risk of pathogen spillover, applying the ecosystem approach, while respecting and protecting customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities.
Link: Decision 15/4 on Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework