15 Mar 2022 Wildlife Trade: FACE at the CITES Standing Committee

Sustainable, legal and equitable wildlife trade can be a powerful nature-based solution for meeting the twin challenges of enhancing rural livelihoods and conserving biological diversity[1]. Hunting contributes to the conservation of many species, including those that are endangered. At the same time, the movement of harvested game products (including hunting trophies) is an important aspect of sustainable use.

From 7-11 March 2022, FACE attended the 74th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Lyon (France). CITES regulates international trade to make sure that trade in endangered species is legal, sustainable and not detrimental to the survival of the species.

The meeting brought together a wide range of government experts and NGOs to review strategic, policy and species-specific issues related to the implementation of the Convention in preparation for the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP19) to be held in November 2022 in Panama.

FACE together with its international partners Safari Club International (SCI), Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) monitored and advocated on critical issues for hunters and conservation. Some important agenda items were the engagement of indigenous people and local communities, quotas for leopard hunting trophies and CITES Big Cats Task Force.

The meeting saw a packed agenda, with important topics discussed such as the potential role of CITES in reducing the risk of future zoonotic disease emergence associated with international wildlife trade, the involvement in CITES of local communities and their livelihoods and CITES Strategic Vision: 2021-2030.

From FACE’s perspective, it’s important that wildlife trade and conservation strategies acknowledge the value of sustainable hunting to conservation, which promotes community-based conservation.

Find here the reports of the meetings.

[1] IUCN – https://www.iucn.org/commissions/commission-environmental-economic-and-social-policy/our-work/specialist-group-sustainable-use-and-livelihoods-suli/wildlife-trade