Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

• It is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants should not threaten their survival.
• It was conceptualized in 1963 at a meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• It came into force in 1975 and consists of 183 membercountries.
• Itis administered by the United Nations under its UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Wing.
• The Convention of Parties to CITES is the supreme decision-making body of the Convention and comprises all its Parties.
• Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national laws. Rather, it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.
•  Three CITES Appendices.
• Appendix I:
  • Species that are in danger of extinction .
  • Commercial trade is prohibited. 
  • Permits are required for import and export. 
  • Trade permitted just for research only if the origin country ensures the trade won’t harm the species’ chance of survival.
• Appendix II:
  • Species that aren’t facing imminent extinction but need monitoring so that any trade doesn’t become a threat. 
  • Trade permits obtained legally and only if the origin country ensures that its harvesting and trade won’t harm the species’ chance of survival.
• Appendix III:
  • Species that are protected in at least one country. 
  • Regulations for these species vary, but typically the country that requested the listing can issue export permits, and export from other countries requires a certifi cate of origin.
• Species may be added to or removed from Appendix I and II, or moved between them, only by the Conference of the Parties.
• However, species may be added to or removed from Appendix III at any time and by any Party unilaterally.
• India is a CITES Party since 1976.
  • As an active CITES Party, India prohibits the international trade of endangered wild species.
  • India has placed several measures to control the threats from invasive alien species.
  • This is done by regulating the trade by export certifi cates and import permits.
• The Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme is an international collaboration that measures the levels, trends and causes of elephant mortality. It was established by CITES in 1997. It provides an information base to support international decision-making related to conservation of elephants in Asia and Africa.
• In 2017, IUCN was engaged by CITES to implement the MIKE Asia programme in two sub-regions: South Asia and Southeast Asia.

In News:

India has proposed to remove rosewood (Dalbergiasissoo) from Appendix II of CITES.