CITES, livelihoods and illegal wildlife trade

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Engaging Indigenous Peoples And Local Communities In Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade

Regional Workshop For West And Central Africa 24 – 25 February 2016, Limbe, Cameroon

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Legal or illegal?

CITES sets the international rules

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Livelihoods

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3% vs 97%

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CITES trade record (legal trade)

Species in illegal trade

• Appendix I species of high value (e.g. African

elephant ivory, rhino horn, tiger bone)

• Appendix II species in high volume (e.g.

python, pangolin, bird, timber, snake, turtle)

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Half a million python

skins (from CITES 5

species) are

exported annually

from South East

Asia in a trade worth

$1 billon a year, and

the value is the

same in illegal

python trade

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Livelihood: Many rural communities depend on a variety of

wildlife and forest products for their food,

medicines and livelihoods.

Preamble of the CITES

“Recognizing that peoples and

States are and should be the

best protectors of their own wild

fauna and flora”

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Outcome of Rio+20

“We recognize the important role of the

Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and

Flora, an international agreement that stands

at the intersection between trade, the

environment and development; promotes the

conservation and sustainable use of

biodiversity, should contribute to tangible

benefits for local people”

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Sustainable Development Goals

15.c Enhance global support

for efforts to combat

poaching and trafficking of

protected species, including

by increasing the capacity of

local communities to pursue

sustainable livelihood

opportunities

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CITES Resolutions and Decisions

on livelihoods

Resolution Conf. 8.3 (Rev. CoP13): Recognition

of the benefits of trade in wildlife

Resolution Conf. 16.6: CITES and livelihoods

Decisions 16.17 to 25 CITES and livelihoods

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Handbook on CITES and livelihoods

How to rapidly assess the effects

of the application of CITES

decisions on livelihoods in poor

rural community

Addresing and mitigating the

effects of the application of

CITES decisions on livelihoods

in poor rural community

Changing pattern of trade

• Captive breeding of animals or artificial

propagation of plants now account for over

50% of commercial international trade in live

animals and plants

• Resolutin Conf. 16.6 recognizes “positive

incentives to promote in situ production

systems may encourage benefits for these

communities”

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Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora