THE Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is one of the most high-profile events on the international conservation calendar.
This year, the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17) will be takeplace in Johannesburg, South Africa, from September 24 to October 5.
EIA campaigners will be attending CoP17 to push for positive outcomes on a number of key campaign issues, pressing for the following outcomes:
ELEPHANTS: Support proposals to close all domestic ivory markets and halt discussion of a CITES decision-making mechanism for future trade in ivory
PANGOLINS: Support the transfer of all eight pangolin species to Appendix I, effectively banning all international trade
RHINOS: Reject the proposal submitted by Swaziland for trade in rhino horn
ROSEWOOD: Support proposals to tighten and extend protection of these threatened tree species
TIGERS & ASIAN BIG CATS: Adopt measures that will phase out tiger farms and combat illegal trade in tigers and leopards.
TOTOABA: Adoption of measures to eliminate illegal totoaba trade, which poses a direct threat to the survival of the vaquita porpoise
These and other EIA recommendations are covered in more detail in a briefing for media here.
Additional EIA briefings prepared for CITES CoP17 are available here.
If you’re on Twitter, you can follow updates from EIA campaigners in Johannesburg via our account @EIAinvestigator with the hashtag #CoP17