Assessment of Pangolin Conservation Advancements Discussed at CITES Seventy-Eighth Assembly
The CITES Standing Committee is set to convene for its 78th meeting from 3-8 February 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. This gathering marks the last meeting before the CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP20), scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in November 2025.
The Committee, which consists of member countries of the CITES treaty, will provide policy guidance, oversee the management of the Secretariat's budget, and handle all compliance matters related to the Convention. CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero has expressed optimism about meaningful progress in strengthening the implementation of the Convention.
The agenda for the 78th meeting is extensive, covering a wide range of topics. The Committee will delve into sustainability challenges and conservation progress for various species included in the CITES Appendices. This includes discussions on the conservation and sustainable use of forests, the impacts of CITES exemptions for rosewood tree species, and the management of Brazil wood (Paubrasilia echinata) bows.
Wildlife crime will also be a significant focus, with issues related to cheetahs, rhinoceroses, seahorses, Tibetan antelope, tortoises, and freshwater turtles under consideration. The Committee will review updates from the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) and consider the relationship between CITES and the recently adopted Agreement on Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Other key items on the agenda include the review of proposals, reports, updates, and recommendations relating to plant species, sharks and rays, elephants, CITES and People, Introduction from the Sea, and Compliance Matters. The Committee is also invited to consider new non-binding guidance on consulting indigenous peoples and local communities on proposals to amend the CITES Appendices.
The meeting is expected to gather more than 70 CITES Parties and over 100 observer organisations. The discussions and decisions made during this meeting will offer a preview of the conservation, regulation, and combatting wildlife crime measures that may be adopted at CITES CoP20. Furthermore, the Committee's decisions and resolutions will provide insight into the conservation, regulation of trade, combatting wildlife crime, and strengthening the sustainability and traceability of the harvest and trade in CITES-listed species.
The CITES Standing Committee meeting is not related to the advertisement for publishing news, events, jobs, and thought leadership with EB Publishing. The outcomes of the 78th meeting will set the stage for the comprehensive review by CITES CoP20 of the implementation of the Convention, as it reaches its 50th year in effect. Regional activities in West and Central Africa and progress made by other Parties to address wildlife crime will also be considered.
As the world grapples with the challenges of biodiversity loss and the need for international cooperation, the work of the CITES Standing Committee takes on even greater importance. The decisions made in Geneva in February 2025 will have far-reaching implications for the conservation and sustainable use of the planet's diverse wildlife.
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