Highlights and images for 26 November 2025

If Tuesday began relatively smoothly, with parties running through agenda items efficiently, Wednesday proved to be more contentious for participants of the twentieth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20).

Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.

Both committees began with serious disagreements that led parties to a vote: for Committee II, on whether to renew or revise the decisions regarding CITES gender action plan, among others; and for Committee I, on whether to commission a potential study on look-alike species. Committee I became mired in debates on procedure and technical issues during their vote, drawing some wry smiles from seasoned observers: “With this much confusion on issues, I have to ask—did we all sleep poorly?”

Committee I began considering proposals to amend Appendices I and II, beginning with tree species, which proved a contentious and sensitive set of conversations. Brazil’s proposal to uplist Brazilwood (Paubrazilia echinata) led to the striking of a party-only working group on the matter. The day’s remaining tree species proposals were all brought to votes but failed to reach the required two-thirds majority.

In Committee II, parties considered strategic matters such as the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, as well as integrating human rights, livelihoods, and food security into the implementation of CITES. They also considered issues related to Elephants’ (Elephantidae spp.) conservation and trade, establishing a working group to consider amendments to improve data validation processes under the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) and to explore the inclusion of network analysis to the National Ivory Action Plan process. 

Throughout the day, participants attended side events on, among other subjects: 

• Asian big cats and CITES;
• Range states’ actions on Jaguars;
• A new conservation initiative on key herpetological areas; and
• The challenge of “Eel-legal” trade in conservation, trade, and enforcement around the world.