Highlights and images for 3 December 2025

Channelling cheetahs, delegates sped through the final listing proposals on the last day of Committee I and II discussions at 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.

Sloths, mangabey, and vultures received greater protections. Downlisting the peregrine falcon from Appendix I to Appendix II was also on the table, with proponents arguing that the raptor no longer meets the biological criteria for inclusion in Appendix I, given a significant recovery in its wild populations in recent years. Others expressed concern about the quality of global data. Resorting to a secret ballot, Committee I did not accept the proposal.

The working group on the contentious uplisting of brazilwood managed to achieve consensus in a way that pleased both conservationists and musicians: Brazil, in a spirit of compromise, agreed to retain brazilwood in Appendix II, but with a zero export quota for wild-harvested specimens traded for commercial purposes, while still allowing for the non-commercial transport of finished musical instruments, accessories, and parts. The outcome was welcomed by music-related observer organizations for providing “the legal certainty needed for string players [...] to continue to share their music across the globe.”

Committee II was also highly efficient—in the morning, at least, when delegates considered a range of items from orchids to musical instruments and caviar. The discussion on rhinoceros conservation and trade highlighted the significant cooperation among range, transit, and destination states—but also that poaching and illegal trade remain a significant threat for the world’s rhinos.

Delegates were able to achieve consensus on some unresolved items, but had to resort to several votes, most notably on the budget. Running overtime by over an hour, delegates were divided over a 6.98% increase or a zero-nominal growth scenario. With 68 for, 19 against, and 11 abstentions, the committee accepted the increase.

Those delegates not frantically working in the remaining drafting and working groups were able to enjoy a range of side events on cheetahs, savannah elephants, tarantulas, lions, and saiga antelopes. 

Delegates will reconvene in plenary for the last two days of the meeting.