Highlights and images for 27 July 2017

Switzerland

Summary


CITES
On Thursday, 27 July, the final day of the 23rd meeting of the Plants Committee (PC23), participants spent the morning in plenary hearing working groups reports on periodic review, rosewood timber species, nomenclature, East African sandalwood, definition of the term “artificially propagated,” timber identification, and annotations for Appendix-II orchids. On non-detriment findings (NDF), they also considered the 9-Steps-NDF-Guidance for plants developed by Germany and TRAFFIC.

In plenary in the afternoon, the PC discussed Malagasy ebonies, palisanders, and rosewoods, with reports from Madagascar and the Secretariat on related decisions, and heard from Mexico on cooperation with the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). They considered and agreed, with amendments, to recommendations from working groups on review of significant trade (RST) and African tree species. In discussions, PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair commended the RST working group for its clear and systematic presentation of materials for consideration by the PC. The PC also re-considered rosewood timber species in the afternoon, agreeing to task the working group chairs with developing a report for the Standing Committee, rather than convening an intersessional working group.

In closing remarks, PC Chair Sinclair thanked participants and looked with anticipation to the start of the PC’s intersessional work, commenting that “the best is yet to come.” The meeting closed at 4:54pm.

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the 29th Meeting of the CITES Animals Committee, Joint Meeting of the CITES Animals and Plants Committees, and 23rd Meeting of the CITES Plants Committee. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu
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Morning Plenary

View of the dais during the morning plenary

Valentina Vaglica, Malta, and Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, Mexico

Jaques Berney, World Conservation Trust (IWMC)

Nahla Noobi, United Arab Emirates

Isabel Camarena Osorno, PC alternate representative for North America

Patience Gandiwa, Zimbabwe

Junya Nakano, Japan

César Beltetón, PC representative for Central and South America and the Caribbean, speaking with Paulo Carmo, PC representative for Europe

Hélène Perier, EU

Wita Wardani, Indonesia

Vera Teresinha Rauber Coradin, PC representative for Central and South America and the Caribbean

Noel McGough, PC Nomenclature Specialist

Closing Plenary

PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair, Canada, discussing a document with Ali Mahamane, PC representative for Africa, after the morning plenary

Uwe Schippmann, Germany

Anne St. John, US

Greg Leach, PC representative for Oceania

Martin Rose, Austria

Liva Hariniaina Ramiandrarivo, Madagascar

Ursula Moser, PC alternate representative for Europe

César Beltetón and Vera Teresinha Rauber Coradin, PC representatives for Central and South America and the Caribbean, checking the CITES photos on ENB website

Tom De Meulenaer, CITES Secretariat, consulting with PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair, Canada

Mashur Bin Mohammad Alias, Indonesian Agarwood Association

Jacob Phelps, International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN)

PC representatives applaud PC Chair Adrianne Sinclair, Canada

Group photo of the CITES Secretariat and the PC representatives at the closing of PC23

Around the Venue

Members of UN Security at the AC and PC meetings

Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Republic of Korea and Thailand

Delegates from Saudi Arabia

Delegates from China and Indonesia

Delegates from South Africa

Participants

Negotiating blocs
European Union