Highlights and images for 29 November 2017

Switzerland

Summary


CITES

On Wednesday, the Standing Committee (SC) resumed its discussions in plenary. In-session working groups continued to meet on the margins of the meeting, including in the evening.

In the morning, the SC deliberated on matters of food security, livelihoods, engagement of rural communities in CITES and terminology related to local, indigenous and rural communities. Interventions from participants included pleas to consider the effects of CITES decisions on local people. Intersessional working groups were formed on livelihoods and on rural communities, with the chair of the latter tasked with identifying relevant rural community representatives in consultation with parties. The SC also considered reports on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), UN World Wildlife Day, combating wildlife cybercrime, disposal of confiscated specimens and specimens produced from synthetic or cultured DNA.

In the afternoon, the SC returned to the issue of livelihoods and food security, agreeing to a revised mandate for an intersessional working group. Discussions proceeded quickly on purpose codes on CITES permits and certificates, definition of the term “appropriate and acceptable destinations,” electronic systems and information technologies and traceability, as well as cheetahs. Delegates also discussed issues related to sturgeons and paddlefish, sharks and rays, the African lion and CITES Appendix III. Several intersessional working groups were formed.

At an event held alongside CITES SC69, the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) announced new funding to step up the fight against illegal wildlife trade. The new funding will come from the EU (EUR 13,500,000), Germany (EUR 400,000) and the UK (GBP 4,000,000), which in addition to the support provided by France and the Principality of Monaco (EUR 85,000 and EUR 200,000), totals USD 20 million for the implementation of the ICCWC Strategic Programme 2016-2020.

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis report from the 69th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee. The summary and analysis is available in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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Morning Plenary

View of plenary during the morning session

Carolina Caceres, Standing Committee (SC) Chair, Canada

Sarah Bagnall, New Zealand

João Loureiro, Portugal

Sara Yalle Paredes, Peru

Basile van Havre, Canada

Ron Thomson, The True Green Alliance

Sabri Zain, TRAFFIC

Maurice Isaacs, the Bahamas

Daven Joseph, Antigua and Barbuda

Kristina Rodina, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)

Nero Cunha Ferreira, Brazil 

Kumara Wakjira, Ethiopia

Felix Monggae, Botswana

Thierry Lucas, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

Olga Kumalo, South Africa

Max Abensperg-Traun, Austria

Afternoon Plenary

Delegates during the afternoon plenary

Elly Hamunyela, Namibia

Karen Gaynor, CITES Secretariat

Ali Laouel Abbagana, Niger

Mathias Lörtscher, Switzerland, Chair of the Animals Committee (AC)

Abba Sonko, Senegal

Benoit Doamba, Burkina Faso

Iris Ho, Humane Society International

Observer delegates raise their placards to be included in a working group

Armen Petrossian, International Caviar Importers Association

Tan York Chor, Singapore

Clara Nobbe, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

Paul De Ornellas, Zoological Society of London (ZSL)

Elizabeth Ferguson, Australia

Antonio Palma Inostroza, Chile

Daniel Fernando, Sri Lanka

Around the Venue

Delegates from Kenya

Delegates from Mexico and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Delegates from Peru

Delegates from Chile

Delegates from Italy

Delegates speak informally

A delegate reads the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) website

Delegates review a document

Bee hives at the venue

Participants

Negotiating blocs
European Union