C.I.T.E.S

A detailed Summary of C.I.T.E.S

CITES is the singles most important treaty protecting species at an international level. CITES stands for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. It was established in 1973 in association with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). Currently, the treaty has been ratified by more than 120 countries. CITES is headquartered in Switzerland. It establishes lists (known as Appendices) of species for which the international trade has to be regulated and monitored. Those nations which are affiliated agree to restrict the trade and destructive exploitation of these species. Appendix I includes approximately 675 animals and plants for which commercial trade is prohibited. Appendix II include approximately 3700 animals and 21,000 plants whose international trade is monitored and restricted.

International treaties such as CITES are implemented once the countries signed pass laws and enforce them. Once these laws have been passed within a country, police, wildlife inspectors, customs officials and other government agents can arrest and prosecute anyone who possesses or trades organisms which are listed by the treaty and seize them.

Member countries are required to have their own management an

In Conclusion, while CITES is a very good approach to monitoring and preventing trade of species, there are many flaws that need to be worked out before the plan can be 100% successful. Governments need to start implementing the laws and become much more strict when enforcing such laws. We are however making good progress. Not all is lost yet. If we (the citizens of the world) start being more considerate about other living organisms that share the planet with us, there should be no reason why we could not make everything better. Humans are not the only species living in this planet. We just like pretending so.

The biggest problems that every international treaty (not just CITES) is facing is that participation is voluntary and countries can withdraw from participating at any time they desire to do so or if they find that the rules and norms they have to follow are too difficult to comply with. This flaw was highlighted when several countries walked out of the International Whaling commission due to the ban on whale hunting.

Third, the benefits of biological diversity are of extreme importance at an international level. Every country is in need of their biological diversity for purposes ranging from agriculture, medicine and industry to the ecosystems that help regulate the climate and those which are of importance for ecotourism and biological research. Wealthy countries should help less

Some common words found in the essay are:
WWF TRAFFIC, International Whaling, Appendix II, UNEP Currently, Conclusion CITES, CITES CITES, international trade, Endangered Species, biological diversity, exploitation species, species international, endangered species, international level,

Approximate Word count = 950
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science