CITES

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement signed in Washington DC in 1973 that regulates international trade in wild animals and plants to ensure that it does not threaten their survival; CITES operates by listing species in three appendices according to the degree of protection required: Appendix I prohibits all commercial international trade in the most threatened species; Appendix II allows trade subject to permit requirements and sustainability assessments; Appendix III lists species protected in at least one country; CITES has over 180 signatory parties and covers trade in over 38,000 species; its effectiveness is debated, with successes including the near-cessation of the ivory trade after the 1989 ban and criticisms focusing on enforcement gaps and the persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking markets