Plants offer crucial benefits for the health of the planet by helping mitigate climate change, regulating water use, supporting nutrient cycling and more. They also provide a range of benefits for the livelihoods of people.
African cherry is traditionally used for the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. Rosewood is used as high-value timber for furniture and musical instruments. Edible tuberous orchids hold cultural significance for their use in traditional teas and desserts. Given the wide range of implications for both the planet people, the trade and harvest of these plant species must be well-regulated to ensure their use remains sustainable, results in long term benefits to the people and species involved and maintains the role that the species play in the ecosystem.
From July 8 to 12, 2024, the 27th meeting of the Plants Committee (PC27) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) convened a global community of plant conservation and trade experts in Geneva, Switzerland. Thirteen Members of the Plants Committee representing Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America and Oceania participated in the meeting to exchange information, provide guidance and make recommendations on the conservation priorities of plant species in international trade. A total of 191 participants from 147 governments and 44 observer organisations also attended the meeting sharing their expertise with the Committee, further enriching the robust scientific discussions.
CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero, said: “The recommendations of the Plants Committee will not only provide advice to the Parties on scientific and technical matters of the Convention, but will also ensure the success of forthcoming initiatives, such as the workshop on African rosewood in September and the next stage of the CITES Tree Species Project…It is clear to me that the future of the plant species listed in the CITES Appendices is in good hands.”
The Committee agreed on numerous draft decisions for CITES Parties, which outline specific actions, recommendations, or directives on scientific and technical matters for consideration at the next CITES Conference of the Parties (COP20) in 2025. Once adopted, CITES Decisions and ResolutioOs inform the programmes of work for the next three-year intersessional period for Parties, the Committees and the Secretariat.
Several draft decisions and recommendations relating to orchids were agreed by the Committee for submission to COP20. The draft decisions include encouraging CITES Parties to regulate trade in edible tuberous orchids as required by the Convention, calling for a more formalised and systematic reporting approach for products of species like orchids commonly found in the food and cosmetics industries. Other proposed actions include making Non-Detriment Findings (NDFs) using the new guidance and enhancing cooperation across borders for species identification.
The Committee took significant strides towards updating nomenclature references and guidance for artificially propagated species, such as for Malagasy ebonies and Agarwood species, respectively. Nomenclature references used in CITES provide information on taxonomic classification that serves as the legal basis for clarifying which species are covered by CITES. This information assists in correctly identifying species in trade and ensuring all 184 Parties use the same names when assessing applications, authorising international trade and monitoring the trade. Resources that support this implementation of the Convention include CITES Checklists. Similar to the CITES Dalbergia Checklist, a Malagasy ebonies checklist is now in development and has been recommended for adoption at CITES COP20.
After careful consideration of scientific assessments prepared and submitted by some range States relating to the sustainable harvest and international trade of African rosewood, the Committee agreed to export quotas for a limited number of rosewood specimens for countries that demonstrated that the proposed trade will be sustainable. This marks a critical step for range States and provides an incentive to strengthen sustainable trade practices, in benefit of both conservation efforts and local livelihoods.
At a side event hosted by the CITES Secretariat, progress for African rosewood was further magnified with the launch of the first global report on CITES rosewood tree species. The report aims to provide data and insights into the status and trade trends of rosewood species worldwide. Comprising case studies conducted by the Secretariat in partnership with TRAFFIC experts, the report is expected to serve as a vital resource for policymakers and conservationists, helping to guide future strategies and actions.
The CITES Secretariat hosted two additional side events during the weeklong meeting. The “CITES and Forests” event organised in partnership with CONABIO presented updates on the ongoing interdisciplinary study on the Convention’s contributions to forest conservation. The event offered participants the opportunity to provide feedback on initiatives, such as the new phase of the CITES Tree Species Project (CTSP). The “CITES Export Quota Tool” event introduced a new tool with built in checks and verifications that will allow Parties to upload their own nationally managed export quotas directly on the CITES website.
During the joint session of the CITES Plants Committee and the CITES Animals Committee (July 12 to 13, 2024), a significant joint achievement was discussed: The new NDF guidance developed through a collaborative process. The CITES NDF project brought together over 200 experts from Parties, observer organisations, the Secretariat, and implementing partners to develop new and updated guidance for NDFs, which aim to determine scientifically whether an export of an Appendix II CITES-listed specimen or product, or the introduction of an Appendix II CITES-listed specimen from the high seas is detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild.
Following the recent global workshop on non-detriment findings in Nairobi, December 2023, this is the first elaboration of NDF guidance led by CITES after the adoption of the Resolution on NDF guidance at COP16 in 2013.
In closing the Plants Committee meeting, Chair of the CITES Plants Committee, Flore Koumba Pambo, said: “We have had discussions that were complex but fruitful, and the results of our work will contribute significantly to the conservation and sustainable use of plant species listed in the CITES Appendices.”
The outcomes of the CITES Plants Committee meeting reflect a concerted effort to ensure international trade in plant species is sustainable. By developing and updating technical guidance, CITES aims to prevent the over-exploitation from trade of plant species and ensure their long-term survival in the wild. The meeting’s developments garner international cooperation and capacity building on CITES scientific and technical matters, which are essential for the effective implementation of conservation measures worldwide.
