Scientists to advance global technical agenda for sustainable trade, conservation of corals, eels, big cats – EnviroNews

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Global wildlife trade rules are only as sustainable as the science that underpins them. For over fifty years, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), scientific expertise has bridged policy decisions and their implementation. From assessing impacts on wild populations and their roles in ecosystems to identifying research and capacity-building priorities, scientific experts provide critical knowledge, evidence, recommendations and credibility for translating global commitments into action and ensuring that trade is not detrimental to the survival of species in the wild.

Following the 20th World Wildlife Conference in November 2025 (20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES, CoP20) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Parties have agreed to a substantial programme of inter alia scientific and technical work to continue strengthening the effective implementation of CITES. They must now implement the three Resolutions, over 350 Decisions and 76 species listings adopted through amendments to the CITES Appendices before the next and 21st World Wildlife Conference, due to take place in 2028.  

From July 13 to 17, 2026, the 34th meeting of the CITES Animals Committee (AC34) will convene global scientific experts in Geneva, Switzerland, to advance this new global scientific and technical agenda and discuss conservation progress and plans for the sustainable management and trade of corals, sharks and rays, eels, big cats, vultures, and amphibians, among other fauna. To date, 73 Governments and 79 observer organizations have registered for the meeting, with a total of almost 500 expected participants.

CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero, said: “Science brings conservation commitments to life and drives solutions that aim to ensure trade sustainability and species survival. As we commence this new intersessional period, CITES Parties will not only set the course for strong, evidence-backed implementation of the Convention and the outcomes of the Conference of the Parties in Uzbekistan, but also contribute critical advancements towards the CITES Strategic Vision 2021-2030, the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Dr Amir Hamidy, Director of the CITES Scientific Authority of Indonesia (National Research and Innovation Agency, BRIN), is expected to be confirmed as the Chair of the Animals Committee and the first representative of the Asia region to lead the Committee. Under his chairmanship, AC34 will bring together scientific experts for four days of plenary discussions, in-session working groups and technical deliberations focusing on a broad scope of fauna species from deep-water sharks and big cats to reptiles and amphibians. The Committee is also expected to establish several working groups to advance key mandates between AC34 and AC35, to maintain momentum in the implementation of CoP20 decisions. 

The Committee will select new species/country combinations for review under the Review of Significant Trade (RST), the Convention’s primary mechanism for ensuring that trade in Appendix II species remains sustainable, while also reviewing progress on combinations selected at earlier meetings. Since the publication of the new CITES Non-Detriment Findings (NDF) Guidance, encouraging progress has been made by Parties subject to review under the RST in implementing the recommendations made by the Animals Committee, including having recommendations to suspend trade lifted and cases being removed from the review process.

A strong focus on marine species, particularly corals, sharks and rays, will cover several technical priorities. For corals, this will include developing NDF guidance, addressing nomenclature challenges, reviewing conversion factors used in the RST trade analysis, and considering whether certain species require more detailed review – especially as more than half of the 93 species identified in the RST process are corals.

The Committee will also begin work under the new Resolution on anguillid eels, addressing the conservation and management challenges associated with these high-value and widely traded species. In parallel, it will review the Resolution on micro‑chip implants and consider current marking and identification methods and whether updated or new guidance on marking live animals should be developed. 

Sharks and rays present a technically complex set of discussions, covering progress by Parties in making NDFs, addressing discrepancies in trade data, and examining the feasibility of adapting the RST process to the particular challenges of shark fisheries. The Committee will also lay the groundwork for a technical workshop on newly listed deep-water sharks (Centrophoridae spp.), a group for which trade traceability and species-level data remain significant obstacles to effective implementation.

The week will conclude with a joint session of the CITES Animals Committee and the CITES Plants Committee on July 17, 2026, bringing together scientific experts from both Committees to address shared priorities including the Convention’s application to fungi, a process to obtain feedback on the use of the NDF Guidance, enhancing the work and efficiency of the Convention through the permanent committees and capacity-building, including the country-wide review of significant trade.