Celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the 77^th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (SC77) faced a challenging agenda, covering 77 items and over 101 related documents. 

With a record-breaking 717 participants, including Committee members, alternates, parties, and observers, SC77 marked the largest Standing Committee meeting to date. Highlights from the meeting include recommendations on various crucial matters:

• 11 agenda items on Article XIII compliance cases;
• the establishment of the CITES Global Youth Network;
• seizure reporting on big cats;
• monitoring elephant poaching;
• stockpiling timber; and
• consideration of possible future interaction between CITES and the new agreement on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

With a now staggering 184 parties, CITES has become a global force, regulating international trade in over 40,900 species of plants and animals, including their products and derivatives. Throughout the past five decades, CITES has played a pivotal role in detaining criminals, combating trafficking, regulating legal trade, and contributing to the recovery of species on the brink of extinction, such as the markhor and vicuña.

More information:

•  Agenda and documents - (Download all files here)
• In-session documents
• Information documents
• Executive summaries
• List of participants
• SC77 video recording 
• SC77 photos
• IISD/ENB coverage of the meeting
• DRAFT summary record