Endangered Species, Threatened Convention: The Past, Present and Future of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Concern about the rapid disappearance of wild species led, in 1973, to the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) which responded with a series of bans and regulations. However CITES failed to halt the decline of wild species and it became clear that the actual causes of extinction were ill understood. It was criticized for being fundamentally misconceived and its policies on restricting trade dammed as a positive threat to wildlife by reducing human incentives to conserve species or their habitat. "Endangered Species, Threatened Convention" draws on the experience and expertise of those central to the development of CITES. With contributors from Southern Africa, Asia, the European Union and the United States, an important aim of the book is to examine the North-South conflict arising from the differing perceptions of the relationship between conservation and development in these regions.This collection of essays - the first of its kind - examines the record of CITES, its controversies, successes and future direction, and will be an essential source of reference and theory for policy-makers and practioners involved in conservation, animal rights and welfare; academics and students concerned with international trade and international law; and all those involved with the environment, development and sustainability.