CITES and Livelihoods

 

Rural communities in certain parts of the world depend heavily on wild species for their livelihoods. Parties to CITES recognize the potential impacts on livelihoods of rural communities of CITES-listing decisions but also the opportunities of sustainable income and resources provision through long-term species conservation strategies (Resolution Conf. 16.6).

To better assess potential positive and negative impacts and enhance sustainable livelihoods and species conservation, CITES Parties created a working group with the mandate to develop tools for a sustainable implementation of CITES listings, the mitigation of negative impacts and the enhancement of positive opportunities for rural communities.

The Standing Committee Working Group on CITES and Livelihoods, has developed tools to assess and address impacts of CITES-listing decisions on the livelihoods of the poor.

 

Resolutions / Decisions

Tools and Resources

  • CITES and Livelihoods Handbook
   
  Part I Part II  
     

A conservation journey

From Poachers to Heroes

List of completed/potential case studies and successful experiences

Species specific cases

  • Crocodiles and livelihoods of rural communities
    • Study coordinated by the Organization of the American States (OAS) [Eng/Esp]
  • Shark listings and livelihoods of small scale fisheries 
    • Study coordinated by the Organization of the American States (OAS) [Eng/Esp]
Potential case studies
  • African grey parrots and livelihoods of rural communities
  • Amazona estiva and livelihoods of indigenous people
  • Markhor and Livelihoods of rural communities
  • Pangolins and livelihoods of rural communities
  • Polar bears and livelihoods of indigenous peoples
  • Rosewood and livelihoods of rural communities
  • Snakes and livelihoods of rural communities
  • Snow leopard and livelihoods of rural communities

Thematic cases

  • Bushmeat and livelihoods of rural communities
    • Study by Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) 
Potential case studies
  • Criteria to determine a successful livelihood experience
  • NTFPs and livelihoods of rural communities
  • Sustainable tourism and livelihoods of rural communities
  • Wildlife crime and livelihoods of rural communities

 

Other resources

 


Photo from the CITES and Livelihoods Working Group meeting, Cispatá, Colombia, February 2015