5 December 2012: The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has published a provisional assessment of proposals to amend Appendices I and II.

CITES notes that the assessment is done with a view to helping countries with their own assessment of the proposals, stimulating discussion and encouraging further clarification.

On the proposal to transfer polar bears from Appendix II to Appendix I, the Secretariat notes that that the section of the proposal on utilization and trade, in particular, gives a much clearer impression of international trade, which appears to be slightly larger than was understood at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP 15). On the proposal that hunting trophies of rhino from South Africa and Swaziland be subject to a zero export quota until at least CoP 18, the Secretariat notes that the proponent of the proposal seems to address concerns that have already been effectively and successfully tackled by South Africa. On the proposal to transfer elephants in Tanzania from Appendix I to Appendix II, the Secretariat highlights that the proposal includes a “one-off sale” of raw ivory at a time when the CoP will discuss a comprehensive decision-making mechanism for possible future trade in ivory under, and when there are increased levels of illegal killing of elephants in Africa and illegal trade in ivory requiring a concerted and coordinated response, which will be discussed at CoP 16, in March 2013. [Publication: Provisional Assessments by the Secretariat of Proposals to Amend Appendices I and II]