Representatives from 185 countries will meet in Uzbekistan from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5, 2025. They will debate trade rules for sharks, African hornbills, hyenas, vultures, palm trees, and other threatened species. Delegates will vote to limit or ban international trade in animals and plants, including skins, heads, and fins. This session marks the 20th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The Conference of the Parties happens every three years. It offers a chance to rein in the multibillion-dollar global wildlife trade. Trade remains the biggest threat to elephants, rhinos, tigers, and many other species.
U.S. Influence in CITES Appears to Decline
The United States helped create CITES and historically led global conservation efforts. It drafted proposals, co-sponsored protections, and funded initiatives for pangolins, Saiga antelope, whales, and Amazon parrots. U.S. efforts helped reverse declines and curb illegal trafficking worldwide.
This year, the U.S. has sponsored only four proposals for the upcoming meeting, the fewest in 25 years. None of these proposals seek to uplist species for stronger protections. Experts, including Susan Lieberman of the Wildlife Conservation Society, call this decline disappointing. Chris Shepherd of the Center for Biological Diversity warns that this shift weakens global conservation influence at a critical time, as wildlife trade now reaches $10 billion annually.
Current U.S. Proposals Focus on Looser Protections
The four U.S. proposals include reducing protections for the Guadalupe fur seal and peregrine falcon from Appendix I to II. They also propose removing the extinct Caribbean monk seal from Appendix I and loosening trade rules for farmed American ginseng. Conservationists warn these measures risk weakening protection or creating loopholes for illegal trade.
Until late 2024, the USFWS considered 249 proposals, including 55 under review and 2 likely to be submitted. Experts note species like the painted woolly bat could still face commercial exploitation if proposals fail. These bats, popular as décor in the U.S., already appear in large numbers in online trade, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures.
